The rise of ‘offbeat influencers’ and what they bring to the table for brands

We decode the rise of offbeat influencers, the demand for such content, and its implications for brands.

What comes to mind when someone mentions 'Influencer'? Perhaps an individual residing in one of the bustling metro cities, adorned in the latest designer brands, living a high-profile life, right? However, our Instagram Reel feeds today are often dominated by the echoes of trending one-liners like So Beautiful. So Elegant. Just looking like a Wow or Bhupendra Jogi. A few months ago we were all surrounded by the sounds of Aajao, dikha dunga and who can forget Khaali cooker gas par charadiya which made our lockdowns bearable. 

Interestingly, many of these viral sensations stumbled into fame unexpectedly. Take Jasmeet Kaur, for instance, who started as an entrepreneur showcasing Indian attire. A handful of her clips caught the attention of audiences and meme pages, propelling her into overnight stardom.

The Bhupendra Jogi clip, on the other hand, originated from an interview the person gave to a Hindi news website and remained unnoticed for several years until it inexplicably went viral.

As opposed to influencers who often rely on traditional influencing techniques like blogging, reviewing, and creating original content, the ‘offbeat influencers’ are often found through  flashes of amusement that manage to capture the fancy of the internet.

While for a long time the prevailing trend for content on social media was to be flawless, the popularity of short-form video apps has also given rise to the consumption of seemingly imperfect and raw content.

But,  what does this mean for brands and the influencer marketing space?

According to Mitesh Kothari, co-founder and CCO, White Rivers Media, the influence of such content is undeniable. He says these influencers are capturing the attention of marketers seeking fresh and engaging ways to connect with their target audience and reach untapped audience segments. 

“It is quirky, it's unconventional and has a knack for leaving a lasting impression. Unlike traditional marketing tactics that often blend into the background, such content cuts through the noise.”

Brands are actively leveraging this opportunity in a bid to gain traction and increase their recall value. For example, Jasmeet Kaur of ‘So Beautiful, So Elegant’ fame  was seen promoting Sunfeast’s Farmlite biscuits and Sunfeast Yippie noodles. Similarly, Bhupendra Jogi collaborated with 99 Acres for a campaign.

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A post shared by Jasmeen Kaur (@designmachinesuitslive)

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A post shared by 99acres.com (@99acresindia)

This means a larger pool of influencers and talent, says Shivam Agarwal, co-founder, Kromium. He says brands are taking advantage of cheap production and using such creator-led content to enhance the scope of distribution. “Earlier you’d have to hire a celebrity, a production house, a media buying company to do things which can be done from a single touch point at a cost way less than it would have been earlier,” he says. 

Another factor that contributes to the rise of such content is the authenticity and unapologetic nature of these influencers. They have managed to gather a particular fan base among meme-loving young adults and teenagers in smaller cities.

‘Emoboisofindia’ , a popular Instagram page that has a massive following among the GenZ, banks on such content and has managed to form a niche in the category. The page currently has 4,31,000+ followers. The page has also collaborated with brands like Cred and AmazonMiniTV among many others.

Pratyush Raj and Vishu Tyagi, the admins of Emoboisofindia say that while the metro audiences might treat such content as a source of entertainment and watch it unironically, such content is actually made with a lot of conviction by the creators. They say a large audience in India actually relates to such content and that content creation should not be restricted to the three big cities.

Talking about the monetisation of these influencers the duo says, “Brands aren’t that conscious of labels anymore. They are also capitalising on every trend.”

Vikram Kari, product head,The Goat Agency- an influencer marketing agency says, “We are currently seeing two types of influencers, the ones who deliberately do obnoxious stuff to get viral and the other are the people who accidentally go viral like the lady who sells Indian suits on Instagram."

Are there any drawbacks?

According to experts, brands must ensure that such associations align with their brand image and do not come across as forced. Another challenge with such content is that it is very short lived. Rarely are such influencers able to keep up with their initial fame.

As per Kari of The Goat Agency, the monetisation of such content is nothing more than moment marketing. Their upswing is massive and within a few days they are forgotten. “I don't see it as a trend unless the creators themselves evolve,” he says.

Arihant Jain, co-founder and CEO at WLDD says, "Navigating the longevity of popularity for viral sensations can be challenging because we are a part of the information age where social media is filled with diverse content. Consuming a lot of information in a short period of time has shortened our attention span by a great deal.”

He says investments in ‘quirkfluence’ can indeed be a smart move for brands because people cannot resist watching the trends, and while they might forget the trend itself, the brand recall can be established.

“The key is to integrate such collaborations within a comprehensive marketing strategy that aligns with both the influencer's style and the brand's values,” he adds.