Honouring Black History Month in the US, Digital Voices’ Account Manager and creator, Emmy Petit hosted a virtual round table with some of the leading Black voices in the industry. Together with Erica Abercumbie, Senior Brand Manager at P&G, Dwayne Waite Jr., Marketing Director at Reed Pop, Shannae Ingleton Smith, Co-Founder and President of Kensington Grey, and three incredible creators Jayde Powell, Jen Jean-Pierre and Alexia Frith, we sat down to discuss the issues within the current landscape of Influencer Marketing. 

So, what did we learn?

Opportunities are vanishing

2023 saw a noticeable drop off for Black History Month campaigns across social media.

Shannae of Kensington Grey shared that this year the Talent Management Agency worked on only a handful of campaigns out of a roster of 70 black creators. This could be down to a combination of two opposing brand mindsets, the ones that only showed up during 2020 and the ones who have listened and recognised that it is possible to partner with Black creators throughout the year for any campaign. However, during a time of recession, there is a clear pattern that Black creators are the first to be cut from a brand's budget.‍

Make the change from inside out‍

Brands and agencies need to have conversions internally to ask ‘who do we have on the team’ to be able to market to multicultural audiences. There also needs to be a shift from tokenising Black creators during Black History Month only to empowering Black creators and tapping into cultural moments throughout the year.

‍“Don’t pigeonhole your inclusivity for one month of the year” - Emmy Petit‍

‍Diversity is good for business‍

Using content creators is proven to be 6x better for your ROI. So when conversions of budget cuts are brought to the table, a strategic conversion is needed. Providing an outline of the benefits of working with influencers, alongside intentional conversions of how diversity is good for business, means that it is possible to continue to support underrepresented communities of creators even during a recession.

There should always be a budget in place if you are intentional and strategic.

“Additionally, as a creator you have the power to negotiate. Now is the time more than ever to negotiate.” - Erica Abercumbie

‍Algorithmic biases exist

When it comes to the algorithm we can analyse both people’s behaviour and how they react to content as well as limitations from the platform itself. However, certain platforms demonstrate algorithmic biases that limit creator exposure, for example when the word ‘black’ is mentioned, content is often put under review by TikTok. 

How can this be improved? Simply put, opening up your following list to diverse creators and reacting with content from people from other backgrounds can make a big difference to your FYP.

‍What are the hopes for the future of Influencer Marketing?

• To see marketers put the work in and try harder to advocate for Black creators. And, remember - “we are not that hard to find”.
• It’s time to stop promoting brands that really don’t care about black people in hopes to have a seat at the table. Stand firm on what you believe in.
• Only 50% of Gen Z are white. A shift in efforts to target diverse audiences is inevitable if you want to be successful. Now is the time for brands to say what they are doing to support diverse consumers.

Are you looking for an Influencer Marketing Agency NY to support you on your influencer campaigns? Get in touch!

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