Micro-influencers gain popularity with SG government bodies

The Ministry for the Environment and Water Resources has become the next ministry to jump on board the micro-influencer bandwagon. This is to raise awareness on climate change and what people can do to help mitigate some of its effects.According to The Straits Times, the ministry confirmed that it engaged a total of 28 micro-influencers with a combined reach of 100,000 for the three-month long marketing campaign starting in January. According to a campaign brief seen by the local paper, each influencer post costs up to SG$35 and the approximate cost of the campaign was at SG$1,500. Marketing has reached out to Ministry for the Environment and Water Resources for comment.The campaign, called #ClimateActionSG Instagram Photo Contest, saw the influencers posing in pictures showcasing eco-friendly habits, while encouraging their audience to follow suit. This includes selfies with aircon remotes set at 25 degrees celsius, riding on bicycles and engaging in “upcycling”.A quick check by Marketing found that the influencers engaged for posts tagged as sponsored ranged from a reach of around 300 – 16,000 followers. At the time of writing, the #ClimateActionSG hashtag generated about 433 posts on Instagram.[gallery link="file" ids="211895,211896,211897,211899,211900"]According to ST  the objective of the contest is to boost awareness and engagement on Ministry for the Environment and Water Resources’ social media platforms on the topic, through the use of influencers for amplification. This is also part of the government’s bid to increasing conversations surrounded climate change in line with the year being selected as the Year of Climate Action in Singapore and decrease carbon footprint.This is not the first time a ministry has included micro-influencers to raise awareness for their marketing campaigns. Earlier this year, the Ministry of Finance (MOF) partnered with more than 50 social media influencers to promote the upcoming Budget on Instagram, a move which raised eyebrows online.In a statement to Marketing, an MOF spokesperson said given the significance of the Budget to all Singaporeans, MOF  hopes to garner the attention of the younger demographic through this campaign. As such, it is tapping on a mix of communications channels and platforms.Several industry players Marketing spoke to at the time said that the use of influencers by the government is reflective of the changing media consumption habits, especially among the younger generation. However, questions were raised on whether or not the campaign would move past the awareness stage.