Celebrity influencers paid up to £1m to promote deodorant on social media

Celebrity influencers paid up to £1m to promote deodorant on social media

The amount a company allocates to influencer marketing can range significantly, explained Bowes-Lyon, from as little as £100,000 to several millions if aiming to engage a high-profile celebrity. He highlighted that the campaign’s scope largely influences the costs involved. For instance, a one-off social media post typically commands a lower fee, but brands and influencers usually prefer to establish ongoing collaborations to build stronger partnerships.

Emma Raducanu, the British tennis star, currently serves as the brand ambassador for Wild and has collaborated with them for over a year. Bowes-Lyon shared details about their extensive work with her, including full-day photoshoots in New York and numerous Instagram posts and stories. Raducanu even participated in creating her own deodorant scent, showcasing a deeper involvement. He remarked that for these celebrities, financial incentive is often secondary to whether the brand aligns with their image, noting, “These celebrities aren’t strapped for cash so it’s not really about the money for them, it’s more about whether the brand is a right fit.” He also highlighted the significant earnings some influencers command, saying, “When I tell people influencers make £2,000 for a single post, they are shocked, never mind the fact some are making £50,000 for one post.”

Katy Howell, director at marketing agency Rethink Social, commented on the nature of paid advertising within influencer marketing. She acknowledged that while paid promotions “don’t necessarily corrupt a recommendation,” they do alter the way audiences should interpret them, underlining the importance of transparency. She emphasized that genuine endorsement depends on whether the creator would actually use the product, retains editorial freedom to express honest opinions, and whether the partnership is consistent with the influencer’s established relationship with their audience. Bowes-Lyon agreed, noting that consumer awareness of paid content is increasing, which makes authenticity even more critical. He gave an example of how consumers quickly notice when influencers promote unrelated products, such as a gaming influencer advertising a flower shop, which damages credibility. He also praised TV personality Stacey Solomon for her careful selection of brand partnerships, suggesting she declines the vast majority of offers she receives.

Wild’s collaboration with Solomon generated over 100 unique paid ad variations to target diverse audience segments on social media. Research by the Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) has found that influencer advertisements remain considerably less recognizable as ads compared to traditional brand posts. In their study, 74% of participants identified conventional brand content as advertising, while only 54% did so for influencer posts. Bowes-Lyon stressed that influencers working with Wild must genuinely believe in their endorsements, not merely promote for payment. For example, their partnership with Molly-Mae Hague began after noticing she had already featured their product in a video, prompting the brand to reach out. Howell also pointed out that while many people acknowledge influencers receive payment, they often underestimate the complexity and scale of influencer marketing. She explained that prominent creators operate like sophisticated media businesses, complete with agents, production teams, and multiple revenue streams. Although regulations require clear labeling of sponsored content, Howell criticized the current use of #ad as legally adequate but insufficiently informative, suggesting that more effective transparency measures are needed

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