During the Impact Digital Influencer Conference, prominent content creators and industry experts gathered for a panel discussion titled “The Jugalbandi of Brands and Influencers – striking the right chord.” Moderated by Satyanarayan Murthy, Head of Growth Products at Inca Motion, the panel included Viraj Gehlani (Content creator), Sunetro Lahiri (Vice President Creative, The Glitch), Simone Khambatta (Digital content creator), Snehil Mehra (Content creator), Nishant Tanwar (Stand-up comedian, Content creator), Arushi Handa (Content creator), and Shlok Srivastava (Tech influencer).
As an ad maker, Lahiri expressed his opinion on influencer marketing, stating, “When it comes to influencer marketing, I don’t think brands are doing it right.” He emphasized the importance of listening to influencers during the ad-making process, as consumers directly connect with them.
Gehlani shared insights into the life of influencers, noting that it can be overly hyped. He emphasized the significance of creating content passionately without excessive stress. Gehlani highlighted the need to subtly promote a brand to avoid it appearing too much like an advertisement, distinguishing between influencers’ posts and ads.
Khambatta discussed the challenges in understanding what ad agencies and brands want, emphasizing that if brands aim to reach the audience of creators, they should allow creators to do it their way. Trusting creators, who know their audience best, is crucial for successful collaborations.
Tech influencer Shlok emphasized the positive outcomes of collaborative efforts between brands and creators, stating that his audience eagerly anticipates sponsored videos. He stressed the importance of creators understanding the perspective of brands and focusing on serving their audience.
Mehra, popularly known as BC aunty, highlighted the financial benefits of collaborating with brands, considering it a great revenue model for influencers. With the rise of numerous influencers, Handa addressed the insecurity of losing the audience, emphasizing that one cannot control Instagram algorithms, and everyone with a phone can become an influencer.
Discussing brands’ budgets, comedian Nishant Tanwar emphasized dealing with brands in his own way, underscoring the significance of the behavior of individuals from agencies in influencing pricing adjustments.
