Influencer marketing is now becoming a popular trend in South Africa. South African consumers take as large an interest in online trends as their counterparts in the United States and Europe. So it is no surprise that South African brands have started to market this way. This is particularly evident in popular online niches that target younger generations, such as fashion, health, and fitness.
Unsurprisingly this has been partly fueled by the rise of the South African influencer. There are quite a few local experts who have now made a name for themselves online. Well-known South African influencers include Trevor Stuurman - street-style photographer, blogger and stylist, Nadia Jafta - fashion and travel blogger, and clothing designer, and Caralishious - health blogger, fitness enthusiast, wellness coach, and founder of the Caralishious brand.
As reported by Business Insider South Africa, South African influencers can get paid between R500 and R10,000 per Instagram post. Celebrity influencers can demand even more than that.
South African marketing agencies now recognize the benefits of offering influencer marketing amongst their services. Here are four influencer marketing agencies based in South Africa.
4 Influencer Marketing Agencies Based in South Africa You Should Check Out:
1. 6Degrees
6Degrees is a leading influencer marketing agency with a client base that covers much of the world, including South Africa. They are a boutique agency with unique expertise in the growing field of influencer marketing. They work with their clients to develop creative strategies that leverage the world’s most effective and authentic social influencers.
They don’t try to be all things to all brands. Instead, they specialize in several lifestyle verticals—like beauty, fashion, and fitness—helping their clients find new customers where they’re most likely to find them: Instagram. Their focus on Instagram means they’re not just aware of the latest trends; in many cases, they are shaping them.
6Degrees make use of proprietary technology and predictive analytics for the initial discovery phase. But they see technology as only a starting point. They won’t activate any influencers before they’ve been thoroughly vetted by the living, breathing, members of 6Degrees Agency.
2. Have You Heard Marketing
Have You Heard Marketing was launched in 2008 as South Africa’s first specialist word-of-mouth agency. They recognize that the power of influence shapes everything they do. They see themselves as being part of conversation shaping consumers’ lives. They believe they are fundamentally non-traditional.
The agency was founded by Ryan McFadyen and Jason Stewart, who were nominated by Fast Company Magazine as being among the 50 most creative business leaders within South Africa in 2016. They built their team based on passion and innovative spirit, as much as experience and incredible talent.
Have You Heard Marketing was recognized by Fast Company Magazine Global in 2015 as one of South Africa’s 10 most innovative companies. They are listed amongst the top 100 companies in the world. They have expanded offshore and now also have a presence in the UAE and UK, as well as their South African home base.
Have You Heard Marketing offers a range of services to clients, including:
- Research
- Strategy
- Public relations
- Influence
- Events
- Digital
- Advertising
- Media planning
- Content creation and production
Their primary research tool is a platform that allows brands to tap into the lives of key individuals who drive trends and influences, both in online and offline spaces. Have You Heard Marketing believes they have unlimited access to an unrivaled network of influencers.
These influencers are heavily involved in content creation and production. They create real-time, immediate content that's relevant to consumers, and creates impact and scale.
Have You Heard Marketing’s client roster includes Marriott, Distell, Sanofi, DHL, Tiger Brands, Nativa, Roche, and many other well-known companies.
3. The SALT
The SALT views that as a marketing agency, they are not the main ingredient in a company’s marketing recipe. But without them, the dish is incomplete.
They create engagement and bottom line results about their clients using influencer marketing, including word of mouth conversations, social media engagement and networking outreach.
They consider themselves influencer driven marketing experts.
The SALT has built a database containing more than 80 000 registered potential brand advocates. Each influencer has completed a 60-question entry form that covers lifestyle, daily activities, brand consumption habits, shopping habits, as well as family life and travel habits.
The SALT filters this data to ensure that the influencers:
- are emotionally engaged with a brand’s message
- share information, solve problems and help others as an integral part of their personality
- have a need to contribute and be recognized.
- have communities that represent a client brand’s exact target market
They ensure that their clients get to choose individuals that fit the brand’s personal identity.
The SALT becomes involved at various stage of the influencer marketing process:
- Client brief
- Influencer selection
- Training sessions
- Brand identification
- Word of mouth
- Social media
- Consumer insights
- Leveraging influencers
- Reporting
They can boast well-known brands as clients. These include Suzuki, Philips, Gumtree, Doritos, African Bank, and Nandos.
4. R-Squared Agency
R-Squared Agency is Cape Town-based Influencer Marketing agency that truly epitomizes what influencer means. A finalist in the IMA Top 5 Global Boutique Influencer Marketing Agency awards and headed by a CEO listed as one of the Top 50 Global Industry Players, Chairman of the IAB SA Digital Influencer Marketing Committee and a member of the IAB France and IAB Europe committees, R-Squared Agency is a major force in this fast-growing industry.
Their success comes from their dedication to living the influencer spirit of authentic engagement, real stories and the personal touch with every client – all underpinned by a solid, process-driven business model.
R-Squared Agency do not use a portfolio of influencers but rather source the perfect influencer from around the world for each and every campaign. As CEO Stéphane Rogovsky explains: “Influencer Marketing is an intimate and personal conversation between an influencer and their audience. You don’t force the voice, you find the right one to create a genuine human connection. That is how you create true influence.”
Campaigns for some of the biggest brands and agencies across the world are proof that the R-Squared Agency approach is making meaningful change for agencies and brands, and shows what can be achieved when you have a team that is agile and passionate about everything they do.
