In August 2022, Australia's Splendour in the Grass music festival made headlines for the almost biblical downpours that heralded its opening, leading to the cancellation of the first day’s acts and the relocation of thousands of soggy campers. In amongst this kind of upheaval, brands still needed to realise the value of their influencer collaborations, so what are the best principles to adhere to in the face of uncontrollable events?

1. Build strong, collaborative relationships with influencer talent ahead of time. If an influencer seems ambivalent about collaborating with your brand and isn’t putting forward creative ideas of their own during the planning process, they’re even less likely to do so under the pressure of a hectic, live and changing environment. Look for genuine enthusiasm in the recruitment process, and go no further if it’s absent.
2. Establish clear communication and approvals protocols between influencers, brands and coordinators - and make sure they can realistically be followed on-ground. Clarity of mission is one thing, but clarity of communication lines, roles and protocols is what allows for successful reactivity in changing circumstances.
3. Finding the genuine connection between brand, talent and audience is paramount for any influencer activation, but exceptional conditions are where that really pays off when more flimsy connections will show the strain, manifested in the quality of the content and the audience’s engagement with it.
4. Be adaptable. Preparation is always key, but not everything can be anticipated. Curveballs are a fact of life, but they’re also an opportunity to react creatively, do things differently and create content that’s authentic to the moment and all the more memorable, relatable and engaging for it. But without having the first three points in a good place, adaptations are likely to be chaotic and go awry.

In summary

The foundations you set with all parties before an influencer activation will help you weather any storm and ultimately give you the chance of creating all the more authentic and engaging content for it. At AGM, our influencer marketing experts work with our clients to make sure influencer partners are fully briefed on expectations, given clear guidelines to apply to their content and know exactly where to turn for approvals and any questions that may arise on the day, so that nothing - not even the weather - is left to chance.