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But for that both influencers

Brands rethink the and brands need to choose

their associations carefully,
not just on the basis of num-
ber of followers on social
media. A personality fit as

influence game also a close alignment on

the nature of the content that
the influencer uses on his
or her social media timelines
are important.
With the pandemic and the ban on TikTok narrowing For instance, the recent
down opportunities for customer engagement, brands rush to use Sonu Sood, a
Bollywood actor who rose to
reconsider the role and power of influencers fame for the help extended to
migrant labourers looking to
T E NARASIMHAN get back home during the lock-
Chennai, 14 July Sonu Sood has emerged a down, is an example of how
big influencer in the past brands often go wrong say

T
he community of influ- few months with big experts. Many were drawn to
encers has grown from brands such as Edelweiss the swelling numbers on Sood’s
strength to strength. Be it Tokio launching digital social media timelines, but not
cola major PepsiCo or con- campaigns with him all brands have a target demo-
glomerate Marico or numerous graphic matches that of his fol-
confectionary and beauty lowers. Such relationships end
brands and ecommerce plat- poorly for both.
forms, social media stars have Sood has become the face
wielded the baton of influence of several big, national brands
with increasing power. But now such as Pepsi, Godrej Interio
as the pandemic keeps its unre- and Edelweiss Tokio. “In the
lenting grip on economic activ- current scenario, influencers
ity, changes consumer behav- exude authenticity. Their role
iour and alters brand priorities, as micro-amplifiers to drive
influence is being viewed S engagement and reach of ideas
through an all-new lens, forcing is more important now than
a rethink on the use and reach A survey of marketing professionals released in before,” says Shailja Joshi, asso-
of influencers. January 2020 found that: ciate director-Potato Chips
According to a report Category at PepsiCo India.
released last week by the Indian
Instagram, YouTube, and TikTok are the top three Authenticity is important
Institute of Human Brands influencer channels and one way to do that is to
(IIHB), the top 100 influencers
69% said the quality of customer acquisition ensure that the influencer’s
on various platforms could col- was best through influencer marketing content and personality are
lectively see an income loss of
80% said they would increase budgets for
in sync with the brand. Also
close to ~120 crore. According to Mishra says, influencers must
another study by Influencer.in,
influencer marketing be a part of the brand’s overall
Source: Buzzooka Influencer Marketing 2.0
a social media tracking agency, social media marketing ini-
the number of collaborations tiative and not just a face to
between brands and influ- digital to a priority-digital era the pandemic killed the social carry its message across on
encers has come down consid- and influence marketing is like- media influencer. “Actually, the one platform.
erably in the past three months, ly to evolve,” says Ashish word influencer itself is the Mihir Karkare, executive
especially for travel and fash- Mishra, MD, Interbrand India, issue. The moment we start vice president of Mirum India,
ion. Payment delays were also a who believes that brands must equating the reach of a digital a digital marketing agency
huge concern during the peri- redefine the relationship. performer, the millions of fol- says, “Brands/industries might
od, it said. Influencer marketing will need lowers, as being his sphere of increase or decrease the use of
While Covid-19 had already to get more authentic and influence, we start to err. influencers in the marketing
ruptured the relationship engaging and Mishra says, “The Specifically on TikTok, most of mix, but broadly speaking they
between influencers and selection of influencers should the creators were producing continue to be relevant.” He
brands, it was torn further apart be based on their brand overlap content that is more entertain- believes that influencers will
by the ban on TikTok. Without and engagement capabilities ment, that too, crass entertain- survive the pandemic and the
the platform, influencers lost and dependant on target audi- ment,” Goyal adds. ban on TikTok. “What matters
their flock of fans and their ence demographics.” How must influencers most is how large and real and
brand associations. Is it time His view is echoed by sever- adapt to the changing times? how engaged the said audi-
then to turn off the lights on a al others in the industry who The past few months have ence is with the influencer.
community that barely six believe that brands and influ- forced brands and consumers The TikTok episode has cer-
months ago was being feted by encers had built in too much to look at the relationship tainly made plain for both
marketers and scripted into artifice in their relationships. more closely and here there is brands and influencers that
every advertising campaign? Sandeep Goyal, chief mentor of a role that influencers could one cannot be overly depend-
“The world is shifting from IIHB, says it is wrong to say that play well. Build brand trust. ent on a single platform.”