The truth is that running an influencer campaign isn’t an easy task (unless you work with Agenic, that is), and there are loads of things to coordinate for it to run smoothly. First, there’s the thinking of a grand idea, then influencer sourcing, babysitting, data analysis, and lastly – results.
Another truth is that collaborating with creators is probably the only veritable channel if you truly want to rule social media. Now, what you could do is check out these examples of great influencer campaigns that ran over the last couple of years, learn from them, and try to emulate them. Why these ones especially? Well, they all brought great results and ticked all the boxes to be successful this year, too. Based on authenticity, originality, and brand value representation, they are exactly what social media users are looking for today. So, shall we check them out?
Ralph Lauren
Ralph Lauren, often associated with high-end sports, didn’t miss a chance to launch a campaign related to the US Open Tennis Championship. To make it even more impactful, RL collaborated with influencer Diana Silvers, whose audiences were also huge on the tournament. This way, the brand married significant audiences of US Open and Diana Silvers and united them under a #WinningRL hashtag.
Then, Ralph Lauren took their campaign to TikTok and asked the users to share the instances they’ve originally won real-life challenges. Three winners were then awarded Polo Ralph Lauren goodie packs. Their decision to expand the campaign to TikTok was a real winner in itself because the challenge nature spoke true to the usual likes of the platform users.
Basically, what RL did was to tie in an influencer, a huge sporting event, a challenge, a catchy hashtag, and enticing prizes into one holistic campaign!
Buffalo Wild Wings
Buffalo Wild Wings, a sports bar chain in the US, is another nice example of working with athletes as their choice of influencers. The most obvious reason for this choice was the athletes’ and the sports bars’ shared interests – this way, BWW knew that their message would get across to anyone watching it.
Now, this is how their campaign looked. BWW asked athletes to record candid videos that looked like video calls, adding a nice personal touch. The message they communicated was a really straightforward one, as the athletes explicitly asked the viewers why they were still on their phones when they could be at the nearest Buffalo Wild Wings watching a game.
Such bold statements should be viewed with caution, as some of the followers might feel like it is overstepping the boundaries of familiarity. However, BWW knew perfectly well the likes and dislikes of their customers, and this blunt approach worked like a charm. Another thing that allowed such a message to work was their choice of niche influencers whose followers matched BWW’s target audiences.
So, being bold and brave definitely bring great results when it is thought over and calculated. It sounds a bit like a conundrum, but that’s how it is!
Cuvée Coffee
What do you do if there isn’t a suitable influencer for your campaign? Why, you create your own, of course!
This is precisely what Cuvée Coffee did, and it is purely ingenious. First, the coffee bar needed to find an influencer representing one of their clientele personas – a blue-collar worker. And when they failed to find a suitable influencer, they created an influencer page @justaconstructionguy, found a regular worker named Omar, and took professional photos of him tasting their coffee throughout his day.
And that’s how Cuvée Coffee created an influencer campaign they had complete control of, and it went tremendously well!
Ultimately, thinking outside the box was the main ingredient for Cuvée Coffee’s successful campaign. In fact, it almost always is, so take their example as an inspiration. Another thing that we loved seeing here was the campaign’s relatability, as the target audiences (and us) could easily see themselves in Omar’s place and enjoy the same coffee as him.
Nissan
Nissan’s #TitanAdventure is an excellent example of creating an event that leaves no choice for its participants but to create loads and loads of engaging and interesting content.
So, this is how they did it – Nissan invited pick-up truck owners, ambassadors, and influencers on a four-day experience filled with various fun outdoor activities with the Nissan Titan pick-up truck. Of course, they didn’t forget vital educational parts of their adventure as the participants also got lessons on how to snow plow and get out vehicles stuck in the snow. Which we’re a bit jealous of, no shame in admitting!
Although Nissan did not ask the influencers to create any content, the activities were so spectacular that they did it on their own. Which, of course, created a massive brand reach.
What can be taken out of this campaign in 2022? One word – authenticity! People are wary of staged performances and clearly paid-for endorsements, and creating a community surrounding the influencer and the brand they represent is the key. Such content always speaks the most to followers and encourages them to engage with the brand.
BMW
Targeting a new demographic usually means stepping out of your comfort zone. However, that didn’t seem to have caused any problems for BMW! So, to reach out to the younger generation, BMW overhauled its promotional methods and ventured into the world of TikTok. Their choice of content was, of course, a dance challenge which, of course, resonated tremendously well with their target audiences.
So, BMW collaborated with famous TikTokers like @falcopunch and @skyandtami, who then asked audiences to participate in the #THE1challenge with their own choreographed performances in or around the BMW 1 series cars. The result was over one million likes and over 7 million views on the platform. Not so bad, huh?
The key to their success was knowing where to find their target audiences, creating bespoke content that matches the vibe of the platform, and partnering up with famous creators. So surely you could do it, too, right?
So, ready to run your own influencer campaign? Of course, you are! And if you are looking for a trustworthy partner in this endeavor, give us a message.
