The Unbeatable Power Of Insta Celebrityhood

"In the future, everyone will be world famous for 15 minutes," said Andy Warhol. But 15 minutes is more than enough for an influencer to convince you to buy a product, further cementing them as the only viable option for brands looking to remain relevant in the digital era

- Mayukh Majumdar

Perhaps, the most important testimonial that influencer marketing could ever receive is the fact that even the recession-proof wedding industry has turned to influencers to garner word-of-mouth.

We felt the need to let Indian couples know that we are there to provide them with the support they need, in a safe and organized manner. That is what gave us the idea to create the Karo #ShaadiKiTaiyari campaign with WeddingWire India. We decided to work with influencers who are relatable, and share their personal stories on wedding preparation so that couples can engage with them, and know that they are not alone, says Anam Zubair, Marketing Head, WeddingWire India.

The outcome of this campaign has been very fruitful, as it helped us reach a vast audience — new and old — through these influencers and WeddingWire India’s social media handles. We have witnessed several conversions during the process, and we’re humbled to say that it is still ongoing. As per the website traffic, from the launch of the campaign till now, we have observed an increase in the total number of users by 25 percent, with the number of new users increasing by 27 percent, Zubair adds.

On the part of the influencers, they believe that brands are turning to them not only because of their massive following, but also because they form a more personal connection with their followers. Bhuvan Bam, who recently crossed the epic milestone of 20 million subscribers on his YouTube channel, says that via influencer marketing, brands can tap into a wider content base, which can be more authentic as opposed to a self-serving narrative. However, he also notes that it is important for brands to treat influencers differently than they would mainstream celebrities, so as to not taint the creator's signature personality.

That is easier said than done in a world where the lines between celebrity fame and social media fame are blurred.