Superstar Weekly

Over the past few months, I've been deep-diving into brands and their creator marketing strategies. What's emerged is a mix of creative brilliance and common pitfalls that could make or break their marketing efforts.

One key insight stands out.

Many brands rush into creator partnerships, prioritizing reach and speed over strategy. They're snapping up collaborations with top creators and jumping on the latest trends without considering whether these moves truly resonate with their brand identity or effectively engage their target audiences.

This approach might spark a brief surge in engagement, but it often fails to deliver lasting benefits. Superficial engagements don't foster deep connections with audiences, leading to fragile relationships that do little for brand loyalty or perception—sometimes even damaging them.

A more strategic, thoughtful, and selective approach to creator marketing can unlock tremendous growth and success. By prioritizing depth and authenticity right from the start, brands can create a more impactful and enduring creator marketing strategy. 

Selecting the right creator partnerships is essential—while this may seem obvious, the implications are profound. It's not just about collaborating with the top influencers with the biggest following or jumping onto current trends. Instead, brands should consider working with emerging talent—those who may not be the heavy hitters yet but have the potential to authentically convey a brand's story. This strategy helps forge meaningful connections between a brand and relevant communities and sets the stage for organic growth and fresh perspectives that stand out.

Engaging with niche communities can yield substantial results. Many brands can benefit significantly from engaging with niche communities. While they may be smaller, their engagement levels and brand loyalty tend to be much higher. By focusing on these communities, brands can cultivate a dedicated customer base that is more likely to advocate on their behalf, leading to organic growth and a stronger brand presence.

It's not just about one-off campaigns. Brands should strive to build long-term relationships with creators. This continuity allows creators to become true brand ambassadors, deepening their understanding and ability to represent the brand authentically. Over time, this consistency builds a stronger narrative, a more cohesive brand presence, and a more enduring connection between a brand and its community.

Ultimately, by moving away from the pursuit of quick wins and the "bigger is better" mindset to building lasting connections, more brands can not only participate in the creator economy but truly excel within it.

Industry spotlight

TikTok 'ban' passes in the House again

The House once again passed a bill that could ban TikTok from the US unless its Chinese parent company ByteDance divests it — but this time, it’s in a way that will be harder for the Senate to stall. Read more here

X Offers New Incentives to Get Brands to Sign Up to X Verified for Organizations

X (Twitter) has launched a new offer for brands that are willing to pay to get a gold checkmark in the app, with equal ad credits to be added to accounts that sign up for the program. Read more here

LinkedIn betting it can take on TikTok and Instagram in influencer marketing

LinkedIn is getting serious about influencer marketing. The company is now letting advertisers pay to amplify user posts, including those with sizable followings. Its product, Thought Leader ads, launched in a limited capacity last year. Read more here

Meta looks to help Instagram influencers create AI bot versions of themselves

Instagram is testing a program called Creator AI to allow top Instagram influencers to interact with their followers via chatbot. The program gives influencers—or rather a bot representing an influencer—the opportunity to chat with more fans through direct messages with less effort. Read more here

The state of influencer-brand deals 2024

Most brands continue to invest heavily in sponsored content on social media, with US marketer spending expected to rise by 16% this year to $8.14 billion. Read the report here

Starpower

Food critic Keith Lee teams up with Pizza Hut on limited-edition pizza

Pizza Hut has announced a partnership with acclaimed food critic Keith Lee to support local communities. As part of the brand's $12ANY campaign, the FamiLEE Community Pizza promises to redefine the pizza experience with its unique blend of flavors and community spirit. Read more here

Beauty brand Geske taps Megan Fox and Charlie D’Amelio to spearhead its global brand awareness campaign

German beauty brand Geske, known for fusing engineering, skincare, and AI technology, has launched a multi-phase global campaign leveraging celebrity endorsements and influencer partnerships to drive brand awareness. Read more here

Mad Rabbit taps nearly 8,000 brand ambassadors to promote its tattoo care products

Mad Rabbit taps nearly 8,000 brand ambassadors to promote its tattoo care products. Ambassadors receive perks like early access to new products, trips to the brand’s Los Angeles headquarters, and participation in focus groups. Read more here

What we’re reading

The influencers with as much presidential access as the press [Link]

How marketers can navigate the legal pitfalls of generative AI [Link]

How marketers should measure social media creator campaign performance [Link]

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