Influencer marketing. Follower counts. Sponsored content.
These are just a few of the phrases we can use to describe a promotional offer from 1888, a boutique hotel in Sydney. Instagram users with more than 10,000 followers can stay one night for free.
Someone with 10K followers on Instagram has a ton of social influence. If they choose to stay at your hotel and say nice things about it (in words and pictures), the hotel just made a highly efficient and targeted ad buy for a one night comp. It’s a smooth move on the hotel’s part.
However, there are a few things I do not like about this offer. One is how exclusive it is. There are not that many people with five-digit follower counts on Instagram. Also, I don’t like follower counts as a metric. Follower counts can be gamed.
If I was advising the client here, I’d suggest a more inclusive approach that uncovers the best storytellers and then surprises them with an offer of a free night.
Hat tip: Adland
In related news: Levi’s is currently using Instagram as a centerpiece in its experiential marketing campaign, Station to Station, which is a “nomadic happening” by train that connects artists, musicians, and creative pioneers making their mark from New York to California.
