AREA OF INFLUENCE

PPS is joined by leading executives from the nursery sectorKerry Anderson, marketing manager, Joolz; Anne de Montbel, area manager, BabyBjörn; Anna Owers, iCandy PR manager; and Jen Fuller, ceo and Etta’s mum, Etta Loves – to discuss their work with influencers, the success of their campaigns and what impact collaborations have on sales.

HOW LONG HAS YOUR BRAND BEEN WORKING WITH INFLUENCERS, AND HOW OFTEN DO YOU PLAN INFLUENCER CAMPAIGNS?

Anne: “We have been working with influencers for years and believe it is an effective way to reach our target audience and showcase products in an authentic and relatable manner. We plan campaigns strategically throughout the year. The frequency varies depending on product launches, seasonal campaigns, and other marketing initiatives.”

Kerry: “Influencers have been a part of Joolz marketing for the last 10 years plus, and have grown in importance over the years. We always consider influencer campaigns when launching new products, as well as continuing to build ongoing relationships to promote our core product range in a way that feels organic and authentic.”

Anna: “iCandy has been working closely with influencers for many years now and has a successful track record of strategic collaborations and partnerships. Our extended iCandy family includes high profile influencers and celebrities such as Molly-Mae Hague, Zara Phillips, Princesses Beatrice and Eugenie, the Beckhams and many more. We plan our collaborations to align with our overall PR and marketing strategy, linked to either a product launch, campaign or key focus.”

Jen: “We’ve been working with influencers in some capacity since we launched in 2016; it’s always been an important part of our social/PR strategy, but the role and value of influencers has changed as both we’ve grown and social media has evolved. We have an always-on strategy, engaging with and gifting to people as they announce their pregnancy or have their baby, and we keep in touch as their baby grows.”

HOW DO YOU CHOOSE THE RIGHT INFLUENCERS FOR YOUR BRAND? WHAT ARE THE KEY FACTORS IN FINDING THE RIGHT PARTNERSHIPS?

“It’s really important for us to work with influencers who are genuine and authentic, and families who really love Joolz as a brand and are excited by the products we offer. It’s key for us to work with influencers that feel like the right fit, rather than to just gift anyone with a larger following. We look to work together with micro and even nano influencers, and hopefully help them grow their personal brand over the partnership too – this quite often lasts many years, and many babies.”

Above: Etta Loves doesn’t work on paid campaigns, but gifts items in return for a request of a mention.

Above middle: Men’s fashion and lifestyle content creator, Kwadwo Benko, works with iCandy.

Anna: “Authenticity and a true affinity with the brand is vital to iCandy. We feel very passionate about who we work with and ultimately, the aim is to create meaningful content to share with our loyal customer base, as well as ensuring that the influencer’s overall personal brand aligns with our own core values.

We very much prioritise diversity and authenticity by working with real families from all walks of life. We are selective about the influencers we choose to partner with as this will have a significant impact on overall brand perception. It’s important we truly connect with our audience whilst also demonstrating our brand's commitment to inclusivity.”

Jen: “We work in collaboration with our UK and US PR agencies to decide who we’d like to gift to, as well as directly contacting people. We look at their audience and engagement levels, their tone of voice, and critically we need their values to align with ours – making sure they are a supportive and warm voice. We work with both huge and micro influencers and the results are often surprising. We don’t pay to work with influencers, instead offering product in return for a request of a mention or visibility so it is somewhat hit and miss given that they don’t have to mention us.”

Anne: “When selecting influencers, we carefully assess several key factors to ensure a strong and authentic fit for our brand. The primary considerations include:

Relevance: We look for influencers whose content aligns with our products, audience and brand values.

Engagement: We prioritise influencers with a highly engaged and loyal following, as this indicates a deeper connection with their audience.

Credibility: We seek influencers who have established trust within their community.

Geographic reach: Since we operate in multiple markets, we consider influencers with a strong presence in our key markets.

Safety and family focus: We ensure the influencers we collaborate with share these values and prioritise the wellbeing of children and parents.”

DO YOU SEE DIRECT IMPACTS ON SALES FROM INFLUENCER CAMPAIGNS?

Anne: “Yes, we have observed direct impacts on sales. When influencers authentically promote our products and share positive experiences, it resonates with their followers, leading to increased interest and demand. The personal touch and trust established by influencers often result in higher conversion rates and a positive impact on sales.”

