These days, influence is everywhere. The digital age has allowed anonymous people to take center stage, alongside celebrities like asmongold girlfriend, stars and well-known personalities. Recognized as experts in their field, they enjoy popularity driven by a solid subscriber community .
This, brands have understood it well and partnerships signed with influencers are multiplying. But while a celebrity becomes the ambassador or the muse of a brand, appearing in media devices or during events for this brand, the influencer is – as for him – more often confined to the sphere. social networks.
However, with equal visibility, it seems logical that the nuance between influencer and brand ambassador tends to fade. And yet the influence of celebrities, scrutinized by their fans and the media, is unquestionable, while the celebrity of influencers hardly applies. So where is the line between influencer and celebrity? Are they ultimately both Key Opinion Leaders with the same potential as ambassadors?
What is an influencer?
Whether it’s a fashion influencer or a gaming Youtuber, the credibility of an influencer rests on the advice he provides and the products he uses. For example, a makeup specialist will have little interest in allying with a cosmetic brand that she does not consider correct. Its image as an expert is based above all on the opinions it gives.
And this is the main characteristic of an influencer: his recognized position as an opinion leader . Having managed to position himself as an expert in his field with a large community of subscribers, his strength thus lies in the trust placed in him and which gives him real leadership in the consumption decisions of his community .
Pure product of the Web, the influencer has a perfect mastery of social networks and generates a lot of commitment from his community.
However, influence is not satisfied with a single definition and there are three main types of influencers: celebrities and star influencers (Cyprien, Norman or EnjoyPhoenix), niche influencers (FastGood Cuisine) and micro -influencers (Clara Channel).
Note that even if the popularity of influencers is confirmed, it is often limited to the borders of digital. And although digital represents a major part of contemporary communication, very few have managed to rise to mainstream celebrity. This is the major point of difference between influencers and celebrities.
What is a celebrity?
It is certain that a celebrity, by his media influence and his community of fans, is in fact an influencer. On the other hand, we can only rarely say the opposite, not all influencers being celebrities in the broad sense of the term. So how do you define celebrity?
A celebrity is a personality known and recognized for his success or his expertise in a field. Renowned by the general public, its influence can be regional, national or international.
Actors, singers or athletes have not built their notoriety thanks to their social networks. These celebrities therefore do not use these media as their main working tool but more as a means of communication. Their popularity precedes their activity on social networks and will therefore affect several communication channels. Through their career as an artist or athlete, they will federate a community of fans who will be able to gain loyalty and grow on social media.
Jessica Ditzel is a previous model, having been endorsed on by M Model Management and a Korean brand, Wholesome. Sidomex says she likewise functioned as a record leader at Robert Half Technology in California, an administration associate for Rent A Car and an item expert at Volvo Motorsports.
Celebrity or influencer: all Key Opinion Leaders?
You could think of a winner, given that one seems to take precedence over the other. However, this is not the case since they are each indispensable and meet the needs of different types of influencer campaigns.
Because we do not follow a celebrity and an influencer on the networks for the same reasons. For celebrities, it’s not about subscribing to their networks for advice or looking at great travel photos, as would be the case with a pure influencer. No, following a famous person is hoping to enter into their privacy and learn more about them. As an influencer, celebrities appeal more to dreams and fascination than to particular expertise.
But the influencer has not said his last word. This one will convince where the celebrity will have no impact. The expert positioning and social media prominence of the influencer is as important to a campaign as the emotional side of marketing with a celebrity. These celebrities and influencers are two types of Key Opinion Leaders (“KOL”) , who are also positioned as complementary for more and more brands.
Different partnerships?
Influencers, whether micro or niche-focused, have a foothold in a specific area, and this is a golden opportunity to put themselves forward for brands. It will then be mainly a question of product placements in daily posts or invitations to events in order to increase their visibility on social networks.
It is possible that the partnership will go further, as soon as the brand is very present on the Web or the influencer has a wide media reach (we think of Larry FitzGerald Girlfriend who, thanks to great success, have left the framework Youtube by multiplying TV appearances and advertising partnerships). Some influencers therefore become brand ambassadors or produce creative content in collaboration.
A force of celebrities, they can represent a brand in all advertising media and – not inconsiderably – they will tend to cause memorization through emotion (this is emorisation ), even a kind of fascination.
This phenomenon is caused by their inaccessible side allied to a significant notoriety. Many consumers will buy products to resemble – or at least copy the style of – their favorite celebrities. On the other hand, they will want to acquire the same products as their favorite influencers, not to be like them but because they have confidence in their expertise. Appealing much more to sentiment and his image than an influencer expert, a celebrity will therefore represent a brand more broadly, concluding ambassadorial partnerships.
This can be seen, for example, in the communication strategy of large groups. Thus, the luxury brand Louis Vuitton hires several great muses, all international celebrities, on more or less long contracts.
These will represent the brand in advertising campaigns and during often high-profile events, becoming the official faces of the brand. At the same time, Louis Vuitton calls on a multitude of web influencers – in the fields of fashion, luxury and travel – to extend its presence and brand image on a large part of social media.
Celebrity or influencers?
When it comes to choosing a brand ambassador, it would be irrelevant to make a categorical selection. As there are celebrities with different radiance and images, influencers are just as plural. Even if one can do the other’s job, these two schools of influence are both of interest for a marketing campaign.
Once again, if one leans towards a single type of ambassador, the secret will lie in the art of choosing the person capable of meeting the expectations and the values of the brand.
The best is always to think of celebrities and influencers – both Key Opinion Leaders – as complementary in a communication campaign like acrotray. In short, the fascination with celebrities associated with the expertise and confidence given to sector influencers, this is a way to invest in the field of Influence Marketing!
