The key to success in influencer marketing lies in an effective strategy that creates an authentic connection between brands and their target audience. Marc O’Polo relies on a well thought-out combination of content creation, events and seedings. By actively involving selected influencers, they not only generate reach but also strengthen the long-term perception of the brand, explains Maximilian Mehl, Lead Social Media & Influencer Marketing.
“In our approach to influencer marketing, the branding effect is our top priority. Our strategy is rounded off with carefully crafted content by influencers from our creator pool and the promotion of authentic user-generated content.”
– Maximilian Mehl, Lead Social Media & Influencer Marketing, Marc O’Polo
With the help of influData, Maximilian and his team can identify suitable content creators while considering all specific requirements based on predefined KPIs.
The renowned fashion company often engages in barter deals with its influencers, exchanging products for high-quality content that authentically reflects the spirit of Marc O’Polo. Maximilian and his team have found that content creators with small but highly engaged communities often yield better results than medium-size or mid-tier influencers.
For paid campaigns, Marc O’Polo in turn books macro or mega influencers via external agencies. It is particularly important for the company to be able to verify the proposed content creators. Influencers with manipulated follower numbers and insights are filtered out early to ensure that collaborations are based on genuine engagement. Before using influData, the data-based evaluation of content creators and their communities, including fraud prevention, was difficult.
Additionally, the company aims to make the brand more attractive and accessible to younger target groups, as it is often associated with an older demographic.
Another challenge is the search for influencers for events abroad, where local content creators with local followers are needed.
“When looking for influencers for events in cities such as Paris or Copenhagen, we often encountered the problem that regional sourcing was de facto impossible without a tool like influData.”
– Maximilian Mehl, Lead Social Media & Influencer Marketing, Marc O’Polo
Marc O’Polo uses influData to ensure data-driven influencer sourcing and analysis for campaigns right from the start. The requirements for the software included reliable information on the reach, engagement and demographics of the content creators, transparent data on the authenticity and demographics of the followers and a user-friendly, intuitive interface. The price-performance ratio, the many filter functions and the ease of use set influData apart from its competitors.
Since integrating influData, Marc O’Polo has expanded its creator pool from about 200 to 300 national and international influencers through qualitative evaluations.
In day-to-day business, Maximilian and his team primarily use the tool to research influencers independently or to check the content creators suggested by external agencies. Furthermore, the feature that suggests influencers with similar content has proven particularly helpful, as it speeds up the sourcing process. Additionally, the ability to search for local creators simplifies event planning workflows. Finally, influencer fraud prevention ensures the risk of fraudulent activities is minimized.
“Thanks to influData, we can now carefully review creators’ insights and avoid the risk of working with influencers who rely on purchased followers.”
– Maximilian Mehl, Lead Social Media & Influencer Marketing, Marc O’Polo
Marc O’Polo has a long history: Founded in 1967 as a small company in Stockholm, the firm now employs nearly 2,000 people from over 40 nations. The products of Marc O’Polo SE, headquartered in Stephanskirchen, Germany, are available in 41 countries through their own online shops. Additionally, around 2,300 retail and franchise partners, along with their own stores, represent the brand nationally and internationally in 60 countries.
Marc O’Polo stands for a contemporary lifestyle that combines authentic modernity and innovation with a relaxed Scandinavian spirit. The focus is on durable premium quality, sustainable design, and responsible actions.
