TAKUMI has just launched TAKUMI X: a new creator-led approach to influencer marketing.
TAKUMI X is a new creative and consulting division which enables brands to work closer than ever with creators, to help brands to produce innovative and culturally relevant content.
A questionnaire conducted by TAKUMI, prior to the launch of TAKUMI X, found that nearly half of consumers (44% UK, DE, US) agree that branded content is currently dull and uninspiring.
“Brand narratives at times read like Shakespearean prose directed towards a 20th-century teen which of course gets lost in translation,” explains Shaadow Sefiroth, creative director and TAKUMI X ambassador.
“Brands must understand that there’s a reason why creators are able to produce content that speaks volumes and why their audience trusts them. TAKUMI X is an exciting and bold move that tackles ideas in a creative way and will help translate ideas in a language that impacts, inspires and impresses.”
What is TAKUMI X?
TAKUMI X is a new creative, data and insights consultancy. Launched on August 27th 2020, TAKUMI X is currently available in the UK with other territories rolling out in the coming weeks.
It facilitates a new creator-led approach to influencer marketing, enabling brands to work more collaboratively than ever before with creators, to produce innovative and culturally relevant content.
The regular process for launching a campaign includes developing a creative brief and issuing the brief to TAKUMI’s database of influencers, who are then matched to the campaign according to the brand’s specific criteria.
TAKUMI X flips this process on its head. TAKUMI enables a creator-led process where the creator has input on the campaign from its earliest stages of conception, helps write the brief and share data and insights to ensure the content is culturally relevant.
Under this framework, creators are no longer considered “brand ambassadors,” but full-blown creative directors and producers.
Problem Solving
While the influencer marketing industry has matured significantly, even the most experienced marketers struggle when looking to create powerful, effective influencer campaigns.
Briefs are often cookie cutters and developed in a vacuum, the content has become boring as consumer tastes and interests have changed during the pandemic.
Brands have had to completely rewrite their strategies and adapt to the current situation. There has been an increase in influencer marketing campaigns as clients redirect funds that would have gone towards events and product launches.
Influencer content is community-led and is agile and cost-efficient. Creative content provides consumers with realistic, authentic and diverse content which counteracts the growing fatigue consumers feel when they see by the typical curated “influencer aesthetic.”
TAKUMI has found through the TAKUMI X survey that 80% of Gen Z’s and 72% of Millennials seek inspiration from social media platforms when purchasing.
To make content which inspires to purchase, brands need to work closely with Influencers who have built up expertise through creating content day in and day out which inspires their followers to invest in their life and interests.
The Changing Role of the Creator
Our 2019 TAKUMI whitepaper found that a common feeling within the influencer community was that brands are too prescriptive with their briefs, which jeopardizes authenticity.
TAKUMI X nurtures the creator’s creativity and makes them creative directors. These creators are becoming culture partners to brands who are struggling to navigate cultural agendas and complex marketing landscapes.
TAKUMI X will match brands with creators who understand how to speak to the right audience. These creators are cultural experts and professional entertainers who will bring insights about their audiences and platforms which brands can use to shape their campaigns.
Brand involvement in culture is now vital. Consumers are assessing how closely a brand reflects their personal values and interests just as much as they are considering the price and quality of a product. This means brands can become more relevant by embracing culture, and demonstrating that they align with their audiences on cultural events and societal issues.
The Content Studio
TAKUMI X offers a number of services to facilitate the collaboration between creators and brands on a variety of platforms including TikTok, Instagram, YouTube, Twitch, Triller, and Snap.
Due to COVID, we don’t have plans to open a physical studio in 2020 but this is something we will reassess in the future.
TAKUMI X has been designed to drive real change in how brands utilise creators and we are committed to challenging brands, to forge strategies that drive long-term commercial gains.
The influencer space can be too focused on short-term activation, and whilst this can boost credibility for brands, it’s short-lived. TAKUMI X is determined to help brands achieve a long-lasting change in the way they are perceived by audiences.
Simply put, we want brands to own their cultural credibility — not rent it.
If you would like to find out more about how you can work with TAKUMI X, please visit www.takumi.com/takumi-x and get in touch!
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