Working with influencers is an incredibly important way to demonstrate brand endorsement and third party buy-in. What’s more, the smoke and mirrors effect has (thankfully) diminished with the ASA’s insistence on clearly articulating when ads are ads – a good step for the industry in general when it comes to transparency and ethics from a brand point of view.
Influencers curate their own authentic style and tone; one they know their audience engages with, making it more likely that this captive audience will respond positively to a partnership. Reputation is everything for influencers, so although they will be being paid for the majority of their collabs, the reputable ones will only partner with brands who have similar values to their own – and brands that are relevant to their audience, otherwise they risk losing followers. So even if payment if changing hands, the stamp of influencer approval is still a pretty powerful one.