New York-based digital, social and video communications firm D S Simon Media has unveiled a new practice dedicated to influencer marketing.

The firm’s new influencer marketing unit intends to flip the script on the use of influencers in marketing campaigns, replacing third-party spokespersons by instead working with an organization’s leaders and experts and turning them into influencers.

D S Simon Media

According to D S Simon Media CEO and president Doug Simon, paid influencers have their shortcomings: they’re often not familiar with the brand, they’re prone to misstatements, and they can end up speaking for competing brands, which undermines a brand's authenticity.

D S Simon’s approach connects influencers with a company’s experts to build up that internal spokesperson’s profile among their followers and audiences, all without the risk that accompanies the “traditional” influencer campaign. 

“The three clear benefits are authenticity, transparency and sustainability. As your expert gets out there, they become better known which increases influence and adds value to each appearance. There is no confusion about who they represent which eliminates the need for disclosure increasing transparency and authenticity. You also save money,” Simon said.

“There’s also less risk. You still get the value of distribution of the content to the outside influencer's network as they serve as a conduit for your expert but don't own their bad behavior as if they were representing you.”

Simon said he was compelled to alter the influencer marketing paradigm as a result of findings yielded from the agency’s Brand Video Communications Report, which surveyed agency and in-house communicators regarding the challenges that exist when it comes to earned media. That report found in-house communications teams were more than twice as likely to be satisfied their in-house experts’ ability to help earn media compared to third-party spokespeople. 

“We knew that having influential leaders helped organizations grow. We knew that they understood the story and message with greater depth. Obviously, they are more transparent,” Simon said. “Our surprise came when we asked them how satisfied they were with the ability of their own experts to earn media compared with third-party spokespeople.”

Simon said the new unit’s service offerings will include influencer media tours, influencer media packages, influencer video series and influencer junkets. Simon said the practice would particularly rely on video in raisings organizations’ leadership profiles.

Already the new unit has established partnerships and joint marketing initiatives with four firms: search advertising network Looksmart, digital and social media marketing advisory firm The DGTL ADVISORS, consumer influencer marketing platform House Party, Inc. and financial news and information source Equities.com.

The agency has also added two new hires to join the influencer unit. Michael O’Donnell, a former digital content manager at Definition 6 unit Synaptic Digital, has been named a video producer and content marketer, and YouTube influencer Drew Penkala has been appointed marketing and communications associate. O’Donnell and Penkala will join SVP Eric Wright, VP Sarah Katz and director of media and content strategy Mike Bako in operating the new practice.