Core, Ireland’s largest marketing communications group, has announced the implementation of a new company policy when working with influencers, bloggers and ambassadors on behalf of their client brands.
The procedures are being implemented to establish a new way of working with this form of online advertising in a bid to deliver value for client brands. The policy will also ensure that all content utilised for any campaign is within the guidelines of existing advertising standards.
The new process utilised by Core has been welcomed by the Advertising Standards Authority for Ireland, the independent self-regulatory body committed, in the public interest, to promoting the highest standards of marketing communications, that is, advertising, promotional marketing and direct marketing.
Core’s new policy revolves around four key areas including a background check on the influencer and whether or not their follower statistics are genuine, a detailed contract and post campaign analytics using Core’s Social Performance Index.
According to Aisling Blake, Chief Digital Officer, Core: “More and more, brands are engaging in influencer marketing to reach and connect with younger audiences in a way that is grounded in authenticity and passion around a shared interest. Securing the right influencer for your brand can reap rewards, bringing authenticity and an ability to reach valuable audiences that can be otherwise hard to find. However, getting the most from influencers requires an understanding of what they stand for and assessing if that fits with your brand and business objectives, as well as your audience and their followers’ passion points. As a result, Core is moving away from ad hoc agreements to longer-term partnerships with influencers and, to facilitate this, we have developed rules of engagement for influencer marketing to formalise and protect this relationship.”
Orla Twomey, CEO, ASAI adds: “I welcome Core’s new initiative which, as a proactive approach, demonstrates practical responsibility in advertising standards. Having clarity and certainty on expectations and obligations between influencers and brands will, I am confident, serve to increase the honesty and transparency for consumers in the influencer generated marketing communications that they see.”
