From Game of Thrones to The Twilight Saga, Hollywood actors have long been associated with iconic movie characters and their distinctive brands. But with the rise of social media and influencer marketing, traditional brand loyalties are becoming less relevant.
Today, celebrities can endorse products and make brand commitments without having to rely on traditional marketing channels. Influencers and their teams are responsible for creating buzz around a brand, often through social media. As a result, the line between celebrities and regular people is blurring, and the importance of traditional brand loyalties is becoming less relevant.
The Rise Of Influencer Marketing
The rise of influencer marketing is arguably the biggest change to hit the entertainment industry in 2020. With the global economy struggling to find its feet, people are seeking escapism and distraction through entertainment media, especially social media. Consumers have more choice than ever before, with social media platforms such as TikTok enabling content creators to reach hundreds of millions of users with their unique brand of humour, inspiration, and celebrity.
From influencer marketing gurus such as Kim Kardashian and Kylie Jenner, to global brands such as Marc Jacobs and Ralph Lauren, leveraging the influence of popular creators is a great way to gain exposure and make connections with key decision-makers in the industry.
The Rise Of The Tattoo
While some might see the rise of influencer marketing as a negative trend, it’s actually giving birth to a new brand of celebrity. Thanks to the likes of influencers like Amber Rose and Ambitious Amy, more and more people are trying something new and unique on their bodies.
TikTok users looking to spice up their bodies with temporary self-expression have flocked to catch the attention of popular influencers and gain access to their body-swapping tools. But even if you’re not a fan of social media, you can still benefit from the growing trend. As with most fad diets, people are trying to emulate the most famous faces on TikTok, resulting in a growing trend of facial tattoos.
And just as with most fad diets, the idea behind these tattoos isn’t to improve your health. It’s all about impressing your followers, gaining attention, and showing off your brand allegiance.
Traditional Brand Loyalty Is Now Outdated
Thanks to the influence of social media, traditional brand loyalty is now outdated. If you’re following the actions of the most important people in your industry on social media, you’ll start to see a fractured media landscape emerge, with Twitterati promoting different brands and products than traditional journalists.
If your primary means of keeping up with the latest trends is through social media, you’ll start to see a lot of activity from multiple accounts, all trying to boost the popularity of their brand or product. This kind of open media environment isn’t new, of course; it’s just that technological advances have allowed everyone with a camera to have a voice, which in turn, gives them the power to influence an audience.
The line between celebrity and regular people is blurring each and every day, thanks to the influence of social media. While in the past, getting ‘liked’ on social media would get you a few hundred followers, now it could get you millions. Thanks to marketing gurus like James Maude, brands must now look at influential media figures in a whole new light, as each individual has the power to influence an audience of billions through their social media platforms.
The Changing Role Of Public Relations And Influencer Marketing
One of the biggest changes brought about by the pandemic is the changing role of public relations and influencer marketing. For decades, these two fields have worked closely together, acting as a brand’s eyes and ears, respectively. Now that the world is coming out of the pandemic, these two disciplines are still important, but with lessened importance.
Thanks to social media, celebrities can now directly engage with their followers, increasing the importance of digital PR practitioners. Additionally, without the need for traditional advertising, the role of influencers is becoming more significant, as they can both generate buzz and drive traffic to a brand’s website or social media channels.
While some might still see celebrities and influencers as objects of desire, today they’re more likely to be seen as marketing tools, used by brands to make connections with consumers.
The line between celebrity and regular people is blurring, as the reach of social media continues to grow. Thanks to the internet and the growing influence of social media, people are finding inspiration, motivation, and the ability to create change from their smartphones, laptops, and tablets.