Apparel November 2019 Apparel November 2019 issue | страница 72

NEW AVENUES
INFLUENCER-DRIVEN PROMOTIONS
ARE SUBTLER AND CONNECT WITH
THE AUDIENCE MORE, DUE TO THEIR
RELIANCE ON THE INFLUENCER’S
VERY PERSONA.
Due to the sheer access and range these
networks have, businesses have begun looking
to them as sources of earned media, i.e. publicity
gained from non-advertising-style promotions.
This is because the nature of social media
generally tends to eschew traditional advertising.
The overwhelming majority of online users usually
avoids and dislikes the kind of advertising and
promotions they are faced with on the web.
However, with social media-based influencer
advertising, research shows that consumers tend
to be more pliable and tolerant of promotions.
These influencer-driven promotions are subtler
and connect with the audience more, due to their
reliance on the influencer’s very persona. And this
is what makes social media influencer advertising
so valuable.
Currently, the return on investment (ROI) for
influencer-based promotions is nearly 18:1, which
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November 2019
means that for every dollar spent, the brand earns
US$18 in return. This is a massively successful
formula, which has made influencer marketing an
essential part of any brand’s portfolio. It is also
preferred due to its relatively easy execution, low
participation cost, and excellent measurements
of results. So, while multimillion-dollar advertising
campaigns can be difficult to execute and
even more challenging to measure in terms
of effectiveness, social media influencers are
low-risk, yet yield high rewards. Even small, new
brands that may not have prior experience in
marketing know that if they choose influencers
that have an audience similar to their own
product’s target market, they will be reasonably
successful. And this is what makes social media-
influencer marketing immensely valuable to the
apparel industry.
THE APPAREL CONNECTION
With increasing internet speeds, greater data,
and constant mobility, brands’ ability to reach
consumers is becoming increasingly easy. A part
of this transformation is also how consumers
behave, make purchase decisions, and choose
to spend their money. For apparel brands, this
means showcasing their products in locations
where their potential customers reside—social
media. This is why a swiftly developing country
such as India is rapidly seeing the rise of social
media influencers, who are increasingly being
reached out to, to promote fashion.
Brands such as Nike and Gaurav Gupta have
already begun to collaborate with some rising
stars on Instagram, just as Louis Vuitton and
jeans giant Pepe have partnered with others.
These relationships are unlike traditional brand-
ambassador relationships. For example, most
social media influencers are not celebrities by any
previous design. They are digital personalities
who have amassed a following on social media
due to the content and persona that they create