As the glamorous Cannes Film Festival is in full swing, the spotlight is not only on the films and stars walking the red carpet. This year, a new category of celebrities is making waves in the film industry: influencers. These social media celebrities are redefining how films are marketed and consumed, bridging the gap between social media and movies in unprecedented ways. This article explores the impact of influencers in the film industry and how they have managed to establish themselves in this highly coveted field.
Influencers Are changing the Vision of Movie Marketing
Influencers now play a crucial role in shaping public opinion and influencing consumer behaviour. Their reach and engagement on platforms like Instagram, TikTok, and YouTube compete with those of traditional media. This influence has now extended to the film industry, where they play a key role in promoting movies, engaging audiences, and even participating in film production.
Authentic Engagement
Influencers have revolutionized the way films are promoted by offering a more personalized and authentic approach. Indeed, their ability to interact directly with their audience plays a crucial role in strengthening the emotional connection between viewers and the film. Unlike traditional advertisements, which are often impersonal, influencers provide personal recommendations that their audience trusts. This is particularly beneficial when it comes to attracting people to movies or making the film memorable and promoting it in the best possible way.
Furthermore, the natural connection between the influencer and their community fosters increased engagement during a film’s release, with abundant comments, likes, and shares. This engagement translates into greater visibility for the film and increased online discussion about it.
Expanding Reach Through Diverse Platforms
The marketing strategies of the film industry have historically relied on television commercials, print advertisements, and billboards. While these methods are still used, the integration of influencers on social media has significantly broadened the reach of film promotions. Influencers use a variety of platforms, each of them having unique demographic characteristics. Influencer audiences cover a wide range of people, enabling marketers to target specific groups more effectively.
How do Influencers make a Difference in the Movie Industry?
Collaborations between content creators, studios, or streaming platforms are becoming increasingly frequent. Some are invited to exclusive premieres, promotional events, or even to the biggest industry festivals. Here’s how they stand out at these events:
- Media Coverage: Influencers provide live coverage of film premieres on their social media platforms, sharing photos, videos, and stories in real-time to showcase the event, the celebrities, and the atmosphere.
- Exclusive Content Creation: Influencers bring creativity and innovation to film marketing campaigns. They create engaging content that goes beyond traditional trailers and posters: reviews, interviews, Q&A sessions, behind-the-scenes vlogs, and more. From thematic challenges on TikTok to immersive stories on Instagram, influencers craft unique narratives that captivate their audience. These creative efforts not only increase the visibility of films but also generate excitement and enthusiasm that traditional marketing often struggles to achieve.
- Brand Partnerships: Some influencers collaborate with studios or streaming platforms to promote the film or series during the premiere, creating sponsored content
- Real-Time Audience Engagement: One of the most significant advantages of influencers is their ability to interact in real-time and provide immediate feedback. Influencers engage their audience during and after the premiere by responding to comments, asking questions to their audience, or through live streams. This level of interaction creates a dynamic, participative marketing environment where fans feel directly involved in the film’s journey. It also allows marketers to gauge audience reactions and adjust their strategies accordingly.
- Buzz Generation and Anticipation: Before the release of a film, influencers play a key role in creating buzz and anticipation. They share exclusive previews, host live Q&A sessions with cast members, and host viewing parties that foster a sense of community among fans. This pre-release buzz is essential to boosting ticket sales and ensuring a good start at the box office, crucial for the overall success of a film.
Emerging Trends
There is a real convergence between the cinematic universe and content creators. This closeness is explained by various collaborations between the two fields, and especially the increase of movie-inspired content. For example, this year TikTok is an official partner of the Cannes Film Festival.
Influencers Becoming Actors
This synergy has opened new career opportunities for influencers, who are now involved in numerous film projects. Recently, we are seeing an increasing number of documentary series about certain influencers like Chiara Ferragni or Squeezie in France. Despite all the stereotypes, social media platforms serve as a real showcase to help casting agents find hidden talents. Their visibility can make them more easily spotted for roles. Additionally, film studios appreciate their presence in movies because of their potential as a marketing force, and thanks to their engaged fan community.
Actors Becoming Influencers
In the digital age, the boundaries between traditional celebrities and social media influencers are increasingly blurred. Today, movie stars are not only famous for their roles on the big screen; they are also becoming true influencers, using their fame and platforms for collaborations with brands or to interact with their fans in new and meaningful ways.
