The Engagement Rate

An industry bulletin for marketing pros.

Meta is planning to launch Threads in Europe in December, according to a report in The Wall Street Journal. To comply with E.U. regulations, Meta will allow European users to use Threads “purely for consumption” without having to make a profile that allows them to post. Meta didn’t respond to a request for comment.

^{Presented by CreatorIQ}

The Creator Marketing Summit 

CreatorIQ Connect 2023 was the event uniting content, commerce, and conversation around the future of creator-led marketing. Access the session replays, where over 40 industry experts shared their unique insights into the creator economy. Watch sessions now.

Influencer and brand wins of the week 🥇

🥛Grandma Helen’s evaporated milk: 96 year old Helen was cooking ahead of Thanksgiving with her daughter when she started singing a vulgar yet hilarious ‘unofficial’ jingle as she whipped out a can of Carnation’s evaporated milk. The moment was caught on film, went viral on TikTok and Carnation leaped to the opportunity, creating a content series of videos with Helen to maximize its exposure. 

🛍️Blurred lines at Dior x Saks: The spheres between influencer and celebrity overlapped in Dior’s and Saks Fifth Avenue’s joint holiday campaign. Content creators Anna Sitar, Xenia Adonts and Chase ‘Huddy’ Hudson were at the ‘Carousel of Dreams’ outdoor holiday display mingling with celebrities including Jennifer Lawrence and Maya Hawke. 

🎵How can I lose if I’m already… chia? Ice Spice’s breakthrough year hasn’t hit the brakes yet with the Gen Z hip-hop star announcing their partnership with Chia pet, showing off a viral terracotta figure after the rapper’s head.

Talent management firms want a piece of the micro-influencer pie

With the rising popularity of influencer marketing, talent management firms and agencies are helping micro-influencers build their businesses. 

Micro-influencers who have smaller, usually hyper-engaged audiences between 10,000 to 100,000 followers are in high demand. It’s no real surprise, it’s been a trend on an upward trajectory since 2021 given their ability to target audiences in a deeply authentic way as opposed to paying Kourtney Kardashian to read from an autocue about how much she “loves” using a shampoo brand she has never heard of. And despite economic uncertainty, a CreatorIQ study found that many companies are increasing their influencer marketing budgets in the last year. It’s a brands’ best friend in simplifying a challenging marketing goal, creating community, key for forming stronger relationships with customers and ensuring retention. 

Yet brands are not the only one’s leveraging familiar online faces, with talent management firms and agencies scooping up micro-influencers to help set up new business including brand deals and podcast collabs. As many creators are often spinning multiple plates of running a full-time creator based role, signing with a manager is proving to supercharge their growth. Lissette Calveiro, founder of management firm Influence with Impact, said nine of her clients make well over six figures with two of them, who have less than 150,000 followers, on track to make more than half a million dollars by the end of 2023. 

Dove’s success story in harnessing an influencer community powerhouse

Dove has been a consistent champion of inclusivity, centering its marketing strategies to be purpose-driven campaigns through diverse representation and social impact. You might remember campaigns such as #PasstheCROWN, #BlackHairIsProfessional, #17YearsofChange and #ChangeIsBeautiful that exemplifies Dove’s impactful approach. Addressing workplace hair discrimination and celebrating change through inclusive storytelling has resonated with audiences well for its positive sentiment and engagement rates have that to show. But Dove’s commitment is longstanding, and its focus to nurture relationships with influencers it has collaborated with by welcoming them into the Dove family is what has set up a community powerhouse of advocates for the brand and its values. 

Influencers of the year!

These influencers will be a HOT catch for brands in 2024. 

Compiled by “The Influence Agency”, the 2023 list covers a diverse intersection of influencer spheres, including athletes, beauty, business, comedy, fashion, fitness, food, gaming, health, lifestyle and much more. With some familiar faces, including Bre Tiesi from Netflix’s Selling Sunset to your favorite TikTok stars that are guaranteed to have stumbled into your feed. 

Extras 👀

• TikTok launched artist accounts with new tools to help musicians engage with fans.

• TikTok is spending big to turn itself into a place where shoppers want to make purchases, and experiences like BK Beauty’s suggest the investment is paying off.

• Forbes released its 30 Under 30 list for social media. Creators and founders of creator economy startups topped the list, ranging from TikToker Dylan Mulvaney to Wells Douraghy, founder of July, which helps creators automate brand deals.