Weekly Shorts: Influencer brand trip: effective or controversial?

The proliferation of platforms and formats like short-videos have changed the influencer marketing game for marketers, brands and creators. In this fast-evolving space, keep up with the big trends and hot topics that matter in Storyboard18’s Weekly Shorts in collaboration with affable.ai, an end-to-end AI-powered influencer marketing platform. Track how creators, communities and brands are engaging with users and disrupting marketing to get a sharp and fast insight into present and future trends.

Influencer brand trips are excellent for generating a positive buzz for your brand, provided you plan them accurately.

Are influencer trips worth it? Many marketers are questioning the effectiveness of influencer brand trips after the Tarte Cosmetics and Shein controversy. The two brands recently faced backlash from the social media community that bruised their brand reputation.

Shein was recently in the limelight for organizing an influencer trip to one of its factories in China. The influencer trip was an attempt to whitewash the brand's reputation as a company that makes a fortune by exploiting laborers and the environment.

The campaign did the opposite of what the company had planned. The influencers who posted about the trip on their page faced negative comments and feedback from their followers. Social media users shared memes mocking Shein's attempt to turn around its negative image.

Similarly, a couple of months ago, Tarte made the headlines for an influencer trip to Dubai. Tarte, a cosmetics and skincare company, invited a group of creators to Dubai to promote their latest products.

But some creators, particularly women of color, felt they were not being treated the same way as their white counterparts. The issue took a public turn when the creator took to social media to share her experience of being given the smallest hotel room among all the influencers. It led to a wave of criticism aimed at Tarte.

The two influencer campaigns prove that blindly following a trend is not the key to authentic marketing. Well-planned and researched influencer brand trips are worth the investment as they offer you an authentic way to connect with your target customers, explain experts in affable.ai's latest Influencer Marketing Spring Report 2023: Personal and Meaningful Content Takes Center Stage.

Michaela Melo, marketing manager, Musician Authority, a website for music learning, says, "Inviting influencers to experience the brand first hand provides them with an immersive and authentic understanding of the products or services. This personal connection helps build trust and credibility among the influencers' followers."

Plus, influencers share their journey all over social media when they go on trips, building mass awareness, starting meaningful conversations, and offering a fresh perspective for your brand's storytelling.

So how can brands turn influencer brand trips into profitable tactics? The key lies in optimal planning and thorough research. Stick to the following steps to make your influencer trips worth the money.

1. Thoroughly research the market to see if your consumers enjoy such content.

2. Weigh the pros and cons.

3. Plan the trip considering your goal, budget, and the influencers you select.

4. Check the authenticity and professionalism of influencers.

5. Evaluate the fairness and inclusivity of the trip

This Weekly Shorts is written by the editorial desk of affable.ai