Your ATTN Please || Friday, 28 February

So, you want to do influencer marketing.

Cool. But where do you start? What kind of influencer do you go with? And (most importantly) can you even afford it? Unfortunately, when it comes to finding the answers to those questions, Google is not your friend. But we are. So today, we’re filling you in on where most brands go terribly wrong when it comes to influencers—and what to do instead.

- Charlotte, Editor ♡

WHAT’S HAPPENING IN MARKETING TODAY?

Trump offends his supporters, “Cash me outside” chick goes viral (again), & Levis Collabs with Queen Bey

Trump posts AI video showing his plans for a “reimagined Gaza.”

The president tends to use AI in… interesting ways… to say the least. But this is a kind of shocking that we as a collective society have never seen before. Tuesday night, President Trump took to his Truth social account to post his idea of what Gaza could look like in the future.

The video shows him sipping cocktails with a topless Benjamin Netanyahu and features a very generous depiction of Elon eating flatbread with dollar bills falling from the sky. It is so unhinged, even MAGA supporters are appalled. “As a Trump supporter, wtf is this sh*t” was one among thousands of similar comments. “I hate this. I love our president, but this is horrible,” another wrote.

His Christian voters were also offended, with several comments referencing the idolatry of the golden statue. Others lamented a scene showing Trump in a nightclub alone with a woman dressed as a belly dancer as a crowd looks on. “The statue is a symbol of the antichrist, please humble yourself to God. Jesus is king and only Him.” This is basically a masterclass in “how to alienate your fanbase with AI.” Eat your heart out, marketers!

Next up, beef is officially back on the menu.

As a vehicle for virality, that is. Remember the “cash me outside” chick? This is her now (feel old yet)? Dannielle Bregoli dropped “Ms. Whitman” - a diss track aimed at Alabama Barker, the daughter of Travis Barker and stepdaughter to Kourtney Kardashian. The song has set the internet AFLAME, racking up over 4 million views in just one day.

To make the beef even spicier, the song is over the beat of Ye’s “Carnival” – you know, the ex-husband of Kim Kardashian. This is all very messy, much like the months we’ve spent enduring Kendrick and Drake's feud. But it does suggest that viral rap beef (that teeters on the edge of going too far) is the new language of our era. It’s certainly getting everyone’s attention, and isn’t that what we’re all fighting for?

Ending on a more chill note, Levis launched their new campaign with Beyoncé.

And I’ve never wanted a pair of jeans so bad in my life. Miss Cowboy Carter sure does the phrase “hip hugging” justice. The advert features Knowles-Carter showcasing her pool playing-prowess against actor Timothy Olyphant, in a glammed up Canadian tuxedo that fits just right. Good lord. I am no better than a man.

ANYWAY. This collaboration is clearly iconic, and one of those brand x celeb deals that just makes sense. If you want to take a look at the collection, here ya go.

-Sophie, Writer

DEEP DIVE

How to get influencer marketing right in 2025

Influencer marketing is still one of the most misunderstood types of advertising.

While influencer campaigns can be hugely effective, many brands have no idea how to choose the right influencer, what fee is fair, or how to measure whether a campaign has been effective. I sat down with Jordan Michaelides, YAP reader and founder of influencer marketing agency Neuralle, to talk about how brands can make the most of their influencer spend.

Q: So, Jordan, can you tell me a bit about what Neuralle does?

We’re an influencer and UGC marketing agency. About 80% of our business is talent representation—securing brand deals for creators. The other 20% is acting on behalf of brands, helping them connect with the right influencers. Because we work on both sides, we have a really good read on what makes an influencer campaign successful. We primarily operate in Australia, though we do have some international clients.

Q: In your experience, what are the biggest mistakes brands make when it comes to influencers?

A lot of brands want to "do influencer marketing", but they don’t know what that actually means. So they start by Googling "how to run an influencer campaign" and end up following advice from people who don't specialise in the influencer space.

The other biggest mistake I see brands make is looking way too much at an influencer's follower count and not enough at all the other factors. Instead of asking if someone is a micro, macro, or nano-influencer, brands should look at views, engagement rates, and impressions. Then, brands should need to calculate the CPM (cost per thousand impressions)—that’s the real way to assess ROI.

Q: Can you tell me more about the idea of looking at influencer campaign ROI using CPM?

The only way to compare the cost of an influencer campaign versus another medium is to calculate your CPM. Here's how:

1) Look at how many views the influencer got per video, on average, over the last 30 days
2) Divide that number by 1000
3) Divide their fee by that number

If their quoted price gives you a CPM between $25-$50, you’re getting a really good price. Now there may be some brand value in the talent’s CPM when it’s higher than that range, particularly when you get into talent averaging 500,000-1,000,000+ views. But you should never pay someone who averages 20,000 views a CPM of $200 (although we’ve seen many brands makes this mistake).

