Ogilvy introduces new social tool

WASHINGTON: Ogilvy's 360 Digital Influence group introduced Insider Circle on December 7, a Web-based platform that connects brands with influencers.

The technology, which builds on the agency's existing social media platform, allows clients to build an "inner circle" of influencers to provide original content to on an invitation basis. The objective is to enable marketers to further relationships with brand influencers, such as bloggers or enthusiastic customers, scaling up as needed.

"We can have an Insider Circle with 10 or 20 influencers, or we can have an Insider Circle with 1,000 or 2,000, or even 10,000, and the incremental level of effort of managing that is so infinitesimal, it doesn't matter," said John Bell, MD of 360 Digital Influence.

Bell said the platform is designed to allow brands' relationships with influencers to grow organically on word of mouth as participants invite their friends or even Twitter followers to the program. Brands and companies can offer samples or exclusive content like videos or interviews with the C-Suite, and influencers can opt-in to participate in a certain brand's program.

The Insider Circle also allows Ogilvy to track when an "Insider" expresses interest in a program, when they receive the content, and if they publish it online.

IBM and Kodak are two Ogilvy clients who are launching the Insider Circle, offering a b-to-c program with Kodak's Smile Ambassador blogger outreach effort, and a b-to-b outreach around IBM's Smart Business initiative.

Bell emphasized that the program is invested in disclosure and follows ethic guidelines, including those from WOMMA and the FTC.

"Any of the Insiders who are involved in the program, who choose to subscribe, and get this flow of content and offers they can use or pass along, they disclose to their own followers that they are in this program," he said.