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Creators and influencers have transcended the limitations of social media platforms and are now making significant contributions in the entertainment sector, playing a vital role in real-life events. They have established themselves as influential participants in live brand activations and entertainment happenings that go beyond conventional marketing.

Live activations are evolving into cultural events that generate substantial conversation online. As the boundaries between digital and physical realms continue to blur, creators are driving these activations, infusing their distinct audiences and inventive energy into the mix.
Influencers are now seen on the red carpet at major award ceremonies, engaging in exclusive brand trips, hosting temporary storefronts, among other activities. They have advanced beyond social media and become an integral part of our cultural landscape.

Consequently, brands must adopt experiential and omnichannel marketing tactics that include influencer marketing. The involvement of creators in live activations can amplify your brand message, foster genuine connections, and generate significant ROI.

This article will delve into how these partnerships are redefining live brand activations and provide guidance on how to effectively utilize the right influencers to maximize impact and engagement.

Bonus Resource: Optimize your influencer marketing approach with our comprehensive toolkit. Access a ready-to-use brief template, a flexible contract template, and exclusive research on successful influencer partnerships—all in one convenient location.

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The Emergence of Influencers in Entertainment and Brand Activations

The role of influencers in live events has significantly progressed in recent times. Once recognized for their niche content and online profiles, influencers have increasingly taken on vital roles in brand activations, live events, and even in public relations.

Influencers entered the live event scene through collaborations, such as LaurDIY’s partnership with Starbucks for their Sparkle Shop pop-ups in Canada. These initial activations showcased the ability of creators to attract crowds and generate excitement around a brand experience.

As social media content has evolved to include education and entertainment, influencers like Leo González have taken on roles that were traditionally filled by entertainment journalists, providing red carpet coverage for high-profile events such as the SAG Awards, Golden Globes, and Netflix premieres. González has expanded his influence beyond coverage, presenting at events like the Producers Guild and hosting the VerizonAccess Concert Series.

UK influencer Amelia Dimoldenberg exemplifies how creators can transition into entertainment figures by making an impact at significant events. She made her mark covering the British GQ Man of the Year event, leveraging her distinct viewpoint and substantial following on the red carpet.

Influencers also play a role in significant industry events, contributing valuable insights and sharing their knowledge. Marketing guru Lia Haberman attended SXSW, hosting a breakfast event with us and sharing key insights from her experience there.

These instances highlight a wider phenomenon: influencers who initially rose to fame through specialized online content are now entering into large-scale brand collaborations and live marketing initiatives. This evolution underscores the growing acknowledgment that influencers are more than mere content creators; they are potent brand evangelists and experiential marketers.

The Increasing Significance of Live Brand Activations and the Role of Influencers

Live brand activations represent a vital aspect of experiential marketing. These occasions offer brands a unique opportunity to engage with their audience on a more personal level, crafting unforgettable, immersive experiences.

This is an opportunity to showcase who you are and what your brand stands for in a tangible manner, fostering a deeper bond with consumers.

Influencers and creators contribute an authentic and innovative flair that enhances the entire live experience. They assist brands in reinventing their presence at significant occasions and create entirely new live adventures. Their ability to connect with dedicated followings makes them ideal partners to ignite cultural moments that provide lasting significance to your events.

Influencers help cut through the clutter by curating content in real-time and providing exclusive behind-the-scenes insights while engaging with their audiences who may not be present physically.

Involving influencers in your events enables an omnichannel experience that can elevate levels of engagement and interaction. Their presence at your event lends credibility and forms genuine connections with their followers, which can dramatically amplify your brand’s online visibility and reach, creating a cascade of awareness and interest.

Essential Components of Live Marketing Activations with Influencers

Designing immersive experiences and partnering with the right influencers can significantly enhance the reach and cultural significance of your live brand activations. Here are some guidelines to consider when organizing your IRL events.

Clarify and Communicate Your Objectives

What are your goals? Brand visibility? Lead generation? Content development? Focus on how your activation can engage audiences, align with business objectives, and show ROI.

After establishing your objectives, utilize them to guide your influencer selection and activation approach. Incorporate these goals into your brand pitch and set clear expectations from the outset. Both you and the influencer should fully understand the goals, deliverables, and timelines. This clarity is vital to prevent miscommunication and ensure everyone is aligned, leading to a more fruitful partnership.

