MSL makes push to drive equality in influencer marketing

MSL, Publicis Groupe's global public relations and influencer marketing agency, has outlined four measurable commitments to address the lack of diversity and other inequalities affecting influencers who are Black, Indigenous and People of Color (BIPOC), which they look to address by the end of 2020. Through its proprietary influencer marketing platform Fluency, MSL aims to embrace human intelligence, machine learning and a scalable tech stack to create a sophisticated influencer engagement and management platform to implement diversity, inclusion and equal pay measures to create a more diverse and inclusive industry. 

As part of the commitments, MSL is partnering with The Influencer League, a community dedicated to educating, equipping and empowering influencers to reach their full potential, from growing followers to monetising content. "We are excited to partner with MSL and support their ongoing efforts to reverse the lack of equality and limited access that BIPOC influencers have within the industry," said Brittany Bright, founder of The Influencer League. "Together, we'll help empower them through top-tier education, community and opportunity," she added.

"We believe it is our responsibility to do everything in our power to make Fluency the most inclusive, diverse, fair and transparent influencer marketing platform in the industry," said Bryan Pedersen, chief innovation officer at MSL. "We want to lift up influencers of color because not only is it the right thing to do, it is also what is best for brands as consumers expect better representation and voices resembling their own," he added.

Creating and promoting more diverse influencers presents an opportunity for brands to reach new audiences. A survey by Influencer Marketing Hub found that 82% of consumers would take the recommendation of an influencer. But a lack of diversity within influencer platforms means companies are missing large potential audiences. A 2018 Nielsen report states African Americans make up 14% of the US population with a spending power of US$1.54 trillion and are 44% more likely than white peers to engage with brands or support them in social media.

Influencers are among the most visible, creative and impactful media platforms today. The influencer marketing industry is projected to be valued at US$15 billion by 2022 cementing its place as a core communications channel for brands. With the most expansive database of influencers in the United States and most sophisticated influencer management and engagement platform, MSL, through Fluency, is in a unique position to take tangible and measurable steps towards improving diversity, inclusion and equity in the influencer marketing industry at large. 

MSL is Publicis Groupe's public relations and integrated communications network, one of the worlds largest. With more than 3,100 people across more than 107 offices worldwide, MSL is also one of the largest PR networks in Europe, and the fastest growing in Asia-Pacific. The Influencer League is a digital platform dedicated to educating and empowering a diverse group of influencers. Founded in 2019 to address the lack of diversity in the influencer marketing industry, the Influencer League values itself on creating opportunities for Black & POC influencers and content creators. 

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