The rise of social media has transformed how movie stars engage with their audience. This direct line of communication has turned traditional movie stars into powerful influencers who shape public opinion and trends. These platforms allow fans to feel closer to these stars, fostering loyal and engaged followings. This authenticity enhances their influence, making their recommendations and promotions more impactful.
Challenges and Controversy
While the integration of influencers into film marketing offers many benefits, it also presents challenges. Ensuring the authenticity of recommendations is crucial, as audiences quickly recognize insincere promotions. Additionally, it is essential to match the influencer’s image with that of the film to maintain the credibility and effectiveness of the campaign.
On the other hand, even though the presence of influencers in films or at film events can bring additional visibility and effective promotion for the films, some industry traditionalists raise questions about their acting skills or the legitimacy of these individuals being present on the red carpets.
Top 6 movie influencers
Film marketing now extends across various formats on social media. There are several types of influencers:
- Movie-focused creators who primarily offer cinematic content on their pages: film reviews, video analyses, interviews, vlogs, or recommendations, targeting a cinephile audience.
- On Instagram we can see that some influencers are frequently invited by brands to premieres or film events. They produce content that generates discussions on social media through stories, live streams, or candid photos, aiming to capture the attention of a broader audience.
- Finally, there are the influencers who become actors. They bring significant openness to this coveted sector on social media, making it more accessible and understandable to the public through their behind-the-scenes stories, photo posts, or vlogs.
This diversity of content provides the audience with a variety of opinions and information about audiovisual productions, revealing a new facet of movies.
Below, find a ranking in which we highlight 4 influencers who, in various ways, have forged connections with the world of movies.
Liza Koshy: @Lizakoshy
Instagram: 20,4M
TikTok: 30.1M
Liza Koshy is an American YouTuber, media personality, and actress. She launched her career on the internet by sharing comedic videos on the Vine platform in 2013. Expanding her content onto YouTube, she created two channels that amassed millions of followers. Admired for her humor, positivity, and originality, she has received numerous prizes, including Streamy Awards and Teen Choice Awards. Time magazine recognized her as one of the 30 most influential personalities on the internet. Koshy has become a familiar presence on red carpets, whether as an interviewer, guest, or even at the César Awards ceremony. Transitioning into acting, she debuted in Tyler Perry’s horror comedy “Boo! A Madea Halloween” and has secured roles in films such as “Work It” on Netflix and “Transformers: Rise of the Beasts.” Additionally, she co-created and starred as the main character in the YouTube Premium comedy series “Liza on Demand,” earning several awards for her performance. Her vibrant personality, showcased throughout her YouTube career, has propelled her to success in both the movie and television industries.
King Bach: King Bach
Instagram: 25,8M
TikTok: 28.5M
King Bach, whose real name is Andrew Bachelor, is an actor, comedian, and social media content creator. He is particularly known for his comedic videos on Vine, where he gained great popularity. Bachelor then expanded his presence on social media, notably on YouTube and Instagram, where he continues to entertain his fans with his characteristic humor. In addition to his social media career, he has also appeared in several films and tv shows such as “House of Lies” and “The Mindy Project,” among others, earning recognition in the entertainment industry.
Addisson Rae: @Addisonraee
Instagram: 35,3M
TikTok: 88.8M
Addison Rae is an American social media personality, dancer, and actress. She rose to fame through her dance videos on TikTok, where she gained millions of followers. Leveraging her popularity on TikTok, Addison Rae expanded her career to include collaborations with brands and businesses and projects in the entertainment industry. Thus, she can be seen in leading roles in films such as “He’s All That” on Netflix.
Cameron Dallas: @Camerondallas
Instagram: 26,7 M
TikTok: 17.3 M
Cameron Dallas is an American actor, model, and social media personality. He became famous through his humorous videos, vlogs, and photos on social media platforms, particularly Vine and YouTube. His charisma and lifestyle attracted a large fan base, and he quickly gained popularity, becoming one of the first social media celebrities. Discovered on Vine, Cameron Dallas quickly attracted attention for film roles. Notably, he appeared in the 2014 film Expelled and the series The American Odyssey.