Utilize the Right Influencers and Creators for Maximum Exposure

The right influencers can significantly enhance the reach of your brand activations.

Whether you’re seeking niche or entertainment influencers, consider aspects such as audience interests, engagement metrics, and brand synergy.

By examining your audience’s interests, you may uncover creative partnership opportunities that can reframe your brand’s identity.

Brand safety and alignment are imperative for a successful collaboration. Choose influencers whose values and content resonate with your brand’s ethos. For instance, a health and wellness brand may collaborate with a lifestyle influencer who advocates for healthy living. This partnership feels more authentic and organic to the audience.

Also assess factors like content quality and audience engagement. An influencer or creator with a solid engagement record can effectively connect your brand with your target audience in a timely manner.

Make Event Planning a Collaborative Effort

The unique views, audience insights, and creative energy that influencers offer can assist brands in developing experiences that truly resonate, surprise, and delight. Collaborating with creators during the planning process can enhance audience satisfaction by better aligning with audience expectations.

Throughout your collaboration, maintaining effective communication will be vital for a successful partnership. Ensure the influencer is well-prepared and that their content matches your brand’s vision.

Establishing a relationship based on mutual respect is crucial. By valuing their insights and suggestions, you foster a positive partnership that leads to more impactful and successful live activations.

Develop Immersive Experiences

Being present or discussing the event isn’t sufficient. You need to offer the audience (both in-person and virtual) and the creator something to interact with.

Interactive displays are an excellent way to engage attendees at live events. For example, at Cannes, Pinterest hosted the Manifestival, which featured various interactive booths aligned with the platform’s trends and features. Attendees were able to create everything from charm bracelets to tie-dye shoes and receive custom tattoos. These activities brought Pinterest’s online community to life, captivating audiences while generating valuable user-generated content (UGC) for social media sharing.

UGC extends the lifespan of your activations by bringing live events into the digital realm, providing attendees something to share on their feeds before and after the event. If fortunate, your audience might help create a viral effect that intertwines the live brand activation with social media culture. Don’t let this or the influencer’s content fade after the event; instead, repurpose their posts, stories, and videos across your brand’s social media, website, and additional marketing channels.

Social gatherings also offer an opportunity to create immersive experiences. Reflecting back on our SXSW example, with Lia Haberman as the host, our breakfast event connected attendees through a shared interest: the creator economy. Lia facilitated real-world relationships and knowledge sharing, moving online conversations offline. We provided attendees a platform to express their thoughts during and after the event, integrating them and their followers into the experience.

Employ Technology to Elevate Experiences

Technology plays a significant role in the advancement of immersive fan experiences, and its influence will only increase. Augmented reality (AR) and gamification are leading this trend, transforming spectators into active participants.

An example of this transformation is the NBA’s All-Star Weekend application, where fans could earn points by engaging with challenges and installations throughout the event. This increased overall participation and enjoyment, while also providing the NBA with a wealth of user-generated content (UGC) to leverage across their social media platforms.

Beyond AR and gamification, various technologies enhance live events. Virtual reality (VR) can offer fans unique experiences, such as courtside views or backstage access, without requiring their physical presence. Wearable technology, such as smart wristbands, can personalize experiences by tracking fan preferences and providing tailored content and interactions. Furthermore, 5G connectivity will facilitate seamless streaming and instantaneous engagement, further blending the physical and digital experiences.

Don’t overlook the features available within your social networks. Custom stickers, filters, sounds, and more can significantly enhance the experience with exclusive content for influencers and fans to explore.

Capitalize on the Influence of Niche Creators for Memorable Brand Experiences

Influencers have evolved from mere content creators to architects of experience, storytellers, and cultural intermediaries between brands and their audiences. By embracing this new reality, you can create genuinely impactful and memorable brand experiences that resonate far beyond a single social media post.

However, quantifying the value of influencer marketing, particularly regarding live marketing activations, can be challenging. Monitoring key metrics like reach, engagement, attendance, and website traffic is a solid starting point for evaluating the success of your influencer activation. To establish connections between social engagement and overall business impact, you must analyze the data illustrating how these activations contribute to business results.

