Made.com taps into community spirit

Social media marketing at online furniture brand Made.com has shifted away from “pay-to-play” influencer marketing towards paid long-term projects that benefit audiences.

Why it matters

Even before the pandemic, Made.com was moving away from short-term partnerships with influencers to prioritise building brand advocates. (Read more in WARC’s report: Made.com’s five tips for better influencer marketing.) Since then, its social listening indicates that consumers are increasingly disillusioned with standard forms of influencer marketing and are looking for more meaningful content.

Insights 

• During the first lockdown, Made.com redirected half of its influencer marketing budget into donating furniture to NHS staff rooms.
• That prompted the creation of a YouTube series, MADEover, which has included influencers renovating a care home and a community project. 
• The Drum reports that the pivot to such projects has increased brand engagement and positive sentiment; there has been a 30% year-on-year increase in social content about Made.com.

Key quote

“This is the evolution of what influencer marketing should look like. It should be based on consumer behavior, be more impactful and more memorable, but also create positive change and really contribute to society” – Lauren Spearman, head of consumer comms and social at Made.com.

Sourced from The Drum