But many consumers are wondering if thereâs a ceiling to such extravagance.
Criticism hit a high note earlier this year when beauty brand Tarte flew influencers, along with their plus-ones, on private planes to Bora Bora. Upon arrival, they were greeted with so much swag from more than a dozen brand partners that they received a suitcase to take it all home in.
Is this over the top? Some say yes. But the numbers are there: Conversation about Tarte was already up 137% on TikTok in the 14 days before the trip. While one influencer called this yearâs â#TrippinWithTarteâ campaign âthe most delulu/out-of-touch trip and marketing strategy of all time ever,â her TikTok received over 2,500 comments (and counting) discussing every detail.
The fact is, over-the-top trips and experiences are likely not going anywhere anytime soon, at least not completely. However, the type of attention they draw does offer valuable lessons for brands when it comes to how they shape influencer activities.
Read the room on culture
More than half (51%) of Gen Z consumers say they will ensure a brandâs corporate social responsibility aligns with their own before making a purchase.
Meanwhile, influencer trips are rife with potential pitfalls, from sustainability issues posed by private jets to human rights concerns at certain destinations. In recent years, brands have also been called out for a lack of diversity in the influencer partners invited, and have even appeared to treat influencers unequally.
Consumers are begging brands to be more intentional and relatable.
As with all facets of marketing, brands have a responsibility to create platforms and experiences that people love while also accounting for ethical considerations. Any brand planning an influencer trip should ensure itâs aligning with its consumersâ core values to engage with them most effectively.
Make it personal
Influencer trips go viral because theyâre aspirational. But how authentic does this really feel to the influencer? Scroll through this yearâs â#TrippinWithTarteâ content, and youâll see influencers who previously never posted travel or beauty content.
Brands should consider how to make trips or experiences personal for influencers so they resonate with their carefully curated audiences. For one of Ogilvyâs travel and tourism clients, we worked with influencers to co-create trips that aligned with their real-life special occasions or destinations they had talked about wanting to visit. And we added personal touches at every stop. As a result, we received added value content from influencers.
Create positive impact
Brand trips also offer an opportunity to make a positive impact.
If brands are going to invest in experiences, itâs worth exploring what they can achieve beyond selling products. For another travel and tourism client, weâve hosted influencer trips that partner with local small businesses like jet ski owners and under-the-radar restaurants. Influencers are given the name and social handle of the small business and encouraged to call them out when sharing their experiences, giving these partners exposure.
Whether benefiting local economies, advocating around important issues or simply celebrating diverse cultures, brands should consider how they can help their destinations.
Give the people what they want
Consumers are in the driverâs seat in regard to their relationships with brands. It comes with the realities of reaching people in a world where they are skipping ads, wanting brands to meet them where they are and looking at brandsâ marketing efforts as something to be shared.
Tarteâs latest trip shows that consumers are begging brands to be more intentional and relatable with what they are doing, creating and putting into the world. The best marketing emerges when grounded in data and insights about what audiences and communities want and need, working with real people and real stories.
When crafting your influencer strategy, think about how to expand the brief beyond the influencers themselves to bring in everyday fans.