Explore our framework for optimizing influencer marketing ROI at each phase of the customer journey.

The post IRL takeovers: Influencers are reshaping live brand activations and events appeared first on Sprout Social.

An image conveys a multitude of meanings, but on Pinterest, a video can convey even more. Identified as one of the surging social media platforms by Statista, Pinterest has made remarkable strides.

A major leap for the platform was the launch of Pinterest videos in late 2018, which now play a crucial role in Pinterest marketing. With their striking visual narratives and engaging imagery, Pinterest videos not only attract attention—they prompt purchases. As per Sprout’s 2024 Content Benchmarks Report, 81% of consumers expressed a desire for more short-form videos from brands. Therefore, if you’re in search of innovative methods to convert interest into sales, consider using video Pins.

This article will explore everything necessary regarding Pinterest videos and illustrate why they should be part of your social media plan.

What constitutes a video Pin?

A video Pin is a visual marker on Pinterest that showcases one or several videos and images. These Pins play automatically within users’ home feeds and feature cover images designed to grab attention. Video Pins can also be enhanced with effects like stickers and animations.

<p Much like platforms such as Instagram and TikTok, Pinterest videos are crafted with a mobile focus. Overall, Pinterest users—referred to as Pinners—should utilize vertical images and aspect ratios suitable for mobile viewing.

In contrast to other social platforms, Pinterest videos emphasize visuals over audio. For instance, Instagram and TikTok videos often rely on popular sounds or music. However, because of Pinterest’s Autoplay feature, videos typically play without sound on both desktop and mobile devices. Consequently, Pinners should prioritize visual assets—such as high-definition footage, captivating images, and text overlays—to effectively engage users.

Reasons to create Pinterest video Pins

Utilizing Pinterest for your business provides a variety of advantages, all of which enhance your comprehensive social media strategy. Whether you’re a neighborhood service or an international e-commerce entity, here are several reasons to tap into Pinterest’s potential.

Enhance brand visibility

Pinterest is structured for exploration.

An impressive 96% of Pinterest searches go unbranded. Generally, Pinners are on the lookout for inspiration and ideas rather than specific brands. This has resulted in 80% of weekly users discovering a new product or brand on the platform.

Increase site traffic

Pinterest permits you to attach links to your Pins, making it simpler to channel traffic to your site. Whether it’s your blog, product page, or booking form, you can direct users to precisely where you want them to navigate next.

With a business account, you can also monitor how many people click these links through Pinterest analytics.

Boost engagement

Pinterest has an active base of 553 million monthly users who are among the most engaged individuals online. This engagement extends beyond likes and comments; it also encompasses conversions. Specifically, Pinners are 1.4 times more likely to engage in shopping-related actions compared to users on alternative social media platforms.

Pinterest videos are particularly effective. The viewability rate of Pinterest video ads is three times greater than average across social media networks, while completion rates for videos are twice as high.

Enhance sales

Understanding how to leverage Pinterest for sales could bolster your revenue. Pinterest ranks as the fifth most utilized platform for social commerce, following Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, and messaging platforms.

Pinterest also reaches some of the wealthiest demographics. In the U.S., it engages 40% of households with annual incomes exceeding $150K. A recent study indicated that about one-third of luxury shoppers on Pinterest earn over US$100K per year.

With increased disposable income, Pinners tend to spend more than the typical social shopper. On average, Pinterest shoppers invest twice the monthly amount compared to users on other platforms.

Best practices for Pinterest videos for brands

To begin reaping the benefits for your business, follow these best practices for Pinterest videos.

Adhere to optimal lengths and formats

When crafting video Pins, you can choose between two formats: standard width and max width.

Standard-width Pinterest videos are identical in size to regular Pins. Max width videos expand to wrap a user’s entire screen on mobile, offering a more immersive experience. Note that max width formatting is available only for paid video ads on Pinterest.

Here are the specifications for each format:

Repurpose existing content

Repurposing your videos from other social media platforms allows you to maximize efficiency without increasing workload.

One significant benefit of repurposing for Pinterest is the uniformity it ensures. Consistent messaging builds brand recognition, promotes authenticity, and encourages customer loyalty.

