By Raja Anjana Kothapalli
Read on to know the complete influencer news for the month of February 2021. It is compiled and consolidated by Hobo Video from trusted news sources. Read and find out all you need to know about the happenings of influencers. Know the news on influencer marketing around the world via this month’s edition of influencer news.
ASCI’s new guidelines to bring accountability and transparency in influencer marketing
Influencer marketing is estimated at $75-$150 million. The Advertising Standards Council of India (ASCI) issued a new draft code. It aims at bringing accountability and transparency in the domain of influencer marketing. The guidelines specify that influencers are to clearly identify and label upfront. That a said communication across social media platforms is an advertisement. If any influencers are making specific claims, then they’ve to be substantiated by the advertiser. You can also read more on this influencer marketing news here.
SAG-AFTRA opened up membership to more influencers
SAG-AFTRA is the Screen Actors Guild and the American Federation of Television and Radio Artists. They’ve approved a new Influencer Agreement. It is in addition to the previously approved YouTube influencers. This new agreement applies to TikTok and Instagram influencers. According to this agreement, they are now eligible to join the union. This union represents huge Hollywood stars like Meryl Streep. For more details on the SAG-AFTRA unionization contract read this article. If you also want to know more on this influencer marketing news, click here.
ASA to influencers: do not use misleading beauty filters
Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) responsed to the #filterdrop campaign. The campaign was started by Sasha Pallari. ASA said it is compulsory for influencers to state when they use a beauty filter. Especially, to promote cosmetics or skincare. It declared this rule after studying two examples. Their promotion was transparent. They also used the #ad hashtag in the description. But the effects of the products were exaggerated using Instagram filters. You can also read more on this influencer marketing news by clicking here.
The global fashion influencer marketing industry’s market size
Research and Markets released an analysis and forecast report (2020-2026). The report is about the global fashion influencer marketing industry. According to it, the market size of the global fashion influencer marketing industry is estimated to reach $9.2 billion by 2026. And rising at a market growth of 38.5% CAGR during the forecast period. You can also access the full report here.
HBO’s Fake Famous documentary by journalist Nick Bilton
Nick Bilton is a first-time director and veteran journalist. He and his team worked on Fake Famous documentary. It is about three LA-based people with relatively less social media following. They are Dominique Druckman, Chris Bailey, and Wylie Heiner. The documentary explores the attempts made to turn these three into famous influencers. You can also read more on this documentary here. Watch the trailer of HBO’s Fake Famous here.
GlobalData revealed Tor Valenza as the top solar power influencer
GlobalData conducted an analysis of its Solar Power Influencer Platform. It identified the top 10 solar power influencers on Twitter during Q4 2020. The report reveals Tor Valenza as the top solar power influencer. Tor Valenza is the Founder and CMO at UnThink Solar. Valenza mainly posts updates on clean energy products and services. You can also read the complete influencer news here.
French retailer Sephora faces backlash
Sephora is a French multinational retailer of personal care and beauty products. Recently, Sephora has faced a fallout. People began boycotting Sephora after it sponsored a YouTube video. Conservative beauty influencer, Amanda Ensing, featured in this video. People quickly took issue with the sponsorship. Ensing has been criticized for praising Donald Trump. She seemingly supported the Capitol insurrection in January. Sephora responded to the backlash via Twitter and Instagram. They claimed to have stopped working with Ensing. You can also read on this influencer marketing news here.
Micro-influencer startup Tribe bagged $5.5 million in pre-IPO capital
Tribe is an Aussie micro-influencer marketing startup. It has raised $5.5 million in pre-IPO funding. The Tribe was founded in 2015. It is founded by TV and radio host Jules Lund. Anthony Svirskis is the company’s chief executive. In 2019, Tribe has already raised $10.5 million which fuelled its US market expansion. You can also read on this influencer marketing news here.
Humanz announces the launch of a free online academy
Humanz is an AI-powered platform for all levels of influencer campaigns. It recently announced the launch of The Humanz. It is an Influencer Marketing Academy that provides a free online course. This course has been designed to facilitate successful collab between influencers and marketers. You can also watch the trailer for academy here. Further, you can opt-in to the beta here. You can also read more about this influencer news here.
Dove collaborates with skincare influencer Hyram Yarbo
Hair Therapy is launched by Dove. It is new skincare-inspired haircare product range. Dove collaborated with Hyram Yarbro, a skincare influencer. Dove Hair Therapy collection brings some of the best ingredients of skincare to haircare. This is the first time in mass beauty. You can also read about this influencer news, read here.
