The industry has seen a boom in the rise of influencers so much, that corporate Namibia now consciously makes it a point to fuse influencers into their marketing and branding strategies. Breathing life into the industry and creating a new source of income for creative entertainers. I think it’s a step in the right direction.
I’ve always been exceptionally critical of this platform of corporate Namibia using talent from outside of Namibia for their marketing campaigns. It’s good to see that my “pleas” over the years have not been in vain. However, with good, we should surely know that there’s bad and it is my job to place a spotlight on what seemingly would go unnoticed.  With the influencer culture booming and seemingly an opportunity to secure a secondary bag, everyone seems to be an influencer. So, I’m left to ask, what is an influencer?
Is an influencer someone with a lot of followers on socials? 50k? 100k followers combined on all social media platforms? Is an influencer someone who has a well-curated image? Perhaps I am asking the wrong questions. 

Perhaps the line of questioning should be, can this influencer move products off the shelves? Do people sit up and listen when this influencer speaks? Do people look at this influencer as a point of reference? Can this influencer, actually, influence anything for that matter?

Because that’s what it should be right? The ability to influence people. What track record of influence does this influencer have? Is it culture shifting impact?

You’d think that agencies do the due process by interrogating all these questions before deciding and settling on an influencer for a campaign, right? Because if you look at the majority of the influencers sitting with some sort of deals, one can’t help but ask, eintlik what’s your talent? Like what do you actually do?

Because it’s what you do that leads to you influencing the market isn’t it?

Today’s guest on the podcast version of #IndustryLoop is someone who influenced a whole generation before social media was even a thing! Do you see Liz Ross anywhere in terms of today’s influencing culture aided by corporate Namibia? So, I can’t help but ask, will the real influencer please stand up?

What is an influencer?

Until the next Loop, we say #GMTM
I’m on Showmax FYI. Talk to me nice. Otherwise, visit my website www.nskgmtm.com