Pierre Fabre is the 2nd largest dermo-cosmetic laboratory on the earth and the 2nd largest personal French pharmaceutical group. Within the US, Pierre Fabre USA has an intensive portfolio of prestigious manufacturers resembling Eau Thermale Avène, Klorane, René Furterer, Glytone, and extra.
Within the article beneath, Elena Suarez, Affiliate Director of PR and Influencer Advertising at Pierre Fabre USA shares how she constructed its influencer program from scratch throughout a time of unprecedented uncertainty and alter.
How Pierre Fabre USA Constructed a Profitable Influencer Program
Crafted a tailor-made technique with the flexibility to pivot
“After I joined Pierre Fabre in 2019 there was no inner PR division and no influencer program. The technique felt very straight from the standard ‘playbook’, together with issues like massive gifting campaigns, minimal analytics, and no in-person influencer occasions. When the COVID pandemic hit and all the things modified. The explanation why we have been in a position to rapidly and efficiently pivot was as a result of we did the onerous work of clearly defining our targets and key areas of differentiation, and didn’t permit ourselves to get distracted by competitor noise.” — Elena Suarez, Affiliate Director of PR and Influencer Advertising at Pierre Fabre USA
Constructing an influencer program for a big model from scratch isn’t any small feat. There are sometimes a variety of issues and shifting elements, and it may be overwhelming to construct a technique that’s measurable, predictable, and (if profitable) repeatable. To sort out this problem, Elena and her workforce:
Outlined and prioritized key areas of differentiation. Every model has a singular character and differentiation level, and, in response to Elena, understanding and clarifying these two issues can present a robust however versatile basis to your influencer program. This may help you establish who you associate with, what content material you place out into the world, and extra. For instance, Avène is a portfolio model with a French pharmacy heritage, and is rooted in dermatology with merchandise which can be focused in direction of delicate pores and skin. With the intention to craft Avène’s individualized influencer program, Elena first hung out researching who was educating and speaking overtly about delicate pores and skin points on social media. This led her to search out skincare and dermatologist influencers — most of which have been prepared to attempt Avène’s merchandise as a result of they have been already carefully aligned with their viewers’s wants and pursuits. Elena’s recommendation to different entrepreneurs? Don’t waste your time development chasing or copying competitor methods. There isn’t one technique to construct an excellent influencer program, so it’s necessary to search out your individual path to success!
Set clear key efficiency indicators. When Elena kicked off Pierre Fabre USA’s influencer program, she knew it was necessary to set key efficiency indicators (KPIs) so they may simply measure success and establish areas of enchancment. For the reason that authentic influencer program was meant to construct model consciousness and affinity, her and her workforce set normal KPIs like variety of activated influencers, video views, common engagement fee, and distinctive hashtag makes use of. Then for extra particular campaigns like influencer product seeding, Elena set related “quantity” or exercise targets. For instance, she would observe the variety of new influencers connections or product sends. When she began Pierre Fabre USA’s influencer product seeding campaigns, there have been solely 15 influencers per week (roughly 60 a month), however since then it has quickly expanded to a listing of over 1,000 influencers that continues to develop.
Tip: Study extra about learn how to set targets and KPIs to your influencer program.
Created room for adaptability. The unique influencer program technique that Elena set out for Pierre Fabre USA in 2019 included basic components like natural influencer product seeding, sponsored content material, and in-person occasions. Nevertheless, a variety of this needed to shift when the COVID-19 pandemic took maintain in 2020. Fortunately, lots of the targets, targets, and key messages that the workforce had outlined for his or her influencer program may very well be translated into different initiatives. For instance, in-person influencer occasions have been now not allowed as a consequence of shelter-in-place mandates, so the workforce morphed them into instructional Instagram Lives. Equally, influencer product seeding campaigns remained a staple, however turned extra complicated. Elena and her workforce needed to keep away from waste and in addition weren’t positive how a lot area every influencer needed to retailer merchandise — this meant they averted doing mass sends, and as an alternative chosen influencers rigorously and requested every one to opt-in to receiving merchandise. (Extra on this within the subsequent part.)
Developed numerous and artistic partnerships with high influencers
“I’m actually passionate in regards to the relationship element of influencer advertising! If you wish to construct up a robust community of companions to your influencer program you have to be scrappy, personable, and artistic. That is very true in case you are attempting to construct long run model advocates on a finances! I’m at all times difficult myself and my workforce to repeatedly put money into their influencer relationships, even when it could take a while to see the return.” — Elena Suarez, Affiliate Director of PR and Influencer Advertising at Pierre Fabre USA
Influencer advertising is, at its coronary heart, all about constructing sturdy relationships. When you don’t have a robust community of companions, then your influencer program will fall quick. Elena and her workforce did a number of sensible issues when constructing their community of companions for his or her influencer program:
Leveraged use instances to personalize influencer product seeding campaigns. To keep away from waste and inefficiency, Elena and her workforce needed to be sure that they have been strategic about how they gifted merchandise. The workforce did this by utilizing product use instances to search out high influencers. For instance, they used Traackr to discover influencers that had beforehand posted about challenges that their merchandise assist remedy like thinning hair and eczema breakouts. The workforce additionally used Traackr to judge how influencers’ posts about gifted merchandise carried out — influencers that had excessive efficiency have been then thought-about for paid partnerships.
Tip: Do you know that 61% of entrepreneurs report that lower than half of influencers receiving gifted merchandise truly put up on social media? Take a look at our latest influencer product seeding report back to uncover extra information, suggestions, and techniques which may assist your influencer program.
