Ekin Su x Oh Polly: The Importance of Due Diligence in Influencer Marketing

Ekin who? #EkinFail

Influencer marketing has become an increasingly popular way for brands to reach and engage with their target audiences. By collaborating with social media influencers, brands can leverage the influencer’s large following and influence to promote their products or services. However, not all influencers are created equal, and it is important for brands to conduct due diligence to ensure that they are partnering with the right influencers.

A recent example of influencer marketing gone wrong is the partnership between Ekin Su, winner of the eighth series of the ITV2 reality series Love Island, and the fashion brand Oh Polly. Oh Polly received significant backlash after it was discovered that Ekin Su had a high percentage of fake followers and that the majority of her audience was located in India, not the brand’s target market.

In this case, Oh Polly failed to conduct due diligence before partnering with Ekin Su, which ultimately damaged the brand’s reputation and credibility. Here are some reasons why due diligence is crucial when it comes to influencer marketing:

1. Protecting your brand’s reputation: Partnering with an influencer who has a questionable reputation or a large number of fake followers can damage your brand’s reputation. Consumers are becoming increasingly savvy and can quickly spot when a brand is trying to mislead them. It is essential to ensure that the influencer you partner with has a genuine following and a positive reputation in the industry.
2. Reaching your target audience: The success of an influencer marketing campaign is heavily dependent on reaching your target audience. If the influencer’s followers are not the right demographic, it is unlikely that your campaign will be successful. In the case of Oh Polly and Ekin Su, the majority of her audience was located in India, which was not the brand’s target market.
3. Compliance with advertising regulations: Influencer marketing is subject to advertising regulations, and it is essential to ensure that your partnership complies with these regulations. For example, in the UK, influencers must disclose when a post is sponsored or contains affiliate links. Failing to comply with these regulations can result in hefty fines and damage your brand’s reputation.

To avoid the mistakes made by Oh Polly and other brands that have fallen foul of influencer marketing, it is crucial to conduct due diligence before partnering with an influencer. This should include checking the influencer’s engagement rate, follower demographics, and authenticity of their following. This is why it’s important to hire a reputable PR and Influencer marketing agency like POP Communications to help execute influencer campaigns. It is their responsibility to identify and do the ground work of making sure influencers align with your brand and end goal.

In conclusion, influencer marketing can be an effective way for brands to reach and engage with their target audience. However, due diligence is crucial when it comes to choosing the right influencer. By taking the time to conduct due diligence, brands can protect their reputation, reach their target audience, and comply with advertising regulations. Failure to do so can result in a damaged reputation, lost revenue, and potential legal consequences.

For more information on influencer marketing, please contact us on info@popcomms.ae