15/06/2016 iN@waytoblue
Integrated communications group Way To Blue this week unveiled a dedicated new global influencer business called iN – designed to drive powerful brand advocacy for clients through everything from influencer marketing strategy and campaign management to content creation, talent management and measurement through its bespoke real time tracking tool ‘iN-dex’.
With a dedicated team of six plus a global influencer panel, iN will build its service on meaningful relationships with not only the influencers, but their management teams to tailor multi-platform programmes integrated with the full communications mix across paid, owned and earned.
Way to Blue has worked in this space for more than a decade and with several clients already in place from Amazon and YO! Sushi to Sony and Studio Canal, the new business will operate on a truly global basis with influencers across a broad range of consumer categories from entertainment and food and drink to family, gaming, music, health and fitness. Services will include deal negotiation, global and local implementation, influencer events and campaign amplification via paid media.
“True influence drives ACTION and not just awareness. Having a large Twitter or blog following doesn’t inherently make a person influential and a lot of influencers have their own agenda, so it’s sometimes hard to get the attention of these in-demand luminaries. Too many agencies are also confusing clients out there with the common misconception that social influencers only appeal to a younger audience. There’s a whole raft of bloggers, vloggers, instagrammers and viners who cater to an older audience. Whether it’s parenting or motoring, food to engineering – there’s a social influencer out there for all of us!” said Way To Blue CEO, Adam Rubins.
“With exceptional relationships with not only the talent, but the agencies that represent them, we set out to tailor activations around each individual’s tastes to increase the likelihood of that influencer becoming a brand advocate. We know how to make it work,” he said.
Jamie McHale, Digital Marketing Manager at Studio Canal said: “Way To Blue know the influencer landscape inside out. From idea inception and influencer identification, right through to the management process, they make sure the strongest and most impactful influencers deliver the right message and concepts for our campaigns.”
Make-up artist and influencer Laura Jenkinson said: “I have been working and collaborating with Way To Blue for over a year now and the team are extremely professional. The projects are wide and varied and whilst always complimenting my own brand, they always know what will work and what won’t. I love seeing an email pop up from them in my inbox!”
Catherine Lui at social talent agency Gleam said: “The Way To Blue team really understands social talent and how best to work with them. Working collaboratively is important to ensure the idea fits the talent and their audience, making the content as engaging and natural as possible.”
The 90 strong agency with offices in London, Paris, Sydney, Los Angeles, Amsterdam, Munich, Rome and Madrid works across film, home entertainment, television and consumer brands with services across research and insight, media planning and buying, social and digital, PR and publicity.
Current Way to Blue clients include Universal, Warner Bros, 20th Century Fox and Amazon and brand clients range from Red Bull, Staysure and Harper Collins to Hamleys, Water Wipes and Super Bock lager.
For further information please contact Alan Twigg or Adam Rubins at Way to Blue on 02077498444 or by email on alan.twigg@waytoblue.com and adam.rubins@waytoblue.com