The top PR pros for influencers on Instagram, YouTube, and TikTok
Hi, this is Amanda Perelli and welcome back to Insider Influencers, our weekly rundown on the business of influencers, creators, and social-media platforms. Sign up for the newsletter here.
In this week's edition:
The top publicists for influencers on YouTube, TikTok, and Instagram
How influencers are cashing in on NFTs while the market is hot
Inside Dunkin's influencer-marketing and TikTok strategy
How influencers and marketers are using Clubhouse to strike brand deals
And more including an investigation into a former member of David Dobrik's YouTube Vlog Squad
The top 18 PR pros and publicists for influencers
Influencers famous for their work on YouTube, Instagram, and YouTube are landing late-night TV spots and appearing on the cover of magazines.
To make it happen, many hire publicists with experience representing Hollywood actors and musicians.
Dan Whateley, Sydney Bradley, and I are recognizing the top PR pros who work with influencers and digital creators.
Here are some of the executives highlighted in our second annual power list:
Nicole Perez-Krueger, founder of Align Public Relations, represents Charli D'Amelio and her family.
Cole Chasen Trider, founder and CEO of Chasen Creative Media, worked with top YouTube and beauty influencer Jackie Aina on promoting her lifestyle brand FORVR mood.
Dave Kim, founder and CEO of Dave Kim PR, has secured his clients coverage in the The Wall Street Journal, Forbes Magazine, and Billboard. He represents creators of the influencer collab house Team RAR.
Check out the full list of top publicists, here.
Influencers are rushing to make money on NFTs using virtual avatars, digital collectibles, and one-off art
Some influencers are rushing to cash in on non-fungible tokens (NFTs) as the market heats up.
NFT platforms are reporting a spike in sales and for some, the internet trend can bring a big payday.
Dan wrote that influencers Logan Paul, Zach "ZHC" Hsieh, and the virtual influencer Miquela have all experimented with NFTs:
Creators are hoping that NFTs will offer another way to interact directly with fans and earn money.
The barriers to entry for creators looking to test out NFTs are relatively low, and some platforms have set up ways to make it easier to get started.
Jake Paul launched his own virtual avatar on Tuesday and plans to sell digital items like boxing gloves to fans soon.
"Of course influencers are showing up, there's a lot of money to be made," said Kayvon Tehranian, the founder and CEO of the NFT auction platform Foundation.
Have more information on NFTs? Email Dan: dwhateley@insider.com.
Inside Dunkin's influencer-marketing strategy, from hiring Charli D'Amelio to employees posting on TikTok
After Charli D'Amelio gave Dunkin' millions of free video impressions, the brand decided to hire her as an official brand ambassador.
"What we've noticed is, in order for us to be successful, we really need to tap into what's already happening around our brand," said Melanie Cohn Rabino, the director of brand engagement at Dunkin'.
Dunkin' has used social media to help promote products by hiring influencers, employees, and fans to film content for TikTok.
I spoke with Dunkin' about the company's TikTok strategy and partnership with D'Amelio:
The brand only follows die-hard Dunkin' fans on TikTok, and has turned the act of finding new people to follow into a way to boost engagement, launching contests around it on the app.
Dunkin' launched a crew-ambassador program as a way to pay its employees to post TikTok videos while on the job.
It has leaned into hiring micro influencers who specialize in a particular niche, such as food, to help introduce a new product.
Read more about the brand's social-media strategy here.
How influencers and marketers are using Clubhouse to strike brand deals and make new connections
Influencers are landing brand deals by networking on the audio-only app Clubhouse.
Sydney wrote that some "rooms" on the app are connecting industry professionals such as social-media managers, casting agents, and brand executives with influencers.
Within these rooms, influencers are pitching themselves to marketers or simply chatting about their careers and interests.
Then, they move those conversations from Clubhouse to DMs or emails to start talking business.
Some have used Clubhouse to get hired for campaigns on other platforms, such as Instagram, YouTube, and TikTok.
Read more about how influencers and marketers use Clubhouse, here.
More creator industry coverage from Insider:
TikTok
10 brands that have gained the most TikTok followers in the last year (Dan Whateley)
How a former Facebook staffer became a leading "JobTok" creator on TikTok (Molly Innes)
How much money a personal-finance influencer with 860,000 followers earns on TikTok (Molly Innes)
Media kits
7 real media kit examples that Instagram influencers use to land brand sponsorships (Dan Whateley, Sydney Bradley, and Amanda Perelli)
This week from Insider's digital culture team:
A woman featured on YouTube star David Dobrik's channel says she was raped by a Vlog Squad member in 2018 the night they filmed a video about group sex
David Dobrik's Vlog Squad is one of the most beloved friend groups on YouTube.
Now, an extra in a 2018 vlog says she was too intoxicated to consent to sex with Dominykas Zeglaitis, aka Durte Dom, during the night they were filming for the vlog.
The same woman says she was raped and that she believes the video's portrayal of the sex as consensual is inaccurate.
Read the full investigation by Insider reporter Kat Tenbarge, here.
More on digital culture:
On his podcast channel, YouTube creator David Dobrik addressed for some of his past actions and content.
People on TikTok are feeding their dogs hot sauce and veterinary experts say the trend is dangerous.
- A YouTube prankster said he plans on suing YouTube for banning his channels.
Here's what else we're reading:
Clubhouse hired an Instagram exec to head media partnerships and creators (Scott Nover, from Adweek)
Collectible plush toys called Squishmallows are taking over TikTok, Instagram, and Reddit (Taylor Lorenz, from The New York Times)
Now YouTubers can sell digital and downloadable products like ebooks or songs below videos (James Hale, from Tubefilter)
Clubhouse will help creators monetize their shows with new accelerator program (Kim Lyons, from The Verge)