They can really get through to people and influence them.
Reviews of products on social media, even food products, are really valuable and trustful sources for a lot of people.
It’s important as a brand to respect this and be ready for any positive or negative feedback you get from influencers.
Try not to react badly unless you want to mirror the Twitter presence of Wendy’s (which isn’t necessarily a bad thing).
Paid advertisements and partnerships are a great place to start.
Why Influencer Marketing Works for Food Brands
- Credibility and Trust: Influencers are seen as trusted authorities in their fields. Paid ads seem more like personal opinion.
- Visual Appeal: Food is inherently visual, Instagram and TikTok are ideal for showcasing food products.
- Targeted Reach: Influencers often have a niche demographic they cater content to. Food brands can connect with potential customers who share interests.
Let’s take a look at some Influencer strategies and how they’ve contributed to the success of food brand campaigns.
Micro-Influencers for Hyper-Targeting
Influencers with millions of followers can offer great visibility.
However, those with significantly less have the ability to connect with a highly engaged and niche audience.
They often focus on specific food niches, like vegan cuisine, keto recipes, or regional delicacies.
Authenticity and BTS Content
People want to see real life: they relate to it the most.
Brands that allow influencers to post “never-before-seen” content, can naturally create a better connection with their audience.
Showing the journey a product takes, highlighting someone’s craftsmanship, or any heartwarming origin stories, really resonates with people.
It creates brand transparency, so you seem more human than just a company name.
Seasonal and Trend-Centric Campaigns
Stay on top of seasonal, dietary and cyclical trends!
Collaborating with influencers that do this with their own content usually brings about the best result.
Brands can use hashtags and capitalise on conversations to join larger discussions.
eg. The release of the Barbie movie sparked many trends of making pink food or Ryan Gosling cakes, brands could easily slot themselves into the topic.
Story-Driven Collaborations
Create emotional connections between influencers, brands and audiences.
Whether it’s a personal journey towards healthier eating, fitness TikTokers, or a heartwarming family tradition, they’re more than surface level.
eg. Bertolli partnered with an Italian-American influencer, whose content was centred around her heritage, it aligned perfectly with the brand’s focus on authentic Italian flavours.
Interactive Challenges
People want to feel included, so make them.
Challenges like “Cooking with [Brand]”, encourage people to try out recipes using the brand’s products and post their results.
Brands can even add incentives like giveaways or social media features.
They boost engagement, yes, but they’re also user-generated content that serves as testimonials.
Two birds with one stone.
Examples of Successful Influencer Campaigns
1. HelloFresh and Everyday Cooking Influencers:
Influencers like @pinchofyum create step-by-step cooking tutorials using HelloFresh ingredients, making it easy for their audience to replicate the dishes themselves.
2. Dunkin’ Donuts and Lifestyle Influencers:
They ask influencers to show how their brand fits into their day-to-day life.
Morning routines, or work runs, are popular videos that show a positive and almost symbiotic relationship with the brand.
3. Health-Focused Collaborations:
Health-conscious food brands often collaborate with fitness and wellness influencers.
A brand offering organic snacks might partner with a fitness influencer to promote the snacks as a nutritional post-workout option.
Like the Idea?
Don’t let your brand get stuck with dated ideas.
Influencer marketing works, as they are essentially mini brands themselves but with more personal relationships with their audience.
It’s not a bad thing to reach out and offer some coin for a quick ad, it can really benefit a brand’s outreach.