Prioritized a various set of influencer companions. The sweetness trade is a extremely saturated area, particularly with regards to influencer advertising. Elena and her workforce knew they wanted to work with greater than conventional magnificence influencers, in order that they created influencer “subcategories”. A few of these embrace: pores and skin consultants (physicians, dermatologists, and different pores and skin professionals), “skintellectuals” (common customers and influencers who’re obsessed with all issues skincare), comedians, and mothers. These influencer subcategories have been activated in response to every model’s tone and desires. For instance, portfolio manufacturers Avène and Glytone are centered round schooling and science — so the workforce partnered with physicians.
Invested in relationship constructing and artistic campaigns. To make sure alignment, earn model love, and enhance creator retention, Elena and her workforce centered on constructing sturdy relationships with every influencer. A part of this was achieved just by spending time with each influencer, and a part of it was achieved by discovering distinctive methods so as to add worth to their influencer companions. Through the pandemic the workforce wasn’t in a position to put money into a variety of conventional sponsored partnerships as a consequence of low finances, in order that they discovered a technique to assist causes that their influencers cared about. For instance, #AskAvene was an Instagram Stay collection that centered on the academic side of the model. Dermatologist companions like Dr. Mona Gohara, Dr. Ted Lain. Dr. Adeline Kikam, Dr. Elyse Love, Dr. Onyeka Obioha, Dr. Latanya Benjamin, and Dr. Jenny Liu have been requested to return on each week and talk about a subject and pores and skin concern. In return for taking part on this section, the workforce despatched Avène merchandise to a charity or hospital of the physicians selection. By the top of the collection, there have been over 10K merchandise donated to totally different charities whereas additional growing an amazing relationship with key opinion chief (KOL) physicians.
Embraced a performance-driven influencer advertising mindset
“Information is essentially the most highly effective software accessible for influencer advertising groups! This is the reason it is so useful to see that we’re getting extra platforms (like Traackr) to assist us measure and analyze efficiency metrics, spend effectivity, and value equivalency. At Pierre Fabre USA, we use information to know what we’re doing effectively, set benchmarks for ourselves to work towards, and to uncover the place the “grey area” or alternatives for enchancment lie.” — Elena Suarez, Affiliate Director of PR and Influencer Advertising at Pierre Fabre USA
One of many trickiest and scariest elements of beginning a brand new influencer program is that you just don’t have previous information to base finances or projected efficiency on. Fortunately, Elena was in a position to make use of her prolonged expertise in influencer advertising to approximate what “good” efficiency appeared like for the totally different campaigns that the model was operating.
As soon as the model accomplished its first few campaigns, one of many first orders of enterprise was to do a full efficiency audit. For instance, with a few of its early influencer product seeding campaigns, the workforce evaluated:
- Which influencers talked about them essentially the most?
- Which influencers carried out greatest? (earned essentially the most engagements, most video views, and highest engagement fee?)
- Which influencers included the messaging and tone that match the model?
- Based mostly on the above, which influencers would cross the “spend effectivity” check in the event that they have been to be introduced on as sponsored companions?
One other instance was the model’s first TikTok marketing campaign, which had over 25 influencers. On this case, the workforce evaluated:
- Variety of mentions per influencer
- Efficiency metrics per influencer (complete posts, engagement fee and views)
- Spend effectivity per influencer (price per view, price per engagement, and so forth)
- Price equivalency per influencer utilizing Traackr’s Model Vitality Rating (VIT)
Tip: When you’re simply getting began and are uncertain learn how to measure or report on success, we have now a template for the last word influencer program report.
Pierre Fabre USA’s influencer program outcomes to date
“Our main purpose has at all times been to make sure that we’re rising model consciousness, whether or not it is via natural or sponsored campaigns. As we glance to our future campaigns, we’ll proceed using a data-led technique, whereas making certain that we’re staying aggressive with our KPI’s, and leveraging a wholesome mixture of platforms and traits.” — Elena Suarez, affiliate director of PR and influencer advertising at Pierre Fabre USA
On condition that Pierre Fabre USA’s finances was small for its first marketing campaign, the workforce initially set conservative KPIs. However because of the model’s means to choose the precise companions, develop really participating content material, and leverage a number of social platforms, their outcomes far surpassed their targets:
- 15 lively influencers and posts (67% over purpose)
- 7,434,611 video views (1387% over purpose)
- 9.6% engagement fee (380% over purpose)
- The marketing campaign additionally resulted within the creation of a brand new hashtag (#30secondstosoothe) which when first launched had 6.7M views on TikTok however now has 9.1M views
This was the start of Pierre Fabre USA’s paid influencer campaigns, and since then the group has continued launching totally different ones throughout all of their manufacturers, difficult themselves with aggressive KPI’s every time. Two standout successes embrace:
- Avène’s Cicalfate+ Restorative Protecting Cream marketing campaign earned a 2.7M attain, 4.66% engagement fee, and a spike in gross sales that helped shift it to the present primary product throughout the Avène portfolio.
- Klorane’s Nationwide Dry Shampoo marketing campaign highlighted the cult favourite Dry Shampoo with Oat Milk, activating 98 creators and leading to 41M attain and a 7.3% engagement fee. This product continues to be a favourite and high performer throughout the model portfolio.
Elena and her workforce additionally use Traackr’s Model Vitality Rating (VIT) metric to repeatedly glean new insights and observe the efficiency of their influencer program. For instance, in 2022, regardless of having a decrease variety of activated influencers, the model efficiently elevated their VIT as a consequence of sturdy content material efficiency and influencer loyalty. This yr, the workforce is trying to enhance that VIT success much more by sustaining its sturdy model advocates whereas additionally placing additional emphasis on activating extra influencers.
If you wish to keep updated on the wonderful work that Elena and her workforce are doing at Pierre Fabre USA, observe the manufacturers on Instagram at @aveneusa @glytoneusa @renefurtererusa and @kloraneusa!