Q: What else should brands know about beginning to work with influencers?

The biggest challenge is sourcing the right talent, so you should reach out to at least 3x more influencers than you think you’ll need. It’s harder than people think because:

1) Many influencers will say no
2) Some won’t fit your budget
3) Some won’t align with your brand

Brands also tend to rush the process because they want to book talent ASAP. But finding your talent can be very hard and it's too important to rush through. Tools like Hootsuite or Sprout can help you find influencers, but a lot of it is just manually digging into platforms like TikTok to see who's creating the best content in your niche.

Q: How do you know if an influencer is right for your brand?

We use a simple 3P framework when evaluating influencers:

• Price: Does their CPM make sense compared to other digital media? If your industry average on socials is $25 and an influencer is charging $15 (or even $30), that’s a good deal. Remember, you’re not just buying reach, you’re buying their creativity and credibility with their audience.

• Profile: Does their content align with your brand and niche? If you’re a camping brand, you'll want influencers whose content naturally fits outdoor experiences, not just someone with a big audience.

• Persona: Does their audience match your target demographic? You need to make sure their followers include the customers you’re trying to reach. This is especially important when targeting specific age groups or locations.

[For more on the 3Ps, check out How to select the right influencer for your brand]

Q: What's the influencer's role in creating the campaign strategy?

The best influencer campaigns feel natural, where the influencer integrates the product into their usual content. Unfortunately, brands often try to force influencers into their marketing strategy instead of fitting into the influencer’s content style.

My recommendation is for brands to create a 1-2 page brief focused on the core message for the campaign. Then, work with the talent to figure out how to bring this message to their audience. Trying to manipulate their audience into an opinion about your brand can backfire!

Q: What trends should brands be paying attention to in 2025?

The biggest shift is that social agencies are becoming creative agencies. Traditional creative agencies are expensive, and brands are realising they can get high-quality content from social-first creators. This is blurring the lines between influencer marketing and brand strategy.

We’re also seeing influencers become more integrated into a brand’s platform and storytelling. A great example is Sony’s campaign featuring the Macfarlane Bros on TikTok, where influencers weren’t just promoting a product—they were part of the brand’s narrative.

- Charlotte, Editor ♡

TREND PLUG

Approved!

We all have those moments where we have to make a judgement call that others may or may not agree with.

Maybe it's hiring that person with a few red flags because they've got a "great personality." Or maybe it's posting a piece of content that could get some raised eyebrows from the CEO.

Well, today's trending sound is the perfect chance to make your case for why you're actually in the right. The original sound goes, "Approved! Approved! I don't know... Excellent argument! Approved!"

Some creators are using this to make a point against an argument other people might like to make. For example, acceptable age gaps in a relationship (*1 year younger* Approved! 2 years younger Approved! 3+ years younger I don't know...*We're both grown* Approved!)

And others are showing times where something is considered ok when it really shouldn't be, like who gets hired at a restaurant (*High schooler* Approved! Criminal record Approved! Drug screens I don't know...*Fails* Approved!)

How you can jump on this trend:

First, think of a situation you want to use for your own version of this trend. This should be something that has a few "no-brainer" acceptable options, then one maybeeeee questionable one.

Film yourself lipsyncing to the trending sound, pretending to stamp a paper each time you say "Approved!" When you say, "I don't know..." look like you really can't decide, before you finally cave in and approve that option, too. Have your OST pop up like in the examples above.

A few ideas to get you started:

• Fonts you should use in a slide deck

• Asking for time off with X days notice

• Acceptable places to work remote

- Charlotte, Editor ♡

FOR THE GROUP CHAT

😲WTF: RIP Michelle Trachtenberg
✨Daily inspo: she’s my motivational speaker
🎧Soooo tingly: Cheese pull ASMR
🍝What you should make for dinner tonight: Crispy chicken cheese katsu

TODAY ON THE YAP PODCAST

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ASK THE EDITOR

Q - I run a charity and am wondering what the best kind of content for raising awareness is. -Kendra

Hey Kendra!

If you’re trying to raise awareness, you want your content to reach as many people as possible. And the best way to do that is to create content that makes your audience want to share it with other people. When your content gets shared, that tells the algorithm to keep showing it to others, continuing to amplify your reach.

Many charities go the heartwarming content route, and there’s nothing wrong with that. But the most shareable content is usually entertaining or relatable. So think about how you can bring these elements into your videos. You’ll have to consider what will be the best way to do this in your particular niche. Don’t be afraid to experiment and see what lands!

- Charlotte, Editor ♡

WHAT DO YA THINK?

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