Marketing Under the Influence

Are You Marketing Under the Influence?

The Spring of 2014 was officially welcomed in this weekend through the playing of Augusta National’s annual Golf Championship, The Masters. Bubba Watson finished an impressive eight under par to secure his second Green Jacket in three years, information I’ve discovered only after googling it just now.

Seeing as I am a golf aficionado and long-time player, why is it that I had no interest in watching this years Tournament? It’s the same reason celebrities hit up Jimmy Fallon before the premiere’s of their new blockbusters... influence.

In the digital age, Influencers play a crucial role in creating virality by projecting interests out to their masses of cult followers. Large network effects give these individuals incredible reach, and their relationships with fans tend to be strong and endearing. They are thus primed to build brand equity through corporate association and spokesperson roles.

But just how useful are they? This is where Tiger Woods comes in. As an individual who spent time as a dominant sports figure before having an media fall out due to his marital indiscretions, Tiger serves as a great example of the power of Influencers. At the height of his public career, he could be seen in promotions for brands such as Nike, Buick, and Accenture, his name was used to sell EA Sport’s golf video game, and his presence at a tournament could boost ratings between 30% and 50%, as quoted by Neal Pilson - former president of CBS Sports.

However in 2009 a flurry of media outbreaks, and an eventual confession, told the world of Tiger’s affairs. AT&T, Gatorade, and several other brands were quick to drop the star from promotional activities.

What do you do when a influencer linked to your brand goes bad? Well, here was Nike’s response.

There is no doubt that Golf’s popularity is hurting without Tiger’s dominance; and companies that used his sway as a point of promotion are now left unsure of what to do. Five years after the event, the impact of Tiger’s negative press is still being felt by all connecting with the former icon.

Influencers are powerful amplifiers, but are hard to control and have risks associated with them. What do you think? Are influencers good for branding? Are the risks worth the rewards?