DIGITAL QUICKSILVER
HOW MARKETERS CAN HARNESS
INFLUENCE TO DRIVE BRAND
AFFINITY
A STUDY OF MILLENNIALS BY BUZZMEDIA
#smwBUZZMEDIA

BUZZMEDIA EXPLORED THE
KEY DRIVERS OF INFLUENCE
TO UNDERSTAND THE
COMPLEX RELATIONSHIP
BETWEEN BRANDS,
CONTENT, INFLUENCERS
AND MILLENNIALS.
#SmwBUZZMEDIA

WE PARTNERED WITH
NEWSTREAM, A ‘VALUE-
ADDED’ MARKET RESEARCH
& STRATEGY CONSULTING
BOUTIQUE TO HELP UNLOCK
THE DYNAMICS OF
INFLUENCE.
#SmwBUZZMEDIA

METHODOLOGY

RESEARCH APPROACH
LOS ANGELES
CHICAGO
NEW YORK
6 FOCUS SOCIALLY ACTIVE 1,228 SURVEYS OF
GROUPS ONLINE U.S. U.S. MILLENNIALS
(2 PER MARKET) MILLENNIALS CONDUCTED
(AGED 18-34) BETWEEN 1/2/2013 -
1/11/2013
#SmwBUZZMEDIA

KEY FINDINGS

MILLENNIALS POSSESS
‘CORE VALUES’ THAT IMPACT
THE POTENTIAL INFLUENCE
OF BRANDS, CONTENT AND
INDIVIDUALS.
#SmwBUZZMEDIA

TRUST, CREDIBILITY AND
AUTHENTICITY ARE THE
DOMINANT DRIVERS OF
INFLUENCE.
OF MILLENNIALS RANK
80%
‘TRUST’, ‘CREDIBILITY’ AND
‘AUTHENTICITY’ AS THE MOST
IMPORTANT ELEMENTS THAT
IMPACT IF A BRAND, CONTENT
OR INDIVIDUAL INFLUENCER IS
CONSIDERED INFLUENTIAL.
#SmwBUZZMEDIA

THESE CORE VALUES MUST
BE PRESENT IN THE BRAND,
CONTENT AND INFLUENCER
IN ORDER TO EFFECTIVELY
SWAY MILLENNIALS AND
CREATE A SECTION DIVIDER
DRIVE THEM TO ACTION.
WITH A LARGE PHOTO AND
SOME TYPE
#SmwBUZZMEDIA

TRUST IS NON-NEGOTIABLE.
IT IS A PRECONDITION. IT
SETS THE FOUNDATION FOR
THE ENTIRE RELATIONSHIP.
IF A CONSUMER DOESN’T
TRUST YOU,YOU’RE
NOWHERE.
#SmwBUZZMEDIA

“A BRAND IS A PART
OF YOUR LIFE THAT
YOU WILL ACTUALLY
ARGUE ABOUT.”

CREDIBILITY &
AUTHENTICITY NEED TO BE
MANAGED WITH CARE
TO IMPACT MILLENNIAL
CONSUMERS.
#SmwBUZZMEDIA

“WE KNOW BRANDS
ARE TRYING TO SELL
YOU SOMETHING,
BUT THERE IS A
RELATIONSHIP
OUTSIDE OF BEING
A CONSUMER.”

BRANDS, CONTENT AND
INFLUENCERS LIVE IN
SYNERGY. EACH ADDS
LOGIC & STRENGTH AND
REINFORCES THE CORE
VALUES.
#SmwBUZZMEDIA

“I IMMEDIATELY NOTICED
WHEN THE GAWKER SITE
WENT DOWN AND STATE
FARM STEPPED IN. I HAVE
STATE FARM INSURANCE
AND LIKE THEM EVEN
MORE NOW THAT THEY
BROUGHT ME GAWKER.”