Priyanka Chopra seeks fashion opinion from Instagram influencer Tika
Launchmetrics and Digital Brand Architects started a joint campaign
Clubhouse Media Group enters into an exclusive deal with Austin Mahone
Clubhouse Media Group is an influencer-based marketing and media company. It has a global aggregate social media reach of more than 100 million followers. The Group signed an exclusive social media consulting deal with Austin Mahone. He is an international singer and songwriter. Doiyen Management is the in-house digital talent incubator and influencer management business of Clubhouse Media Group. It will work with Austin Mahone and his team. You can also read more on this influencer marketing news here.
Pakistani influencer’s trending #PawriHoRahiHai party
Pakistani influencer Dananeer Mobeen’s video clip Pawri Ho Rai Hai went viral. The original clip got 7.86 million views on Instagram by the end of February 2021. Further, it spawned innumerable spoofs, parodies, and memes. “Pawri ho rai hai” trended big in Pakistan. It also caught the attention of Indian netizens after musician Yashraj Mukhate gave it a musical twist. It got over 7.3 million views on Instagram by the end of February 2021. Different interpretations of this viral video flooded Twitter and Instagram. State Bank of India, Uttar Pradesh Police, ScoopWhoop, Netflix, Swiggy, Realme, Press Information Bureau, Oyo, and Zomato jumped in to take mileage from the piercing#PawriHoRaiHai trend. You can know more about this influencer marketing news by also clicking here.
YouTuber Nick with upGrad and launches The Office Canteen
Popular YouTuber Nick is better known to everyone as Be YouNick. He has over 8.5 million followers across all social media platforms. He teams up with upGrad, India’s largest online higher education company. They announced the launch of their first-ever comedy web series called The Office Canteen. This is a rib-tickling 3-episode series. It is also an upGrad Original. It brings forth chuckle-some scenarios of everyday office life that prevail in a workplace canteen. You can watch the trailer of this humorous series here. You can also read more on this influencer news here.
Chief Decision Scientist of PH5 is a CGI model named AMA
AMA is one of the attractions of the 2021 lookbook of the popular knitwear label PH5. This young woman with piercing eyes and an athletic build is a CGI model. Wei Lin is the founder of PH5. He says that unlike other CGI influencers, AMA is not a one-time hire. He says AMA is the face of PH5 and will be a living embodiment of its brand identity. She even has her own job title at PH5 as the chief decision scientist. To know more about this influencer news, you can also click here.
Jo Piazza’s Under The Influence podcast series
Jo Piazza is a journalist, author, and mom of two. She looks into the world of mom influencers, in her new eight-episode podcast series about mom influencers, Under The Influence. These episodes look at issues such as the feelings of inadequacy the influencer world can cause for mothers. The pay gap between heteronormative white women and influencers of color. The perception that mom influencers are using their children as workers by including them in sponsored content. For more information on this influencer news, you can also click here.
BrandGraph reaches a milestone
IZEA Worldwide, Inc., is the premier provider of influencer marketing technology, data, and services for the world’s leading brands. They announced in February 2021 that its BrandGraph platform has reached a new milestone. BrandGraph is launched in March of 2020. In less than a year it has grown to provide analysis of more than 10 million influencers. It has 1.2 billion pieces of content with new content being added every ten seconds. New brands and classifiers are being added daily. You can also read more on this influencer news here.
Milan Cortina 2026 to appoint influencer as a digital ambassador
An online influencer with at least 50,000 followers will be appointed as the digital ambassador of the 2026 Winter Olympics and Paralympics in Milan and Cortina D’Ampezzo. An application process has now closed and 16 contenders are due to be selected for a final shortlist. You can also read more here.
Josh Richards invests in a new platform
Breakr is a new platform that connects influencers and artists. Josh Richards is the Chief Strategy Officer at Triller. He also is the Founder of TalentX Entertainment, along with Griffin Johnson of Sway House. He invested in Breakr. You can also read more on this influencer marketing news here.
Otrivin teams up with the celebrity wellness influencers
Otrivin is a popular respiratory health brand from GSK Consumer Healthcare. It partners with the celebrity wellness influencers like Mandira Bedi, Rannvijay Singha, Rehan Poncha, Arjun Vajpai, Radhika Bose (Yogasini), Ayesha Billimoria (Fitgirl), and Apoorva Jayarajan to launch its #BreatheClean movement. The movement hopes to strike a chord with many more who believe in a lifestyle of holistic wellness. You can also read more on this influencer marketing news here.
Bollywood intends to tap into influencer marketing
Bollywood production houses plan on tapping into influencer marketing to promote films on social media. Most of the audiences are still at home. So this kind of digital promotion will help to target them much easier. This helps in reducing dependence on traditional film promotion techniques such as billboards, television advertising, and celebrities. You can also read more information on this influencer marketing news click here.
