Tag: influencer marketing

Brands taking communications entirely in-house may see short-term financial benefits, but long-term drawbacks are significant. The communications agency I have led for almost eight years is unusual in retaining clients for extended periods. Occasionally, we lose an account.

A few years ago, as whispers of artificial intelligence (AI) began permeating the marketing sector, there was a palpable buzz. Part excitement, part scepticism. Across industry gatherings and in hushed conference calls, professionals half-joked about AI potentially rendering traditional skills redundant. However, as we ventured into this new terrain, our initial apprehension gave way to a profound realisation: AI wasn’t here to replace us; it was here to enhance our capabilities and extend our reach. 

The global influencer marketing industry is set to grow to an astonishing $22.2 billion by 2025. If anyone ever doubted its staying power, this figure makes it clear: influencer marketing is here to stay. In fact, according to the latest The State of Influencer Marketing Benchmark Report 2024, this growth is not just a global experience. In South Africa, the landscape is evolving rapidly, with local brands poised to capitalise on this growth through digital strategies and meaningful connections with consumers.

We recently marked the 10-year milestone of Instagram, a platform that has profoundly shaped and, some might argue, even birthed the concept of influencer marketing that at its core is about fostering authentic relationships and real connections with brands.

Consumers are changing - they have less time, aren't brand loyal, are more socially and environmentally conscious, and prefer experiences over products. According to a Deloitte study, these changes are a result of climate change, economic constraints and increasing competitive options.

Big brands used to tell us what was cool. Today, consumers expect brands to be more human. In fact, the higher a brand’s emotional intelligence, the more it wins. According to the Kantar Purpose 2020 report, almost two-thirds of millennials and centennials (our soon-to-be economic engine), express a preference for 'brands that have a point of view and stand for something'.

The so-called ‘death of traditional news media’ is a conversation that has been going on in journalism circles, and the communications discipline, for a long time. In fact, when I was in journalism school a decade ago – the phenomena of social media and what it means for news to no longer break in the newsroom was scary.