Month: September 2023

The rise of creator brands has helped Social media influencers surpass traditional brands and shake up established systems with their own brands. Influencers interact with their communities regularly, and these communities are extremely loyal. This loyalty is unmatched and gives influencers remarkable selling influence. This strong devotion allows them to build brands as big as their followers.

Traditional advertising methods have seen a decline in effectiveness, with 47% of customers resorting to Adblock technology. In this climate, the power of influencers shines through. Data from MuseFind reveals that a staggering 92% of consumers trust influencers more than traditional advertising or celebrity endorsements. This high level of trust is a testament to the genuine connections that influencers build with their audiences.

MrBeast Burger: An Iconic Example: Jimmy Donaldson, known by his 275 million followers as MrBeast, is a prime example of the influence and reach that a creator-led brand can achieve. A philanthropic YouTuber, Jimmy has not only amassed a massive following but has also leveraged his online presence to create MrBeast Burger, a brand that bridges the gap between the digital and physical worlds. What started as a virtual concept in 2020 quickly grew into a global sensation.

With online locations sprouting across the globe. The brand’s expansion from the digital realm to brick-and-mortar stores, including a world-record-breaking launch in New Jersey, showcases the limitless potential of creator-led brands. It highlights how influencers can translate their digital influence into real-world impact.

In our local context, we have numerous inspiring instances of homegrown influencers who have established their brands. Irfan Junejo, for instance, introduced Scnzcrew, while Laraib Rahim is known for her brand Organic Brown. Additionally, Syeda Urooj Fatima has introduced Serendipitybyrooj, and Waliya Najib has garnered attention with her brand PrelovedbyWaliya. The list continues endlessly with such smart examples.
The rise of these brands challenges the traditional notion of starting with a grand vision. These brands are less focused on a big purpose and more centered around the personality of the creator. They prioritize authenticity, connection, and interactivity with their audience. Video content is the primary communication medium, emphasizing the importance of direct engagement.

Creator brands benefit from their community of loyal followers. These communities provide valuable feedback and secure the product-market fit. As seen in the above cases, an influencer’s understanding of their audience’s preferences and interests drives content creation and brand expansion.

While creator-led brands offer significant advantages, they also come with unique challenges. The creator’s personal brand is closely tied to the success of the brand, making individual decisions critical. Scaling can also be challenging as multiple brands and products enter the picture. However, solid diversification strategies and collaboration with secondary characters from the creator’s universe can alleviate these challenges.

Creator-led brands are rewriting the rules of brand building. They thrive on trust, authenticity, and direct engagement with their communities. The success of MrBeast Burger and other creator-led brands demonstrates the power of influencers to transcend the digital realm and make a significant impact in the real world. As we move forward, it is essential to consider how we can re-strategize our approach to establish and nurture these vital connections with our audience.

In 2023, there’s some exciting news for YouTube enthusiasts! Google made headlines at the start of the year when it decided to discontinue its cloud gaming project, Google Stadia. This decision was due to its struggle to gain substantial traction. It faced fierce competition from industry giants like Microsoft’s Xbox Cloud Gaming and Nvidia GeForce Now. According to data shared by the U.K.’s Competition and Markets Authority (CMA), Stadia held a meagre estimated 0-5% share of the cloud gaming market in 2022. In contrast, Nvidia GeForce boasted a considerably larger 20-30% share.

But here’s the exciting twist. Google is reentering the gaming arena, introducing an intriguing concept known as “Playables,” this time via YouTube.
This feature enables users to seamlessly play games on both the desktop website and mobile devices. The Playables section currently restricts access to a select number of users. It signifies an exciting development in the ever-evolving landscape of online entertainment.

In the YouTube Playables, you can find games like Stack Bounce. This game lets you take charge of a 3D ball that bounces on top of rings. Your mission? To click at just the right moment to smash through obstacles. If this game sounds familiar, it’s because Google already includes it in their collection of mini-games known as “GameSnacks.”

To see if you’re one of the chosen ones in this gaming experiment, keep an eye out for the “Playables” section on your YouTube homepage.

However, YouTube is not the only streaming platform testing the gaming waters.

The introduction of games into the YouTube experience is transforming user engagement. It holds the potential to create a new avenue for interaction.

In a world where entertainment options continue to expand, YouTube’s foray into gaming signifies its commitment to providing diverse content. It aims to engage its ever-growing audience effectively.  As this experimental phase unfolds, it will be fascinating to observe. We’ll witness how this new dimension of YouTube transforms the online entertainment landscape.