INFLUENCE IS NOT AN
ENTITY. INFLUENCE IS A
PROCESS. ONE WHICH
NEEDS TO BE MANAGED
PROPERLY TO BE MOST
EFFECTIVE.
#SmwBUZZMEDIA

BUILDING BRAND
INFLUENCE

A) “A BRAND IS MUCH MORE
EXISTENTIAL - IT TAKES A LOT TO
BE A BRAND...”
B) “WHILE EVERY BRAND IS A
PRODUCT NOT EVERY PRODUCT
IS A BRAND...”
C) “A BRAND EXTENDS TO WHAT
THEY REPRESENT - IT’S BEYOND
A PRODUCT...”
19

MILLENNIALS HOLD STRONGLY
FORMED OPINIONS ABOUT
BRANDS.
85% 81% 77%
WHAT A WHAT A MEASURE OF
COMPANY DISTINGUISHES A QUALITY
REPRESENTS PRODUCT
Q. What is a brand? Do you consider a brand to be…...
#SmwBUZZMEDIA

MILLENNIALS THINK
INFLUENTIAL BRANDS
SHOULD BE CREATIVE (92%),
INNOVATIVE (87%),
COMPASSIONATE (79%),
CREATE A SECTION DIVIDER
WITH A LARGE PHOTO AND &
STYLISH (79%)
SOME TYPE
HUMOROUS. (74%)
Q. How important are each of the following brand characteristics or
personality traits in determining whether a brand is influential to you online?
#SmwBUZZMEDIA

WOMEN SEEK
COMPASSIONATE
BRANDS, MEN
SEEK FUNNY WOMEN
CREATIVE #1
ONES. INNOVATIVE #2
COMPASSIONATE #3
BOTH VALUE STYLISH #4
CREATIVITY & MEN
INNOVATION. CREATIVE #1
INNOVATIVE #2
HUMOROUS #3
STYLISH #4

INFLUENTIAL
BRAND
DISCOVERY
EXPERIENCES
BEGIN WITH
CREATE A SECTION DIVIDER BRAND WEBSITES 52%
CONTENT &
WITH A LARGE PHOTO AND
NON-BRAND SITES 52%
TAKE FLIGHT
ADS 42%
SOME TYPE
VIA SOCIAL. CELEBRITY ENDORSEMENTS 40%
SITE EDITOR 40%
SOCIAL MEDIA 39%
TOPIC AREA EXPERT 32%
Q.11. Generally, how influential are the following
online sources when obtaining information on
brands and/or products?

SOCIAL MEDIA PLAYS
A CRITICAL ROLE IN
HOW MILLENNIALS
INTERACT WITH
BRANDS.
OF MILLENNIALS
76% FOLLOW BRANDS VIA
SOCIAL MEDIA
Q.6. How do you most typically interact with brands online?
#SmwBUZZMEDIA

SOCIAL MEDIA &
BRAND DISCOVERY

MILLENNIALS ARE ACTIVELY ENGAGED
WITH BRANDS ON SOCIAL MEDIA.
80
60 76 76 73 70
40
45
20
0
FOLLOW SHARE SHARE SHARE SHARE
BRANDS ITEMS ARTICLES, ITEMS ITEMS
FROM CLIPS, FROM FROM
FRIENDS ETC. BRANDS CELEBS

MILLENNIALS WELCOME
BRANDS INTO THEIR
STREAM & SHARE THE
BEST. BRANDS NEED TO
FOCUS ON PRODUCING
GREAT CONTENT
WORTHY OF SHARING.
40% REGULARLY RECEIVE USEFUL
INFO FROM BRANDS
Q. How much do you agree with the following statements?
Top 3 boxes (in 10 point agreement scale)
#SmwBUZZMEDIA

MILLENNIAL BRAND
DISCOVERY IS FUELED BY
TRUSTED SOURCES.
54% 50% 44%
FRIENDS & FAMILY FROM TOPIC FROM SITE
EXPERT EDITOR
“I WILL CHECK OUT A BRAND THAT
RECEIVED RECOMMENDATIONS FROM...”
#SmwBUZZMEDIA

BRAND DISCOVERY INCREASES
AMONG MILLENNIALS THAT SPEND
MORE TIME ONLINE.
60
58 54
45 51 49
45
30 40
15
0
FRIENDS & FAMILY TOPIC EXPERT SITE EDITOR
LESS THAN 20 HRS PER WEEK ONLINE MORE THAN 20 HOURS PER WEEK ONLINE
“I WILL CHECK OUT A BRAND THAT RECEIVED
RECOMMENDATIONS FROM...”

