MSL U.S. Makes Commitments Towards Equality in Influencer Marketing
MSL U.S. Makes Commitments Towards Equality in Influencer Marketing
Focused on creating opportunity and supporting equity and education
for BIPOC influencers through its leading influencer marketing offering Fluency
NEW YORK, Aug. 13, 2020 – MSL U.S. today announced four key commitments to measurably improve diversity, inclusion and equity for Black, Indigenous and People of Color (BIPOC) influencers. Key actions to be taken through 2021 on its Fluency platform and beyond seek to create a more reflective influencer marketing industry.
Influencers are among the most visible, creative and impactful media platforms today. The industry is projected to be valued at $15 billion by 2022, cementing its place as a core communications channel for brands. A survey from the Influencer Marketing Hub found that 82% of consumers would take the recommendation of an influencer while data from Nielsen report that African Americans are 44% more likely than white peers to engage with brands on or support them in social media. A lack of diversity within influencer platforms means companies are missing large potential audiences.
“With the most sophisticated influencer management and engagement platform and tech stack, and the most expansive database of U.S. influencers, MSL, and the companies and brands we work with across Fluency, have a unique opportunity to meaningfully improve diversity and inclusion in marketing communications,” said Bryan Pedersen, Chief Innovation Officer at MSL. “We want to lift up influencers of color first and foremost because it is the right thing to do, but also because it’s what influencer media is – a representation of communities with shared experiences and interests.”
As part of its commitments and actions, MSL is partnering with The Influencer League, a community dedicated to educating, equipping and empowering influencers to reach their full potential, from growing followers to monetizing content. Brittany Bright, TIL’s founder states: “This is important work and it is exactly why I founded The Influencer League in 2019 – to empower influencers of color and create real change in the marketing industry. We are excited to partner with MSL and continue to advance inclusion and equality for BIPOC influencers.”
The Commitments
DIVERSITY
Increase the discoverability and the number of diverse influencers within the Fluency platform and improve how we measure and optimize diversity in influencer engagement through true tracking metrics.
- In 2020, introduce new technology within Fluency to include secure, opt-in collection of influencer demographic data that is not provided through the social platforms tracking diversity data and improving discoverability of diverse influencers in planning and execution
- Continually add diverse influencers to the Fluency database in the United States – through 2021 add at least 10,000 vetted BIPOC influencers to Fluency through ongoing community engagement, including a new partnership with The Influencer League, an organization focused on empowering diverse influencers
OPPORTUNITY
Actively support equal access to opportunities for diverse influencers by recommending – as a matter of course – more diverse and reflective influencer representation in our clients’ marketing efforts.
- Prioritize demographic and psychographic analytics in the planning processes to make data driven decisions about diversity-based influencer inclusion and goals
- Incorporate education on the value-add and impact of influencer diversity – across race, gender, sexual orientation and experience – in all client and internal Fluency and influencer marketing channel training
EQUITY
Create the best practice approach to drive pay parity in the influencer marketing industry.
- In 2020, partner with The Influencer League to conduct and announce the results of study examining BIPOC influencer pay comparisons, as well as their industry experience
- Recent data from a survey conducted by The Influencer League in 2020 shows that 94% of Black influencers are compensated below average market rates
- In 2021, establish first-of-its-kind benchmarks for influencer pay, integrated into Fluency for use across all programs and engagements
EDUCATION
Give BIPOC influencers access to leading learning resources that support their career development and professional journeys
- Sponsor full 2020 tuition for 1000 BIPOC influencers to attend The Influencer League’s six-week Masterclass covering influencer branding and core value, social media growth, working with brands and monetization strategies
- Provide individualized support around data analytics to all influencers of color who seek it; formalize the offering to include open-access online resources by 2021
About MSL
Eighty-two years young, MSL is Publicis Groupe’s strategic communications and public relations network spanning more than 100 offices worldwide with more than 3,000 talented professionals. With a mission to reimagine what PR can accomplish and what a PR agency looks like, MSL U.S. is focused on leveraging the power of communications to grow business and build reputation by influencing conversations, culture, choices and change.
About The Influencer League
The Influencer League is a digital platform dedicated to creating opportunities for Black & POC influencers and content creators. Its mission is to provide influencers with an exceptional education that will enable them to reach their full potential in the influencer marketing space while cultivating a sense of community among their student body. With an enrollment that exceeds 500 students located in 12 countries, The Influencer League is an emerging influencer marketing education platform for influencers of all races, ethnicities, and backgrounds.
Contact: Michael Cowen, michael.cowen@mslgroup.com or (312) 220-3953
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