The importance of earned media value (EMV) in today’s marketing landscape cannot be overstated. EMV is a measure of the value of unpaid media coverage, such as mentions in social media, press releases, and blog posts. It can be a powerful tool for brands to measure the impact of their marketing efforts and to track their progress over time.

A powerful way to increase EMV is through creator media/influencer marketing. You can reach a large audience and generate a lot of engagement when a trusted creator or influencer shares positive content about your brand. This can lead to increased brand awareness, website traffic, and sales.

For example, in 2021 Lux partnered with Pakistani actress Mahira Khan to promote its new range of skincare products. Khan shared a series of videos on her social media channels talking about the products and how they had helped her to improve her skin. The campaign was a huge success, generating over 1 million views on social media and driving a significant increase in sales of the products.

Another example of how influencer marketing can boost EMV is the case of Glossier. Glossier is a beauty brand that has built a strong following on social media (2.8M followers). The brand works with a network of influencers to promote its products, and these influencers often create highly engaging content that resonates with Glossier’s target audience. As a result, Glossier has been able to achieve high levels of EMV, which has helped to drive sales and growth.

The food delivery service Foodpanda has also partnered with a number of Pakistani influencers to promote its brand. For example, in 2022, it partnered with the YouTuber Faizan Sheikh to promote its new food delivery service. Sheikh created a series of videos on his YouTube channel talking about the service and how it could help people to order food from their favorite restaurants. The campaign was a success, generating over 1 million views on YouTube and driving a significant increase in orders.

In addition to increasing brand awareness and driving sales, EMV can also help to build trust and credibility with consumers. When consumers see positive content about a brand from trusted sources, they are more likely to be influenced by that content. This can lead to increased brand loyalty and repeat business.

In 2019, Nike partnered with Serena Williams to promote its new Air Max 720 sneaker. Williams shared a video on her social media channels wearing the sneaker, and the post generated over 1 million likes and 50,000 comments. This resulted in a significant increase in sales of the sneaker, and it also helped to boost Nike’s brand image.

A study by Nielsen found that 92% of consumers trust recommendations from people they know, while only 68% trust traditional advertising.

Overall, EMV is a valuable metric for brands to track. By measuring EMV, brands can get a better understanding of the impact of their marketing efforts and make informed decisions about how to allocate their resources. Additionally, EMV can help brands to build trust and credibility with consumers, which can lead to increased sales and growth.

In Pakistan, marketers often confuse Influencer Marketing for Instagram alone. And yes, Instagram has made it very popular with various storytelling formats such as posts, stores and now the hugely popular reels. But today, let’s venture off the well-worn path and explore the dynamic social landscape in Pakistan. Let’s dive into treasures like Snapchat, TikTok, and SnackVideo, quietly reshaping influencer marketing in Pakistan, and globally.

👉TikTok, with a 55.50% share of influencer marketing campaigns, has taken the global influencer marketing landscape by storm, surpassing Instagram’s 50.80%. TikTok has also gained significant popularity among marketers, not just in Pakistan but worldwide. It boasts 40+ million users in Pakistan ahead of Instagram by far and yet less than 25% of the Influencer Campaigns include it in Pakistan. Tiktok influencers are better storytellers, have a much bigger reach and deliver amazing Cost per View. Brands can harness TikTok’s creative energy to build meaningful connections and drive growth.

👉 Snapchat, with a whopping 18.8 million users in Pakistan, is unique for its focus on privacy and fleeting content. This appeals to Pakistanis who cherish personal space. Brands can connect with this large and engaged audience, making Snapchat a vital part of influencer marketing strategies.

👉 SnackVideo, with its Snapchat-like appeal, is making waves with ~18 million millennials and Gen Z users. It’s a diverse hub for creators and businesses looking to engage the next generation.

Innovative brands like FoodPanda are already using these platforms for influential marketing campaigns. Meanwhile, giants like Telenor offer specialized data packages for Snapchat, SnackVideo, and TikTok, expanding their digital reach and reshaping marketing in the fast-paced digital age.

Businesses leveraging Snapchat, TikTok, and SnackVideo for their influencer marketing activities can take advantage of video-first content, high reach, and younger audience appeal. To wrap up, uncharted territories lead to the most exciting discoveries. Keep exploring, keep innovating, and keep an eye on these hidden gems as you navigate the Creator Media Space. Happy venturing.