My I.N.F.L.U.E.N.C.E.R

What led to the first hip-hop endorsement deal.

My Adidas was the first single off Run D.M.C’s third album, and it led to the first ever endorsement deal between a major corporation and a hip-hop act. Yes, the deal happened after they wrote the song, transpiring when,

a co-manager of the group, future Def Jam honcho Mr Lyor Cohen, saw the potential to get an endorsement and brought adidas executive Mr Angelo Anastasio to witness a moment when the rappers urged the audience to hold up their sneakers as “My Adidas” was performed.

They received $1.5MM to officially support the brand.

Run D.M.C were a dream. They made a song. They rocked the brand before the endorsement deal came in so fans believed in the relationship. They carved out time in the show for audience members to show their love for the brand. We can’t all have that.

Although Run D.M.C.’s reverence for the brand was authentic, the modern influencer and brand relationship can feel more transactional. Brand A pays influencer B a sum of money and the influencers produces content featuring the brand or the influencer endorses the brand with their seal of approval. No matter the origin story, a brand manager has to think about more than the Influencer’s influence when making a choice among potential partners. It isn’t just follower count.

For Consideration When Selecting Influencers

1. Who are their followers?

   • They can have 1MM followers, but are they your target customer? If not, why do you care?

2. What are their values?

   • The influencer is a brand, take the decision as seriously as any brand partnership.

3. What is their image?

   • Does their image reflect your brand/product? Are they the embodiment of your brand?

4. Will they respect your stuff?

   • What are they going to do with your product? Are they going to disrespect it or represent it in a way that is in conflict with your goal? Will they treat your product right?

5. Can this relationship go the distance?

   • Are you planning for a sustained relationship? Can your brand grow with the influencer over the year or is this just a one promo stand? If it is a one and done, why bother?

Whether the relationship has an authentic origin story or is merely financial, the concept of an influencer isn’t new and it isn’t going anywhere as long as there are people who have the power to steer a national conversation. They were once movie stars and athletes and now they can be musicians or video-gamers. Regardless of who they are, these tips will help you make the right choice when selecting your brand’s influencer.