MILLENNIALS REWARD BRANDS &
CONTENT THAT ARE PROPERLY
ALIGNED.
34% 36%
VIEW OF BRAND CHANGED VIEW OF SITE CHANGED
POSITIVELY FROM POSITIVELY FROM
ASSOCIATION WITH SITE OR ASSOCIATION WITH
SITE EDITOR BRAND
Q. How much do you agree with the following statements? Top 3 Boxes (in 10 point agreement scale)
#SmwBUZZMEDIA

THE POWER OF
INDIVIDUAL INFLUENCERS

WE DEVELOPED AN
INFLUENCER SPECTRUM TO
MEASURE HOW
MILLENNIALS VIEW
INDIVIDUAL INFLUENCERS
BASED ON TOPIC EXPERTISE
AND FAME.
#SmwBUZZMEDIA

LOW TOPICAL TOPIC EXPERT
EXPERTISE WITH WITH
DEGREE OF FAME
BROAD FAME BROAD FAME
LOW TOPICAL TOPIC EXPERT
EXPERTISE WITH WITH
CONTEXTUAL FAME CONTEXTUAL FAME
DEGREE OF TOPICAL EXPERTISE

MILLENNIALS VALUE
TOPIC EXPERTISE ABOVE
ALL WHEN SEEKING
INFORMATION FROM
INFLUENCERS ABOUT
BRANDS.
#SmwBUZZMEDIA

INFLUENCERS NEED TO
BE INTIMATELY INVOLVED
IN THE SPHERE OF
ACTIVITY THEY ARE
REPRESENTING - NOT
JUST BROUGHT IN
BECAUSE THEY ARE
POPULAR.”

TOPIC EXPERTS HAVE HIGHEST
CREDIBILITY WITHIN ALL CATEGORIES.
BROAD FAME CONTEXTUAL FAME
MUSIC 48% 40%
APPAREL & FASHION 44% 47%
CONSUMER ELEC 39% 37%
RESTAURANTS 38% 38%
TRAVEL 36% 36%
AUTO 35% 36%
CPG PRODUCTS 34% 32%
CREDIT & FINANCE 30% 29%
Q.12. How credible is this “type” of individual when you are obtaining information on...?

TOPIC EXPERTS EXUDE
AUTHENTICITY &
CREDIBILITY.
CONSUMERS RESPECT
THEIR KNOWLEDGE &
VALUE ENGAGING IN A
DIALOGUE WITH THEM
VIA SOCIAL MEDIA.
#SmwBUZZMEDIA

TOPIC EXPERTS CAN IGNITE
CONSUMER PASSIONS
ABOUT BRANDS, AS LONG
AS THERE EXISTS A
TRUSTED & AUTHENTIC
CONNECTION BETWEEN
BRAND AND THE
INFLUENCER.
#SmwBUZZMEDIA

TOPIC EXPERTS CAN HELP INCREASE
BRAND AWARENESS, INTEREST, AFFINITY
AND PURCHASE CONSIDERATION.
50
46 48
41 42 43 42 43
37.5 38 39
36 36 35
32 31 31
25 27
12.5
0
BRAND AWARENESS BRAND INTEREST BRAND AFFINITY CONSIDER
PURCHASING BRAND
TOPIC EXPERT / BROAD FAME TOPIC EXPERT / CONTEXTUAL FAME
LOW TOPICAL EXPERTISE / BROAD FAME LOW TOPICAL EXPERTISE / BROAD FAME
Q.4. How influential is this “type” of individual in...?

MILLENNIALS VIEW BRANDS AS A
‘MEASURE OF QUALITY’. TRUST,
CREDIBILITY & AUTHENTICITY ARE ‘CORE
VALUES’ THAT SHAPE INFLUENCE.
MILLENNIALS WELCOME BRANDS INTO
THEIR LIVES & SHARE THE BEST
CONTENT. BRAND DISCOVERY IS FUELD
BY TRUSTED SOURCES VIA SOCIAL MEDIA.
ALIGNMENT WITH TOPIC EXPERTS CAN
AID BRAND DISCOVERY, EXPAND
INFLUENCE & INCREASE RESULTS.
#SmwBUZZMEDIA