Influencers: A dirty word

When did the term ‘influencer’ become a dirty word?

As PR professionals we are all too familiar with assumptions and negative connotations

being magnetised to your professional title.

While we have yet to find a new name for what we do (in the world of Public Relations), we have managed to change the terminology we use when engaging online personalities for paid content development.

Goodbye influencers. Hello digital partners and ambassadors.

In 2019 Hunter Communications onboarded the inaugural ‘influencers’ for the Thermomix brand in Australia.

Today, we identify, onboard, and manage all digital partnerships for the brand across Australia and New Zealand. Just like traditional PR, the power of content developed by partners lies in the strategy. When you have clear measurements for success, you will identify and activate the right people and really connect with their audiences.

Case Study: Thermomix Digital Partnership Support

The Brief

Hunter had been working with Thermomix in Australia and New Zealand across a range of communications activities since 2016. In 2019 Hunter's scope of support was extended to include the development of a digital partnership (ambassador) strategy. Thermomix required the development of a strategy and ongoing implementation support to initiate, grow and manage digital partnerships.

The Objectives

• Grow social media following of Thermomix in Australia and New Zealand across Instagram and Facebook.

• Grow EDM database.

• Increase lead generation for Thermomix consultants.

• Increase brand awareness for Thermomix.

• Increase brand understanding of Thermomix benefits (using key messages)

• Promote products and offers.

• Build relationships to perpetuate ongoing organic content creation (after paid campaigns).

The Strategy

Our strategy revolves around the building of an online Thermomix family. Across Australia and New Zealand we manage the ongoing identification, engagement, and management of digital partnerships (mostly Instagram influencers). Ambassadors are identified to align to the four key pillars of Thermomix; saving time, saving money, health and professionals.

This strategy included the development of:

• A system to identify, measure and engage digital partnerships (mostly Instagram influencers).

• Creative campaign concepts for influencer engagement.

• Implementation strategy to engage and manage influencers, building long-term authentic relationships between them and the brand.

• Measurement criteria for the impact of influencer engagement on brand awareness, brand knowledge, database growth and lead generation.

• Ongoing relationship building and management of talent to build the ‘digital Thermomix family’ and increase organic content creation.

The Results

• Development of digital partnership strategy for Thermomix in Australia and New Zealand, and uptake of all strategy recommendations including adoption of ambassador monitoring and measurement software.

• Ongoing growth of social media channels and EDM database.

• Development and implementation of successful Instagram campaigns (i.e. launch of new model TM6, launch of cookbooks, sales of accessories on The Mix Shop, new product line launches).

• Highest attended open house event in Australia (January 2020) promoted purely through ambassador campaign.

• New Zealand Instagram page grown from 0 to 11.5K followers in under 30 months.