Repurposing content also conserves time. Instead of shooting, editing, and creating specific videos for each platform, you can leverage the same material across multiple channels. For example, you could repurpose footage from an Instagram Reel or TikTok video. This is exactly what the luxury luggage brand BÉIS did to showcase its limited-edition Wicked collection. The same video was shared to announce the launch across Instagram, TikTok, and Pinterest.

Using a third-party video editing tool such as Adobe Premiere Pro, Canva, or CapCut can simplify formatting for Pinterest. These tools enable you to resize videos specifically for Pinterest while maintaining quality and avoiding watermarks.

Focus on accessibility

To promote inclusivity, your Pinterest videos must be accessible to all users. For instance, integrating captions helps ensure that your content is comprehensible, even in silence.

Your visuals must also be accessible. Utilize high-contrast color combinations (preferably a 4.5:1 ratio), especially in text overlays, to ensure visibility for all users, including those with visual impairments.

Incorporate a call to action (CTA)

Whether it’s for purchasing a product, booking a consultation, or subscribing to a newsletter, the primary aim of Pinterest videos is to drive specific actions. By clearly articulating those desirable actions through a call to action (CTA), you enhance the effectiveness of your Pinterest videos.

For organic Pinterest videos, you can add a link to any site of your choosing; however, the visible CTA text can only read as Visit site. To personalize your CTA, include it in your description or text overlay.

For Pinterest video ads, you may select from the following available CTA texts:

Monitor video performance

Tracking key metrics—like engagement rate, save rate, and average viewing time—is the optimal way to identify which videos resonate most with your audience.

Pinterest’s video-specific metrics provide valuable insights for future video content. For example, you can see how many viewers watched your video for at least 10 seconds and the number who viewed 95% of its content.

This information allows you to refine your content strategy. For instance, if a video maintains a high view count up to 95% of its length, you might replicate that editing style, include the same collaborators, or transform the video into a series covering relevant themes.

Utilize templates for efficiency

Among the most impactful tips for Pinterest content, leveraging templates stands out. Using templates enables you to create more Pinterest videos with less time and effort involved. These templates—available on Canva—already feature appealing designs, overlay text, elements, and animations. All that’s necessary is to customize them to match your brand.

Affirm is among the top brands on Pinterest making effective use of templates. In numerous Pins, the brand incorporates text at the top and a colored box at the bottom showcasing its logo. Maintaining the same format not only simplifies content creation but also ensures cohesion. Such consistency helps audiences quickly identify your brand and understand what to expect, fostering trust and loyalty.

How to share a video on Pinterest

Sharing a video on Pinterest is straightforward. Follow these steps for posting directly from a desktop or mobile device.

Uploading a video to Pinterest from desktop

To create a video Pin on desktop, adhere to these instructions:

• Log in to your Pinterest account.
• From the left-hand menu, click on Create. For business accounts, click on the hamburger icon. Under Create, select Create Pin.
• Click on the upload window and choose up to 10 videos from your computer.

Note: Each video you select will result in a separate Pin. To combine multiple images and videos into one video Pin, utilize the Pinterest mobile app.

• Provide details for your video Pin, including its title, description, and link.
• Click Done.
• Hit Publish.

Uploading videos to Pinterest from mobile

To create a video Pin on mobile (iOS or Android), follow these steps:

• Log in to your Pinterest app account.
• Tap the + icon at the bottom of your screen.
• Choose Pin.
• Select up to 10 videos from your device or tap the camera icon to film a new video.

Note: If you select multiple visuals, they will be combined into one video Pin.

• Tap Next.
• Use the toolbar at the bottom to edit your video, add text, or insert other effects.
• Press Next.
• Provide information about your video Pin, including its title, description, and link.
• Click Create.

Stay ahead and connected with Pinterest videos

With a vast, engaged, and affluent audience, Pinterest is filled with opportunities for brands. Whether your goal is to enhance brand visibility, boost sales, or distinguish yourself from the competition, Pinterest videos can provide a pathway to reach this unique audience and fulfill these objectives.

To maximize the impact of your Pinterest videos, make use of Pinterest analytics. The data will give you insights into content that captivates and resonates with your audience. Using these insights, you will be better equipped to replicate successful strategies and observe your brand’s growth.

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Customers lose faith in brands when they feel they’re putting in too much effort.

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