How to Plan an Influencer Program, Part 1

For the past 10+ years, public relations has been a three-way street of brand to consumer, consumer to brand, and consumer to consumer. Throw in a rapidly evolving communication landscape fueled by personal interests and broader trends and we’ve got quite the expansive range of engagement strategies. How do brands navigate the ever-changing currents of not only reaching, but engaging their audiences? Advertising? Marketing?  

Amplifying a word-of-mouth approach and taking traditional public relations strategies to the consumer, brands are leveraging social media influencers, those carrying influence over followers within a specific space, to reach target consumer markets through popular social media channels include Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, etc. More receptive to recommendations from a person they respect and trust, nearly 40 percent of Twitter users report having made a purchase as a direct result of an influencer’s Tweet.  

A blossoming aspect of the industry, Influencer Marketing, allows social media influencers the ability to monetize for product integrations and recommendations, in some cases to the equivalent of a full salary– talk about a dream job! But here’s where things get interesting:

While paid influencers certainly exist within every industry, our specialty sectors – wine, food and wellness – remain to be areas that consumers and brands alike, spark passion and adoration about products and ideas that excite them. Identifying and engaging these passionate foodies and wine lovers is our favorite part of our job. Introducing users to new wines and food products, sharing industry news, offering tips and advice - it’s not only part of our job, it’s our shared passion. We are foodies. We are wine lovers. We are health- and environment-conscious citizens.

And like our audiences of influencers and end consumers, we thrive online.

Stay tuned for future posts on what makes a social influencer, how to build brand advocacy communities, and how to reach your target audience in an ever-evolving tech world.

An Evening with the Einaudis

On October 18, an unusually warm autumn evening, Nonni Strategic Marketing was thrilled to host two prominent members of Italy’s renowned Einaudi family, Matteo Sardagna and Ludovico Einaudi, for a jam session and wine tasting of Poderi Luigi Einaudi Barolo and Dogliani at City Winery. 

Matteo, the great-grandson of Italy’s first democratically elected President, chose to return to the land to manage his family’s Piedmontese estate, Poderi Luigi Einaudi. Ludovico is a world famous pianist and composer. Together, the two cousins delighted guests with enchanting music and exquisite wines from the family’s estate. 

Barolo Cannubi, Costa Grimaldi, Terlo and Dogliani were swirling in the glasses of the enthusiastic guests, which included top New York sommeliers and press. Several vintages were uncorked to allow guests to experience the ageability of these great wines.    

As night rolled into morning, City Winery still pulsated with jovial spirits. Bottles were emptied, the baby grand piano sang, and the name “Einaudi” rolled off the tongues and into the memories of the busy New York wine trade. 

The City Winery jam session and tasting were preceded by a sold-out concert at the NYU Skirball Center for the Performing Arts. Ludovico played several pieces of transporting music by which has been featured in over twenty films, from Black Swan to The Reader.

Nonni Strategic Marketing was honored to present Matteo Sardagna and Ludovico Einaudi, two tastemakers whose valiant achievements embody Italy’s history and culture.

Nairn's Gluten-Free S'mores

"How was I going to indulge in my favorite campfire treat without my classic honey grahams? I set out to find the perfect gluten-free graham… a tougher task than I thought. Many of the GF graham crackers I found are comprised of a laundry list of complicated ingredients. I wanted a healthier, wholesome option.

When my sister-in-law introduced me to Nairn’s, a Scottish company that produces gluten-free oat grahams and crackers, I was a bit skeptical. These GF grahams certainly don’t look like your typical graham cracker. But are they just as tasty? Surprisingly, yes. Dare I say, even better! You can even ask my husband. He’s not gluten-free and enjoys them more than regular grahams. Nairn’s grahams have become a staple in our kitchen cabinet."

                                                                                                        - Lauren, SheTriesIt.com

Nonni Strategic Marketing at Time Inc.

On July 13th, Nonni Strategic Marketing was thrilled to showcase four of our client brands to top editorial staff at Time Inc. in a summer-themed happy hour event at the media company’s new headquarters in lower Manhattan. 

The event introduced the staff of Food & Wine, People, Real Simple, and InStyle to new and innovative products from our portfolio of clients, including Flahavan’s Irish Oats, Nairn’s Oat Crackers & Grahams, Ridgeview Wine Estate and Wines of Chile. Guests included Real Simple Editor in Chief Kristin von Ogtrop, Food & Wine Executive Wine Editor Ray Isle, People magazine Food & Lifestyle Director Sonal Dutt and several other tastemakers.

Each station was designed to highlight fun ways to enjoy the products at summer picnics, barbecues, campfires or rooftops. 

Wines of Chile
Guests at the Wines of Chile station enjoyed a tasting of six Chilean wines: Meli Riesling, Odfjell Armador Sauvignon Blanc, Los Vascos Chardonnay, Leyda Las Brisas Pinot Noir, Casa Silva Cuvee Colchagua Carmenere and La Playa Cabernet Sauvignon. Two pairing games kept people entertained: a food pairing game complete with plush food toys and a film pairing game inspired by the #NetflixandChile social media campaign. A #NetflixandChile Snapchat filter was also created for the occasion.

InStyle Magazine team at the Wines Of Chile station

Flahavan’s Irish Oats
To add some Irish authenticity to the Flahavan’s table, Dublin-born chef Mark McDonnell of the Mandarin Oriental Hotel in Washington DC joined us for the day, rolling two types of sushi with Flahavan’s Steel-Cut Irish Oats in place of rice: tuna and avocado; and arugula, avocado, hard-boiled egg and dulse. He also prepared a carrot and cantaloupe gazpacho with ginger and mint, thickened with Flahavan’s oats. Chef Mark encouraged guests to consider ways to incorporate the health benefits of Irish steel cut oats into their summer menus. 

Flahavan's Steel Cut Oat Sushi

Ridgeview Wine Estate
Many of the editors at Time Inc. had never tried English wine before and loved getting to know Ridgeview! Guests enjoyed Bloomsbury, Cavendish and Fitzrovia Rosé and were impressed with the high quality and stylish design of the first English sparkling wine in the US market. 

Members of Nonni Strategic Marketing at the Ridgeview station

Nairn’s Oat Crackers & Grahams
Nothing says summer quite like s’mores, so we set up a make-your-own s’mores station to highlight several varieties of Nairn’s gluten-free grahams: Original, Stem Ginger, Chocolate Chip and Oatmeal Raisin. Guests roasted their marshmallows over small flames and enjoyed the chance to relive the campfires of their childhoods while creating their own delicious, gluten-free combos.

Nairn's gluten-free s'mores bar with lobster pot roasting stations

All who attended left with gift bags of product samples and branded gear. It was an exciting event for our agency, a pleasure to share these products with the Time Inc. teams and a priceless (indeed, free!) opportunity for our client brands to achieve exposure to some of the USA’s leading food, beverage and lifestyle editors.