Table of Contents
Executive Summary
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- Top takeaways
- Market overview
- Impact of COVID-19 on influencer marketing
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- Figure 1: Short-, medium- and long-term impact of COVID-19 on influencer marketing, November 2020
- Consumer insights and recommendations
- Entertaining influencers are the gateway to connecting with young adults
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- Figure 2: Influencer categories – Adults 18-34, by race and Hispanic origin, July 2020
- Influencers inspire young adults’ sense of creativity and cement their identity
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- Figure 3: Reasons for following influencers – Adults aged 18-34, by race and Hispanic origin, July 2020
- Influencers’ missteps more likely to disengage followers than bad products and services
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- Figure 4: Reasons for unfollowing an influencer – Adults aged 18-34, by race and Hispanic origin, July 2020
- Connect with influencers who show organic affinity for your brand or category
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- Figure 5: Influencer considerations – Adults aged 18-34, by race and Hispanic origin, July 2020
- Use influencers who deliver on consumers’ expectations
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- Figure 6: Influencer follower behavior – Adults aged 18-34, by race and Hispanic origin, July 2020
The Market and Target Audience – Key Takeaways
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- Nearly half of young adults are people of color
- Low income does not equal low-value consumer
- COVID-19 deals a blow to influencer marketing
- Multicultural young adults more likely to be unemployed due to COVID-19
- Multicultural influencers demand inclusion and pay transparency from agencies
Multicultural Young Adults by the Numbers
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- Multicultural young adults aged 18-34 represent nearly half the age group
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- Figure 7: US population distribution, by race and Hispanic origin, 2019
- Hispanic and Black young adults’ lower income not a hindrance for influencer purchases
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- Figure 8: Household income distribution among adults aged 18-34, by race and Hispanic origin, 2018
- Varied educational attainment impacts desire to follow professional influencers
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- Figure 9: Educational attainment – Adults 18-34, by race and Hispanic origin, 2019
Market Perspective
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- Impact of COVID-19 on influencer marketing
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- Figure 10: Short-, medium- and long-term impact of COVID-19 on Influencer Marketing, November 2020
- Influencers wait in holding pattern while marketers determine next steps during the lockdown period
- Influencers pivot to relevant content while marketers reinvest spending in social media
- The promise of a vaccine will drive people to celebrate and connect in person
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- Figure 11: Anticipated experiences post pandemic – Adults aged 18-34, by race and Hispanic origin, July 2020
- Influencers balance authentic social activism with being “marketable” for brands
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- Figure 12: Attitudes toward Black Lives Matter – Adults aged 18-34, by race and Hispanic origin, July 2020
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- Figure 13: Instagram post by social media influencer Britney Turner, May 2020
- TikTok social media platform fights FTC efforts to ban in the US
Market Factors
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- Pandemic-induced unemployment skyrockets among all multicultural youth
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- Figure 14: Not seasonally adjusted, quarterly unemployment rates among adults 18-34, by race and Hispanic origin, Q3 2019 and Q3 2020
- Influencers run afoul of new FTC guidelines
- Black and Hispanic influencers call for greater inclusion and pay equity from marketers
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- Figure 15: Open letter to Fohr agency by Influencer and signatory Valerie Guavoen, June 2020
- Figure 16: Pay disclosures on Influencer Pay Gap Instagram feed, July 2020
Companies and Brands – Key Takeaways
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- Technology turns everyday people into influencers
- Instagram set to pay influencers in revenue share agreement
- Virtual influencers make inroads in the industry
Competitive Strategies
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- Tech innovation turns everyday people into influencers
- Retailers use influencers to drive consumers back in store, but may be more beneficial to brands instead
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- Figure 17: Paid influencer posts for Nordstrom – Wendy Nguyen and Aissata Diallo, July 2020
- Instagram will pay influencers, but some complain of loss exposure due to new algorithms
- Marketers turn to virtual influencers to connect with young adults
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- Figure 18: Virtual influencer Lil Miquela Instagram post at “McDonald’s,” October 2020
- Figure 19: Virtual model Shudu in Samsung UK Galaxy Z Flip mobile phone Instagram video ad, August 2020
The Consumer – Key Takeaways
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- Instagram and YouTube are the leading sites where young adults follow entertainers and fashion and food and drink influencers
- Young adults follow influencers who entertain and expose them to new ideas and products – so long as they’re authentic
- Influencers who say or do something incongruent with their image are dismissed
- Influencer’s transparency and authenticity matter during crisis
- Most young adults prefer effortless interaction with influencers but will engage further based on why they follow
The Multicultural Young Adult Consumer and Influencer Marketing
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- Influencers create trends and drive multicultural young adults’ desire to go deeper in their interests
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- Figure 20: Mintel Global Trend Drivers and Pillars – Technology, Experiences and Identity
Influencer Platforms and Categories
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- Inspirational, entertaining social media platforms drive influencer engagement
