Influencing the masses in the digital age

During the 90's we witnessed a dramatic cult following of film and sport celebrities among
the masses. This led to a plethora of brands vying for audience attention through celebrity
endorsements. For instance, If Amitabh Bacchan would use a product, then so would the
masses.

But now, the  market is consumer centric. And the digital consumer may not be allured to buy
a product just because a celebrity is using it. A section of the masses will, but not all.
Majority of the consumers are in the research stage,and we need to target them when they are
in the process of buying. And most importantly, not all brands want to shell out huge money
to endorse their products.

Now enter the bloggers, youtubers and others, the so called – influencers. Be it any field, you
can find them. Food bloggers are given free samples and asked to blog about. But, is their
opinion unbiased? Would it have been the same in the absence of the freebie? Now this is a
question we all need to think about.

Coming to the Youtubers of the likes of AIB, Filter Copy and others, they enable brands like
OLA to target the youth through simple product placements and of course, they charge less
than mainstream celebrities. Yes, this will work for a while and may even create sufficient
brand recall. But, how long will these tactics last?

Now let’s view the third option the real brand advocates. If brands listen carefully by using
the proper tools,they would find loyal customers. And, it is these people with whom they
should be talking to. Being loyal to the brand, they are more than willing to talk about your
brand without any freebie. And they would definitely vouch for your brand among their
sphere of influence.

So brands, what are you waiting for, turn your brand loyalists into brand advocates and you
have secure place in the market.