The Engagement Rate

An industry bulletin for marketing pros.

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Influencer and brand wins of the week 🥇

🍟McDonald’s announces CosMc’s

Operating in the same market segment as Starbucks, the fast food chain is opening its first retro-style restaurant, offering hot and cold specialty drinks, in Chicago this month. 

👖True Religion’s comeback 

Under new CMO leadership, the old-time denim brand is making a momentous comeback with a radical brand awareness campaign. In October, the brand released its holiday campaign featuring influencer India Love and saw its TikTok following grow by over 500%.

The ex-Masterclass exec aiming to reinvent influencer marketing

Sean Akaks, former head of business affairs at MasterClass, has launched SonderCo, an agency aimed at transforming brand-talent partnerships across various sectors. 

The agency aims to redefine brand partnerships with a focus on talent, including influencers, celebrities and creators. They're offering tailored deals between brands and talent, such as equity stakes, revenue shares, and unique compensations based on each brand's needs and objectives. Led by Akaks and partner Jessie Mash, the agency's specialization in startup collaborations targets those unable to afford traditional celebrity sponsorships. Noteworthy is their emphasis on aligning incentives with talent, offering options like capitalization table entry and revenue-sharing models. 

Backed by investor Matthew Rutler, SonderCo has already demonstrated success in forming influencer partnerships for brands, notably aiding Akili Interactive's promotion of EndeavorOTC. It looks like the agency's focus on diverse and innovative partnerships reflects the future landscape of brand-talent collaborations in 2024 and beyond. 

TikTok’s “What’s Next” prediction report for 2024

The 41-page report, available for download with an email sign-up, identifies three major trends for brand engagement.

1. TikTok serves as a catalyst for curiosity, aiding users in discovering new trends and topics. 

2. The platform introduces fresh storytelling formats, providing marketers with innovative avenues for content creation. 

3. TikTok emphasizes the importance of brands building trust with their audience through authentic and relatable content.

👉 Read full report

Extras

• 6 influencer marketing trends to watch in 2024.

• How the FTC's new guidelines could impact influencer marketing.

• WTF is influencer allowlisting?