Influencers, Politics and Brands: The Hidden Power Behind Digital Marketing

In the digital marketing landscape, few things have proven so powerful in shaping opinions and sway public information as influencer marketing. While this was once a tool in the exclusive preserve of businesses, today it is also a key weapon for political campaigns, as shown by the rise of the Make America Great Again (MAGA) movement and Donald Trump's strategic use of influencer marketing.

A study, "Influencer marketing unlocked: Understanding the value chains driving the creator economy," published in the Journal of the Academy of Marketing Science by Maximilian Beichert (Bocconi), Barak Libai (Reichman University), Ana Babić Rosario (University of Denver) and others, analyzes how the influencer marketing ecosystem works and its impact on value dynamics for companies, influencers and platforms.

Influencers and politics: Trump's lesson

The president of the United States has made the most of the power of social media, turning himself into a political influencer with global reach. His nonstop presence on digital platforms and his knack for generating viral content has nurtured an ecosystem of like-minded influencers. Pro-Trump accounts, some of them run by anonymous users and others by well-known figures in the conservative movement, have amplified MAGA's message, spreading polarizing content and reinforcing the community's sense of belonging.

According to the study, the success of influencer marketing lies in its ability to create a "customer value chain" that links companies (or politicians) to influencers and their followers. As highlighted by Maximilian Beichert, Assistant Professor of marketing at Bocconi, "digital platforms are not mere distribution channels, but key actors that set the relationships between influencers and audiences, influencing the value created and exchanged within the influencer marketing ecosystem."

The role of authenticity in political influencers

One of the key elements in influencer marketing is perceived authenticity. Influencers supporting Trump often cast themselves as genuine voices of the people, distancing themselves from mainstream media accused of partisanship. This has allowed the MAGA movement to reinforce the concept of "us versus them," with influencers acting as trusted intermediaries between the public and the political leader.

However, authenticity can be questioned when artificial operations emerge, such as the creation of fake accounts or the involvement of bots to amplify propaganda messages. The MAGA campaign has seen incidents where digital identities were artfully constructed to simulate popular support, raising questions of ethics and transparency.

The study highlights how this aspect is crucial to the success of influencer marketing. Beichert states that "the perceived authenticity of an influencer is a key asset for value creation. If compromised, it can significantly reduce persuasive power and follower equity, undermining the sustainability of the marketing strategy in the long run."

Business examples: from MrBeast to L'Oréal

The Trump case is not the only example of effective influencer marketing. The study also analyzes successful business cases, such as:

• MrBeast (Jimmy Donaldson), one of YouTube's biggest creators, whose ability to engage resulted in multimillion-dollar collaborations with brands such as Samsung to launch new products.
• L'Oréal, which established a "beauty squad" of influencers to develop and promote new products, maximizing consumer trust.
• Warby Parker, which has used influencers in the creative industry to strengthen its positioning as a lifestyle brand.

Measuring the value of influencer marketing campaigns

In the corporate world, the success of an influencer marketing campaign is measured through metrics such as Return on Investment (ROI) and Customer Lifetime Value (CLV). In the political context, measuring effectiveness is more complex. The value of a campaign such as MAGA's is reflected in its ability to mobilize voters, influence public debate and keep attention high on issues dear to the movement.

According to the researchers, an influencer's "campaign value" is calculated by its impact on customer equity, or the cumulative value of relationships with followers. However, the study points out a challenge: some influencers with a high tendency to engage may not be the best endorsers, as their perceived authenticity may be compromised by over-monetization of collaborations.

Influencer marketing between business and politics

Influencer marketing has proven to be a very powerful lever, that can shape markets and political orientations. The case of Donald Trump and the MAGA movement offers food for thought on its possibilities as well as its risks: building cohesive and active communities but, on the other hand, the danger of manipulation and misinformation.

Companies and policymakers wishing to leverage influencer marketing must therefore strike the right balance between authenticity, strategy and transparency, while avoiding the pitfalls of an ecosystem increasingly dominated by algorithms and viral content. In an age when public trust is a precious currency, influencer credibility becomes the real key to success.