“Innofluencervation”- The Rise of Influencer and Social Media-led Products in the Food and Drink Industry.

Author: Finn McConway

The influence of social media on our daily lives cannot be ignored. Whether it be creating content, selling and promoting brands, keeping in touch with family and friends, finding recipe inspiration, networking on LinkedIn or just watching dog and cat videos on TikTok.

With the rise of social media platforms, we have witnessed a surge in product launches either endorsed or curated by social media influencers. The food and drink industry is no exception, as celebrities, bloggers, and online personalities are seen promoting their own brands or endorsing products. 

Mighty Slice

The recent announcement that footballer Reece James has invested in start-up brand Mighty Slice alongside founders Emily Tout and Jamie Cumming, who aim to balance nutritious snacking with the indulgence of “real food” has made me reflect on an interesting growth area for innovation in food and drink. Especially with the superb work of Insane Grain successfully wooing England captain and record goal scorer Harry Kane to be a brand ambassador as well as an investor. 

Here we will look at the growth of influencer and social media-led products and brands within the food and drink sector including the likes of Prime energy drinks, Mr. Beast chocolate, Megan Rossi's Bio&Me, as well as the new Reece James backed Mighty Slice protein desserts. Additionally, we will discuss the potential for brands that are looking to venture into this area, and what they should consider before launching their products.

Influencer Collaboration Success Stories

The success stories of these influencer-led brands are remarkable. Prime energy drinks, endorsed by entrepreneur KSI and YouTuber Logan Paul, reportedly sold over 10 million units within their first year of launch. Many of us saw the bizarre hysteria with stores resorting to additional security to cope with the rush for stock and bottles selling for a near 1000% mark up on eBay and even empty bottles being traded!

Off the back of this mind-boggling success Mr. Beast, another popular YouTuber, has entered the fray and is now selling his own chocolate bars, with the help of his 70 million social media followers. 

We’ve also seen the launch of Bio&Me, the wide-ranging gut-health brand covering granola, porridge and yoghurt, from gut health guru and diet/nutrition influencer and expert Dr. Megan Rossi, which has had success and decent cut through with very healthy retail listings alongside successfully raising millions in its seed funding round. 

Then in recent weeks we have seen Reece James the Chelsea right back and captain/England international footballer, investing in the recently launched protein dessert brand Mighty Slice as well as Harry Kane and Insane Grain as mentioned. Tellingly the tie ups of professional elite level athletes with healthier brands are ticking the all-important boxes of authenticity and credibility with a good brand and product fit. 

Alcohol has been a traditionally strong area for celebrity endorsed brand and product launches over the years. From Kylie Minogue’s Rosé/wine range to Ryan Reynolds Aviation American Gin, George Clooney & Rande Gerber’s Casamigos Tequila (which Diageo snapped up for  over $1 billion), David Beckham’s Haig Club whisky to Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie’s Miraval wines. Plus of course how could we forget Cliff Richard’s unforgettable wine range! 

A Recipe For Success

The common factor that has worked for these brands is the influencer/celebrity’s credibility and cut through which are an instant shortcut to the tricky and vital metric for any new brand: awareness. Their huge followings shortcut a huge amount of time and money in marketing investment and activity to build brand saliency and encourage trial. Likewise opening doors with retailers for listings that just aren’t there for conventional brands. 

Social media influencers and celebrities can often have large and loyal followings, with their audience trusting their recommendations. Therefore, when influencers endorse a product, their followers are more likely to try it than when they see the traditional advertising established brands often rely on.

However, launching a brand with the help of an influencer can also be a risky business. The first consideration for brands should be the selection of an influencer. A wrong choice can damage a brand's reputation overnight, especially if the influencer's personal beliefs or actions contradict those of the brand.

Additionally, it is essential to ensure that the influencer is licensed to endorse products and is fully on board, and their followers are the intended target audience with a relevant thread to connect them. 

Brands should also be mindful of the many regulations regarding endorsements and ensure that influencer's posts are clearly labelled as advertisements, which is a continual problem for many influencers and brands with the ASA stepping up their efforts here.

Can It Work For You?

The rise of influencer and social media-led products and brands in the food and drink industry is a trend that is seemingly here to stay. It’s safe to say the quality and credibility of some of these products can vary wildly, but this doesn’t seem to have as much sway as the influential buzz that can follow them. 

Social media influencers clearly have the power to influence their followers' purchasing decisions, needs and wants, in a way that we don’t often see through traditional marketing methods and channels, as demonstrated by Prime in particular. 

However, it’s not as easy as Prime seemingly made it look and brands should not enter this area blindly thinking they can make a quick, easy buck! It is essential to carry out thorough research before identifying and selecting an influencer, as well as ensuring their values align with those of the brand. 

Additionally, it is important to keep in mind the regulations regarding endorsements and advertising. With careful consideration of these factors, brands can successfully launch influencer-led products and reap the benefits of the loyal following that social media influencers have built. Just don’t forget the fundamentals of quality and taste to ensure longevity and repeat purchase.