Ah, social media. A hot topic right now (isn’t it always?), but that’s not the angle I fancy delving into today…
Over the Christmas break, I spent a little bit too much time scrolling on TikTok. As much as there’s an endless stream of entertaining, educational, and comedic content that has, admittedly, had me hooked for hours at a time, there’s no denying that the platform, like many other social media powerhouses, has been well and truly infiltrated by advertisers and brands looking to capitalise on the vast consumer base.
I can spot a paid advertisement a mile away. Often there’s a little tag on the video that labels it as sponsored content, or you see the dreaded TikTok Shop link and know the creator is just trying to make a quick buck, and other times you stumble across an undisclosed ad which, despite being illegal, is all too commonplace across all platforms. No hate for any of these scenarios (okay, maybe some hate for the third), but I have such little trust in the ‘opinions’ of someone who’s being paid to promote something, that I will for sure be scrolling at the sight of any of these red flags. And I know I’m not the only one.
Is influencer marketing dead?
Paying a content creator to recite a fairly scripted spiel about how good your product is, or how they could never live without it, is outdated in this day and age. Sure, you’re getting your product in front of millions of potential customers, but are they gaining trust in your brand from that interaction, or are they quickly scrolling to move to a non-sponsored video that can give them more value? More often than not, it’s the latter.
Does this mean that influencer marketing is dead? Partly, in my opinion, but that doesn’t mean it can’t be utilised in a clever way that will benefit your brand.
A video I saw while mindlessly doom-scrolling over Christmas made me stop and think. It was sponsored by a brand – two brands, in fact – something I would usually steer well clear of. But this video was different. It didn’t seem sponsored, despite the creator explicitly stating which brands were involved and how they’d contributed to the video. There was true meaning behind the collaboration, and it perfectly showcased both the brand’s values and moralities in a way that definitely influenced me to go out and buy something from them. That’s how you do influencer marketing.
Marketing for the greater good
The video in question was by the creator CleanWithBea, a woman who offers deep cleans completely free of charge to people who need them the most. Her videos are shocking, showing homes that have been completely neglected for many years, often due to the recipient of the cleaning service having disabilities or mental health struggles, leaving them unable to take care of themselves or their property.
@cleanwithbea Free Deep Cleaning in Leeds #cleantok #cleaning #money @AO Lets Go @Scrub Daddy UK
I’ve seen plenty of Bea’s videos on TikTok before, and it’s heartwarming to know that someone out there is caring enough to offer these services to people truly in need. However, I’ve never stopped to think about how much these ‘free cleans’ really cost. With 1.3M followers on the platform, it’s safe to assume that Bea is making an income from these videos, but is this enough to cover the costs of each clean and pay herself a fair wage for this full-time job she’s created for herself?
In this video, Bea reminds her viewers that although these cleans are free for the recipient, they’re not free for her, listing off the aspects of the cleaning process that contribute to the total cost. A biohazard team is needed to clear the waste inside the property, a skip (or multiple!) needs hiring, Bea and her team need transport to the property, which could be anywhere across the country, and accommodation for the duration of the clean. On top of this, the furniture, carpets, and appliances in the home often aren’t salvageable, and she always wants to leave the recipient with a home that’s ready to live in, so these are additional costs too.
This video was sponsored by Scrub Daddy, a cleaning product company best known for its smiley face sponges, and AO, an electrical retailer.
The standard method of influencer marketing would be for these brands to provide Bea with some of their products, which they did. AO sponsored the entire kitchen clean, replacing every single white good in the property – a much better marketing tactic than simply giving a new washing machine to an influencer that already makes millions and asking them to rave about it to their followers! However, Scrub Daddy went much further.
Bea states that Scrub Daddy spent around £12,000 supporting this clean, by covering the cost of transportation and accommodation for Bea’s team, all of the skips needed, and the biohazard removal. She then says that with AO’s contribution, as well as her own of new furnishings and decor, the clean came to around £20,000, meaning Scrub Daddy covered over half of the entire cost.
A team from Scrub Daddy was at the property for the first three days of the week-long clean, supporting Bea and her team with completely gutting the property. They also restocked the kitchen with new cutlery, chopping boards, cooking knives, pots, pans, glassware, bowls, plates, and other key kitchen equipment to ensure the recipient had a kitchen space they were able to use straight away. As to be expected, they also stocked the home with Scrub Daddy cleaning products.
Why value-driven strategies will always prevail
As I mentioned before, consumers know the influencer marketing game now. They know their favourite influencer doesn’t really use your product every single day, they’re just being paid to say that.
What makes this collaboration different is that not once within the video did Bea talk about how good AO’s appliances are, or how well Scrub Daddy’s products cleaned the home. They could have gone down this route, but instead, chose to show their support for an important cause.
And I’m not the only one that thinks this – a quick scroll in the comments section on the video makes it clear that many other viewers thought exactly the same thing!
This isn’t to say that the old method of influencer marketing is dead – brands can still sponsor content creators to talk about their products as a way to appear in front of a large consumer base. However, in 2025, it’s time to get more creative with the way you work with influencers.
What does your brand believe in? What change do you want to see? How can you leverage an influencer’s platform to support your own values, beliefs, and morals?
Supporting emotional and compassionate content will put your brand in a much better light than a simple paid promotion. Take the time to find the right opportunity for your brand, and work on really making a difference with your marketing efforts.
