core Summer 09 - Brand Influencers

Whether you see them as mavens or connectors, as Malcolm Gladwell does in his book, The Tipping Point, or simply as opinion leaders, there is little doubt that in most markets around the world a small but influential group of  consumers can have a disproportionate effect on the reputation and success of companies and brands.

Clearly, the traditional opinion former groups, like the media, government, industry analysts and NGOs, are very important to have on your side, but so too are opinion leaders within the wider general public. These are the people who can start the Bandwagon rolling; they can be instrumental in building positive or negative sentiment around your brand, at both corporate and product/service level.

As Edelman's Trust Barometer demonstrates, consumers are much more likely to believe what `people like me' say about companies than they are to believe the CEO or other employees of the company, government or even NGOs.