Jen: “It depends on who has mentioned us and what they’ve said. Some of our biggest mentions in terms of follower numbers haven’t done anything notable, whereas a mention from a smaller influencer can have an instant lift on sales, as in general a smaller influencer will give a fuller explanation to what makes our products so special. We definitely feel there is a value from working with influencers, but it’s certainly not a quick win most of the time”.

Kerry: “We have seen sales impact but also traffic, social following and brand awareness, which is just as important. We are now working with more retailers on influencer partnerships, which is going really well and helps to build awareness of our stockists too.”

Anna: “This can vary from campaign to campaign, but we often see an immediate correlation between sales and when activity goes live, particularly with some of our more highprofile influencers.”

WHAT HAS YOUR MOST SUCCESSFUL PARTNERSHIP SO FAR BEEN?

Jen: “We ran a baby sensory zoom event in the UK last month and the groundswell from the 10 influencers who attended live, and subsequently talked about or showed the event and our products, was very positive for awareness and sales. It also gave them a genuine utility above and beyond gifting the products.”

Anna: “iCandy is currently collaborating with Molly-Mae Hague on the Peach 7 in Biscotti and this is our most successful high-profile partnership. Molly is a wonderful ambassador and her genuine love and enthusiasm for the pushchair has been evident since day one. She is a pleasure

Inset: Babybjörn encourages influencers to create content that showcases products in various real-life scenarios.

Measuring impact: Use appropriate metrics and tracking tools to measure the impact of campaigns, including engagement, click-through rates, and conversion rates. Long-term relationships: Build long-term relationships with influencers to establish lasting partnerships and advocacy.”

Jen: “Have realistic expectations and a clear brief. Sometimes smaller influencers can have a far bigger punch when it comes to awareness, engagement and sales, so test out what works best for your objectives – is it awareness, understanding, followers or sales? Choose people who show a genuine interest in your brand, as they will always deliver a more authentic representation and in doing so will capture the attention of more people.” with and, as a brand based so close to her hometown, the partnership has felt like a natural fit from the beginning. The response has been incredible, with pre-orders impressively exceeding our expectations.”

Kerry: “Over the years we’ve had some fantastic collaborations, with mega influencers and celebrities, but just as important as the peaks they create, are the continuing relationships and coverage from our dedicated network of micro and nano influencers.”

Anne: “One of our most successful partnerships was with a well-known parenting influencer who had a substantial following. The influencer created engaging content showcasing how our baby carrier simplified her daily routines and brought her closer to her child. The campaign not only generated a significant increase in product awareness and interest, but also led to a substantial boost in sales.”

WHAT ARE YOUR TOP TIPS FOR SUCCESSFUL INFLUENCER CAMPAIGNS?

Kerry: “Clear campaign objectives but a fluid approach with the aim of building a relationship so that organic content is created far longer than fulfilling the basic obligations of an agreement.”

Anna: “We always aim to allow creative freedom, and trust that influencers know their audience best. Allowing them to exercise creativity is key to content landing successfully. Naturally, we oversee every campaign to ensure deliverables are met and products are being represented safely and correctly, but we avoid micromanaging.

We believe in building long-term relationships with our influencers, and provide many of them with converter kits for their iCandy prams as their families grow. In our experience, this means the influencer is more invested in us, and we trust them to produce high-quality content, often way outside of their agreed deliverables.”

Anne: “Clear communication: Provide influencers with a thorough understanding of our brand values, product features, and objectives to ensure alignment and effective messaging.

Diverse content: Encourage influencers to create content that showcases products in various real-life scenarios and situations.

DO YOU EXPECT INFLUENCERS TO REMAIN A KEY PART OF THE MARKETING MIX IN THE FUTURE?

Jen: “Yes, I believe so. We are constantly assessing who we work with and how we engage with more families and potential ambassadors for Etta Loves. On a practical level, not having a baby anymore myself, means that we need to get our products into new family’s hands to show the magic, as seeing really is believing.”

Anne: “We firmly believe influencers will continue to play a crucial role in our marketing mix in the future. Influencer marketing allows us to connect with our target audience on a more personal level, and enables us to showcase the benefits and features of our products in a relatable and authentic manner.”

Anna: “Absolutely. The future of influencer marketing looks set to stay. However, it is a fast-paced, ever-evolving industry so it is vital that brands stay on top of trends such as working with micro-influencers and integrating AI.”