GroupM and global media company Fullscreen have launched a digital influencer marketing program that facilitates deals between the agency's clients and a talent pool of 75,000 digital celebrities.
Called Playa, the program allows GroupM clients to access Fullscreen's global digital creator network and organise sponsorship opportunities across YouTube, Instagram, Vine, Snapchat and other social media.
The deal was inked in the US and it is not yet known if it will filter out into Australia.
Media agencies collaborating with influencer marketing firms is not unusual; GroupM has a partnership with Twitter firm Niche. Radio and TV personality Jules Lund recently launched an app that he said allows marketers to harness internet influencers and celebrities.
Playa takes it a step further by offering a holistic service that helps brands identify the right talent for campaigns, put a deal together and then execute.
“Influencer marketing is a must for every brand trying to reach their audience cross-platform in an authentic way,” Fullscreen CEO George Strompolos says. “It’s a great way to integrate a brand into cultural conversations with stars the audience connects to passionately.”
Digital stars are typically more cautious and niche about which brands they endorse and are less recognisable to mainstream audiences. Therefore, they can more tricky to deal with and assess than conventional celebrities.
Fullscreen, which helps influencers create content, has tools that measure the paid and organic reach of talent, allowing clients to see who is trending up or down, common interests, the profile of their audience and how influencers endorse other brands.
“New voices are needed for the digital generation,” GroupM chief digital officer Rob Norman says. “Celebrity ebbs and flows so much faster now and brands need to capture that flow and to exploit micro audience segments.”
Have something to say on this? Share your views in the comments section below. Or if you have a news story or tip-off, drop us a line at adnews@yaffa.com.au
Sign up to the AdNews newsletter, like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter for breaking stories and campaigns throughout the day.