In the run-up to the Influencer Marketing Show, I chatted with two of Whalar’s most coveted influencers Dominique (@allthatisshe) and Onyi (@mossonyi) on paving the way for a new type of brand and influencer relationship.
Dominique is one of Whalar’s most popular influencers. Loved for her ability to capture home life with her two daughters in creative ways, Dominique has worked with brands including Dyson, Oral B, Dior, Swoon, Bang & Olufsen and recently scooped the Blogosphere Instagrammer of the Year Award.
Whilst Dominique has no professional creative training, she absolutely knows what works on Instagram, what is likely to go viral and what will be picked up on the Instagram Explore page -the equivalent of snagging a prime-time TV spot.
A major high-street fashion company recently imitated her style in their global advertising campaign. Whilst frustrating for Dominique on one hand, it was a strong nod to her ability to be ahead of the latest visual trends.
@allthatisshe for Vitabiotics
Dominique works in partnership with her husband. Their entire household income is driven through their social media collaborations and sponsorships. They are selective over the brands they work with, ensuring genuine authenticity.
“A massive amount of time goes into our research and ideas process. For every project we handle everything from the creative direction, copywriting, photography, models, shoot location, models, props, lighting etc. In time we’d like to work with more brands to co-create products and get involved earlier in their conception so that they can benefit from the insights we have about popular culture,”
@mossonyi for Not on the High Street
Onyi is another of Whalar’s in-demand influencers working with brands such as Not on the High Street, River Island, Reiss, Perrier Jouet and Grand Marnier. She was recently featured in Cosmopolitan magazine and on the BBC Breakfast where she shared her thoughts on how social influencers are inspiring big print players.
Whilst growing and engaging her audience is important to Onyi, in parallel she aims to become a creative consultant to brands who can tap into her for story-telling ideas that go beyond the standard product shot.
“Recently for a French Connection Parisian inspired campaign, I went over and above what was being asked by heavily researching the campaign, flying to Paris to do the shoot and generally delivering as much value as I could. I continue to work with them across multiple campaigns and come up with ideas to help promote their collections,”
Along with her ideas, Onyi can produce the execution elements of the campaign including shooting her Stories with a DSLR, clearing music and delivering fully edited and polished assets.