The Changing Face of the Influencer

I have worked with over 60 brands in my career. Brands mean a lot to consumers and every book or idea around the “No brands thought” has not worked or survived. Brands mean something to people and are a form of self-expression. Brands might be viewed as a long list of promises or thoughts. My learning is that every brand over the years has stood for three things—A, C, E—A for authenticity, C for consistency and E for energy.

- SHIV SHIVAKUMAR

If you go back to Ivory soap and the concept of branding introduced about 146 years ago, Ivory was a first in putting up posters outside wholesalers to bypass the wholesaler recommendation which came in exchange for high margins.

The days of Ivory and the next 60 years in branding were about product superiority. Product claims led to brand authenticity and consistency.

Cue the Celeb

As technology became widely available, product differences or the unique selling proposition was no longer unique. Then came the creative renaissance in the US with image taking over brand communication. Brands saw a host of celebrity endorsements. Brands used celebs to stand out in a crowded market and celebs were the first kind of influencers in the physical world.

Brands also used what I label “sources of authority” like a safe-cracker who endorsed a safe brand that he couldn’t crack. Vidal Sassoon, the famous British hairstylist, styled Mia Farrow’s hair on the sets of Rosemary’s Baby and was an overnight hit. He introduced the five-point geometry cut. This led to Vidal Sassoon launching his own range of shampoos in the ’70s and the range was bought by Procter and Gamble in the ’80s. So, the source of authority or influencer had created value through a new economic model.