In this advertising world there is space for everyone, but activism and influencers are getting closer than ever
Social media allowed us, as a society, to do things that we have never done before. From connecting with people all over the world to having a space to express ourselves, concerns, likes and dislikes of everything around us and even, sometimes, changing the social landscape. And that might be where the activism and influencers came together.
Users have become more conscious and compromised with their values and beliefs with the passing of the years, especially Gen-Zers, who have a huge access to information and are very aware of their impact in terms of consumption; what may have stayed on the streets in 1950 as a fight for social causes, now have found a digital platform to maximise and enhance the message. Then, any person who has something to fight for, can do it online too. And fighting can have many meanings, since we do not need to go violent to make a change.
And that’s where activism and influencers came together. Many of the most influential people these days are people who defend a social cause and stand for it, and they have a large base of supporters because, thanks to social media, they can reach a vast number of people who have the same pain or worry, the same core values and love to be inspired to actually become part of the change they want to see in the world. Somehow, they see influencers as leaders, and are more than happy to be part of the community.
Activism and influencers… Are they real?
Absolutely yes. These are influencers who do not sell any product, do partnership for payment nor “sell themselves”. The reason for their success in social media is due to the way they communicate their social causes: they truly work for what they believe in, and use social media to expand their reach or even getting help to achieve some specific goal.
They don’t even wait for brands to reach out to them to help, they will go and find a way even by themselves; they just think what’s the activity they need to do to help their cause and go for it, and people follow and support them; of course, if a brand or any company support them in terms of logistics, reach, production or finance, it’s a perfect match. Partnering with these kinds of influencers can be a huge goal in terms of credibility and gaining trust, but it cannot be done only because of their reach or as a marketing strategy.
“People like to see brands commit to a cause (…) I’m not interested in promoting a product that I know is not going to be good. And besides, people notice.” – Connie Isla, argentinian influencer, to The Clarín. – “It’s quite a dangerous role (to be an influencer), because there are no rules on how to communicate. It is unfair to follow someone you like, but who constantly uploads content with subliminal messages because they are paid. You choose to follow the person, not the number of brands that finance your life. If you have followers, you have a responsibility.”
Most of the time, these are regular citizens who advocate for a specific issue they care about, but they can be professionals as well, celebrities or even content creators. The only requirement is that you actually care what you stand for and live by it.
In terms of specific areas, there are as many causes as human spectrums: LGBTQI+ rights, veganism or special diets, feminism, environmental crisis (ecoinfluencers or greenfluencers), social equal rights, racial inclusion, sexual and gender diversity, mental health, body positivity, illnesses and diseases, particular needs… These are only a small number of categories, if there is such a name.
It is a consequence of your “what for”. In other words, influencers become referents by the way they convey their cause. – Lino Hassan, social and environmental causes influencer.
Lino Hassan, social and environmental causes influencer.
Brand’s role in activism and influencers campaigns
If a brand wants to get involved, they need to get involved for real. As explained by Isla, people will tell and reject if they sense the collaboration is not for the cause itself but to “wash” the brand’s image.
A key to make sure a brand is connecting the right way with the influencer and the cause works by two ways:
- The value and morals of the brands coincide with this influencer
- The brand takes the initiative and contact with the influencer to work together to have better results (that will impact directly in the effectiveness of the campaign for the cause)
Incorporating an influencer into an advertising campaign can enhance the brand’s credibility as the influencer is seen as an authority figure within their respective community. The public trusts that the influencer would only share products or services that align with their values, thereby improving the brand’s reputation. Also, the influencer’s endorsement can generate a positive impact on society and increase the brand’s reach through viral publications.
As we are constantly bombarded with countless messages and information, people will connect better through the content they actually feel related to, and activism and influencers are two powerful meeting points for them.
By collaborating with committed influencers who use their voice to support social causes and create impactful and persuasive speeches, they can differentiate themselves and communicate their message in a clear and effective manner, with the ultimate goal of being part of the solution for a society pain (or, at least, doing their share of help). With the support of committed influencers, brands can make a positive impact on society and enhance their reputation by aligning themselves with meaningful causes.
We must all do our part
Some of them aren’t dedicated entirely to their social cause, but include it as a part of their social media content, and since this is the honest and real part of them it’s perfectly fine, since the opinion, interest and passions are part of their life and not their job. Either way, we believe it would be better if we just show you some influencers who matches their activism with their social media work:
- Lino Hass – Greenfluencer – Instagram – TikTok
- Santi Maratea – Social causes – Instagram – TikTok
- Connie Isla – artist, veganism and greenfluencer – Instagram – Tiktok
- Carlota Bruna – ecoinfluencer – Instagram – TikTok
- Victoria Moradell – ecoinfluencer – Instagram – TikTok
- Teresa López – body positive – Instagram – TikTok
- Spencer Barboza – body positivity – Instagram – TikTok
- Grace Beverly – green and positivity influencer – Instagram – TikTok
- Zinnia Kumar – antiracism influencer – Instagram