Influencer launches platform to help moms of color
LaToyia Dennis is an author, national mom advocate, experienced marketer, and social influencer. She launched Melanin Moms Media. It is a national digital advertising and marketing firm. They specialize in connecting women of color to national brands. Melanin Moms Media is free to register and open to mom influencers, bloggers, and service providers worldwide. You can also read more about this influencer news by clicking here.
Influencer Danielle Bernstein of WeWoreWhat is being accused online of allegedly copying ideas
Danielle Bernstein is a fashion blogger, designer, and influencer. She is widely known for her work at the fashion blog WeWoreWhat. She has been accused by micro-influencer Kelsey Kotzur on TikTok of allegedly stealing her outfit ideas and Instagram post concepts. Bernstein has faced similar allegations online before this incident. You can also read more on this influencer news here.
Panel discussion at exchange4media’s IPRCCC on the role of digital marketing and communication in the age of the social media influencer
Influencer poses naked on an endangered Sumatran elephant leads to an online outrage
Instagram influencer, Alesya Kafelnikova, posed naked on top of an endangered Sumatran elephant. In a short Instagram video, she captioned it as ‘Natural Vibes’. After a huge online outrage by animal lovers, the video has since been removed. However, Aleysa defended her actions. She posted, ‘I have been doing charity work for many years and one of my last donations was financial support to animals and to local people in the village, in which I took these photos.’
Healthy Height to use influencer marketing to increase brand visibility in China
A brand, Healthy Height, that sells nutritional drinks for children, is growing its brand visibility in China through influencer marketing. Moreover, Healthy Height partners with Yoola, a US-based multichannel network company. They work with creators and brands to develop, distribute, license, promote, and monetize content and products. You can also read more on this influencer marketing news here.
OpraahFx gets the representation mandate of Total Gaming
OpraahFx, an influencer marketing and management agency founded by Pranav Panpalia, bags the influencer management representation mandate of Total Gaming. Started in 2018 by Ajay (Ajjubhai), Total Gaming is India’s leading gaming influencer. It has 21.4M subscribers on YouTube as of February 2021. OpraahFx will be looking into end-to-end influencer management activities, brand partnerships and further leveraging the brand value of Total Gaming. You can also read more about this influencer marketing news here.
Fraud influencer released from early prison on account of good behavior
Anna Sorókina is better known as Anna Delvey. She is a fake influencer, who posed as an elite heiress. Anna defrauded banks, hotels, restaurants, and New York’s elite $2,75,000 to lead a luxurious lifestyle. Further, she has been released on parole from the Albion Correctional Center in upstate New York. After her prison term was reduced for good behavior. You can also read more here.
Wheelhouse signs deal with influencer Nikita Dragun
The wheelhouse is a first-of-its-kind disruptive multi-vertical media, marketing, and investment business platform. It is founded by Brent Montgomery, founder of Pawn Stars series produced by Leftfield Pictures. Further, the wheelhouse has launched a division designed to develop content from digital influencers. As part of it, signed a deal with influencer Nikita Dragun. You can also read more on this influencer marketing news here.
Weibo influencer arrested for maliciously distorting the truth
Qiu Ziming is a 38-year-old Chineses blogger and influencer. She operates the handle La Bi Xiaoqiu on the Twitter-like platform Weibo. She has been arrested over her illegal comments about China’s recently disclosed casualties. It is during last year’s border skirmish with Indian troops in the disputed Galwan Valley. You can also read more here.
Georgia-based influencer allegedly abused her dog to gain more followers
A 25-year-old influencer has been slammed online for flirting with an 18-year-old TikTok star
Nikita Dragun, a 25-year-old influencer is facing a backlash. It is for publicly flirting with TikTok star Alejandro Rosario days after he turned 18. She recently received backlash for publicly flirting with a teenage TikTok star. You can also read more here.
Adsmovil taps into brand affinity to identify the ideal influencer
Adsmovil is a leading digital advertising company. It is pleased to announce the implementation of advanced audience profile tools for its Social Influencer offering. Moreover, it allows brands to reach their desired audiences more efficiently. It further maximizes campaign results. You can also read more on this influencer marketing news here.
Two influencers altered the iconic Hollywood sign to read Hollyboob
The Hollywood sign is a historical landmark in Los Angeles, California. Julia Rose, an Instagram travel influencer, along with a fellow influencer Jack Tenney did this. They used tarps to alter the famous Hollywood sign to read Hollyboob. Further, they were spotted by the LAPD surveillance team on video. They were also arrested for misdemeanor and trespassing but released later that night. You can also read more on this influencer news here.
Hobo Video aims to compile and consolidate influencer news around the world in one place. Via our monthly influencer news, we like to provide news for the convenience of our readers. Hope this month’s edition, February 2021 influencer news, is helpful. Feel free to drop a comment for any queries or to leave feedback. You can also read January 2021 influencer news here.