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- Figure 21: Preferred social media influencer platforms – Adults aged 18-34, by race and Hispanic origin, July 2020
- Influencer account following reflects multicultural young adults’ passions
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- Figure 22: Influencer categories followed – Adults 18-34, by race and Hispanic origin, July 2020
- Young Hispanics flock to platforms that offer easy, linked access to influencers
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- Figure 23: Preferred social media influencer platforms by influencer categories followed, by Hispanic adults 18-34, July 2020
- Black young adults follow fewer influencers on more platforms for greater discovery
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- Figure 24: Preferred social media influencer platforms by influencer categories followed, by Black adults 18-34, July 2020
- Young Asians’ desire for engagement with diverse groups drives more influencer account follows
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- Figure 25: Preferred social media influencer platforms by influencer categories followed, by Asian adults 18-34, July 2020
Sources for Influencer Discovery
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- Influencers on social media entertain and inspire young adults
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- Figure 26: Influencer discovery – Adults 18-34, by race and Hispanic origin, July 2020
- Advanced lifestage drives new interests and influencers following among young Hispanics
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- Figure 27: Influencer discovery, by Hispanics aged 18-34 key demographics, July 2020
- Social media as the primary source of entertainment and influence is seeded early in Black adults
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- Figure 28: Influencer discovery, by Black adults aged 18-34 key demographics, July 2020
- Young Asians restrict influencer discovery to sources that offer the greatest access
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- Figure 29: Influencer discovery, by Asians aged 18-34 key demographics, July 2020
Reasons for Following Influencers
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- Multicultural young adults follow influencers who stimulate what matters most to them in their connections
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- Figure 30: Reasons for following influencers – Adults aged 18-34, by race and Hispanic origin, July 2020
- Hispanics aged 30-34 who are settling into adulthood seek inspiration from influencers
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- Figure 31: Reasons for following influencers – Hispanic adults aged 18-34 key demographics, July 2020
- Black adults 25-34 look to influencers who reflect their desire to evolve into their identity
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- Figure 32: Reasons for following influencers – Black adults aged 18-34 key demographics, July 2020
- Young Asians’ desire for exposure and access to new people and cultures drives their influencer engagement
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- Figure 33: Reasons for following influencers – Asians aged 18-34 key demographics, July 2020
Reasons for Unfollowing an Influencer
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- Young adults disengage from influencers once they disappoint and seed distrust
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- Figure 34: Reasons for unfollowing an influencer – Adults aged 18-34, by race and Hispanic origin, July 2020
- Young Hispanic women turn away from influencers if they feel misled
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- Figure 35: Reasons for unfollowing an influencer – Hispanics aged 18-34 key demographics, July 2020
- Young Black adults who feel deceived by influencers are quick to unfollow them
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- Figure 36: Reasons for unfollowing an influencer – Black adults aged 18-34 key demographics, July 2020
- Young Asians’ idealism, rather than brand wins or missteps, drives their decision to unfollow
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- Figure 37: Reasons for unfollowing an influencer – Asians aged 18-34 key demographics, July 2020
Marketing and Lifestyle Perceptions of Influencers
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- Influencers are distant “friends in the head” that young adults like but not necessarily trust
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- Figure 38: Influencer considerations – Adults aged 18-34, by race and Hispanic origin, July 2020
- Influencers are a source of information for young Hispanics with families
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- Figure 39: Influencer considerations – Hispanics aged 18-34 key demographics, July 2020
- Young Black adults’ connection to influencers who represent them extends to brands
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- Figure 40: Influencer considerations – Black adults aged 18-34 key demographics, July 2020
- Influencers reside between traditional advertising and word of mouth for young Asians
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- Figure 41: Influencer considerations – Asians aged 18-34 key demographics, July 2020
Influencer Follower Behavior
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- Effortless engagement with influencers matches multicultural young adults’ sentiment toward them
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- Figure 42: Influencer follower behavior – Adults aged 18-34, by race and Hispanic origin, July 2020
- Hispanics aged 25-34 become aware, compare then switch based on influencer engagement
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- Figure 43: Influencer follower behavior – Hispanics aged 18-34 key demographics, July 2020
- Black young women engage with influencers who inform and confirm their choices
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- Figure 44: Influencer follower behavior – Black adults aged 18-34 key demographics, July 2020
- Independent young Asians turn to influencers for guidance and turn inward as they age
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- Figure 45: Influencer follower behavior – Asians aged 18-34 key demographics, July 2020
Appendix – Data Sources and Abbreviations
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- Data sources
- Consumer survey data
- Abbreviations and terms
- Abbreviations
- Terms
Appendix – Mintel Trend Drivers
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- Figure 46: Mintel Trend Drivers and Pillars
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