Do Influencer Trips Still Boost Brand Awareness?

• GoPro is a widely sought after brand when it comes to influencers, especially travel influencers.
• However, there are a lot of risks associated with travel influencers such as guests having an unenjoyable experience and audiences finding the content out of touch.
• The popularity of travel content among younger generations and its worth to audiences even if they cannot afford to emulate it is a growing concern. The importance of diversifying marketing strategies to promote inclusion is the need of the hour.
• At the end of the day, companies need to understand their sponsors and realise if their investments are worth it or not.

GoPro Hosts Exotic Influencer Trips for Optimal Camera Settings

GoPro is known for hosting complimentary product tutorials for creators in exotic locations around the world. This approach allows the brand to spell out optimal camera settings for influencers while they indulge in adventure activities such as skydiving in Switzerland, surfing lessons in Costa Rica, and snowboarding excursions in Japan. While 70% of GoPro’s influencer marketing budget is dedicated to these lavish trips, the brand does not require attendees to post about them on social media. GoPro’s Senior Director of Influencer Marketing, Kelly Baker, said that the company is more interested in ensuring that creators try something new and walk away feeling more confident using the camera.

While influencer trips carry the perk of facilitating more intimate relationships between creators and brands, they also expose brands to a wider consumer base than a standard ad campaign and can be an investment in high-performing content. However, influencer trips also come with a slew of risks, including guests having an unenjoyable experience, and their audiences might consider the content out of touch.

Marketing experts recommend that to mitigate these risks when planning a group getaway, brands must acknowledge the inclusion expectations of younger generations while considering how their audiences will react to lifestyle content that they can’t afford to emulate. According to a study from Gen Z-focused agency JUV Consulting, nearly 70% of respondents have a favorable opinion of travel content, but 72% said it does not impact how they travel.

Gen Z and millennials prioritize travel more than any other generation, according to a Saks Luxury Pulse study, but even if they can only afford a 3-star hotel in Fort Lauderdale, Fla., and not a plane ticket to Dubai, they still collectively feel that this content is worth their attention. One study respondent said, “Sometimes, influencers can get a tad pretentious with their travel content,” another shared, “I love seeing content that is different from what I see outside on the day-to-day. Seasonal depression? Let me go stare at videos from Bora Bora.”

While digital fame is increasingly accessible, choosing creators who post athletic and adventure content limits the pool of attendees to those who have the means to travel and purchase expensive gear. The biggest issue with these trips is that they tend to overlook inclusion on all fronts. Brands could benefit from working with multicultural agencies to diversify their marketing strategies.

Rick Loughery, GoPro’s Vice President of Global Marketing, stressed that the brand’s outreach has always revolved around creators. GoPro gained traction in 2010 with its “You In HD” TV commercials, which were compilations of user-generated content, and executing content creation and product education trips is a natural extension of this strategy. While GoPro does consider video impressions and engagement, Baker said the success of a trip is primarily evaluated by “soft metrics.” These objectives include strengthening relationships with creators and helping attendees improve the quality of their sponsored content.

For creators who are accustomed to working on their own and have yet to compare notes, these trips are rare opportunities for collaboration. “I can’t be pushing out quality content without these types of trips,” said Liv Stone, a disability advocate and surfer who has also worked with brands including Adobe and Lego. “Content creation can sometimes feel lonely, so bringing us together really fights against creative block.” Some affiliates say the product itself helps them get other work, and by sponsoring free excursions that can provide content for their own channels, they could see their brand value rise.

In conclusion, influencer marketing trips are a popular trend among brands, and GoPro is a leading player in this space. While the trips offer an excellent opportunity for creators to experience new activities, interact with other creators, and develop relationships with the brand, marketers must ensure that the content created does not come across as out of touch to its target audience.