Suzie Shaw Warns “You’ve Got to Entertain or Die”

Suzie Shaw, CEO of We Are Social, believes that creators and influencers are "the next generation of publishers.” The largely ‘self taught’ influencers roaming the social media landscape are “very clever,” and their marketing intuition is “extraordinary,” she told LBB.

Within the ever-changing landscape of social media, new niche trends prove difficult for brands to participate in authentically. The days of straight out product reviews are over, as audiences are experiencing brand fatigue and have the option to keep scrolling.

Suzie said We Are Social’s recently-released Next Gen Influence report explores personalised algorithm controlled niches, and how brands can enter the space without feeling out of touch. 

“Authenticity has always been an enduring driver of success,” she said.

The report also argues that creators who aren't bound by their niche, and who are respecting their evolutions, are more likely to be supported by brands as long-term partners. Brands looking to enter this space need to be ready to plan for a “shift in audience.”

Influencers are also being called out more frequently for promoting over-consumption, and many are exploring simpler lifestyles. Suzie said these trends, bucketed under the concept of ‘Relatable Realism’ in the report, are a result of COVID. 

“Relatable realism is new. It hasn't crept up on us. That's probably one of the starkest shifts that's happened over the last five or so years,” she said, mentioning TikTok as a driving factor. It is making it difficult for brands to find a place that is suitably premium, but not impossible. 

“Influencers largely used to be about these aspirational, picture perfect lifestyles. That's what people were following them for, and that is absolutely not what people are looking for now. It means it makes becoming a creator more accessible but that also means to be successful it comes down to raw talent or having something interesting to say,” she said. 

Brands such as Duolingo are subverting the traditional media landscape in their social approach. The best brands loosen the reins on their brand guidelines and trust in the fluid nature of social media, Suzie said.

“I think the fact of social, which is where creators turn up, is that entertainment wins. You've got to entertain or die. Particularly in a TikTok-led world, where people are more in control of the pace of their viewing. 

“It’s so easy to scroll and swipe and move on, and you're training the algorithm the whole time on what you want to see and don't want to see with your micro interactions.”

The report also highlighted the success of the Michael CeraVe campaign for balancing the strange and the mainstream.

“I think brands need to learn more and more about this. The ‘here's my product, and I'm going to review it’ isn’t entertaining and will be swiped right past,” she said.

Brands aren’t utilising creators to their advantage, she argued.

“I think many marketers haven't found their way into really seriously operating with influences, they're still tentatively trying to figure it out. Even as someone who works in this space, I cannot believe how easily persuaded I am by creators.”