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Instagram Influencer Marketing Case Study: Styled Out Oakley Influencers Ask Followers “What Do You See?”
Instagram’s visually robust design has been a boon for athletes looking to show off their talents. From warm-up routines and training sessions, to competition runs and freestyle lines, to podium placements and bittersweet defeats, athletic images and videos have intrigued, informed, and inspired millions on the platform.
Traditionally used as a type of celebrity endorsement, professional athletes have been a popular means for brands to connect with consumers. Porting over the practice from print, radio, and television, athlete influencers on social media have evolved to include a wide range of individuals from different sports’ disciplines and influencer tiers.
Oakley Marketing Gazes Into The Future With New PRIZM Push
James Jannard started Oakley in 1975, selling motocross grips out of his car at local events. The company expanded into BMX, eventually launching functional goggles as its first piece of eyewear in 1980. Four years later, Oakley introduced the iconic sunglasses that would simultaneously embolden its action sports roots, as well as put the company on the worldwide stage.
Today, prominent athletes from a variety of disciplines can be seen sporting Oakley shades on their Instagram feeds. Ranging from nano-influencers to mega-influencers, Oakley’s own brand ambassadors help to broadcast the company’s products and values to different lifestyle and sporting communities. The Oakley marketing approach also includes an affiliate program that rewards supporters and promoters who generate sales.
In a recent marketing campaign around lenses “designed to enhance color and contrast” throughout different environments, Oakley partnered with a variety of athletes to introduce their Instagram followers to the company’s novel PRIZM technology.
Goals
- Create awareness for Oakley’s new PRIZM lenses.
- Engage with followers by asking, “What do you see?”
Approach
- Channel: Instagram
- Influencers: Among the 15 sampled influencers,Oakley marketing collaborated with athletes from a variety of sport backgrounds, including cycling, motocross, triathlon, volleyball, and surfing.
Preview of Influencers
- @marcmarquez93 - 3,900,000 followers
- @markcavendish - 542,000 followers
- @annika.langvad - 102,000 followers
- @ester.meiliana - 53,100 followers
- @nzalya - 45,200 followers
Themes
- Of the 16 sampled posts, all were single images.
- While some Oakley influencers posted themselves in action, others showcased headshots.
- All of the images featured the athletes wearing Oakley sunglasses.
- The influencers created different preambles in their captions that led to variations on the tagline: “I see it in PRIZM. What do you see?”
- Four of the influencers in the campaign shared exact or similar captions.
- Each athlete used the hashtags #OakleyPrizm and #OneObsession in his/her post. Many athletes tagged @oakley, while others mentioned accounts such as @oakleybike, @oakleysurfing, and @oakleymotorsports.
Results
Social Reach
- Instagram followers targeted: 4,798,908
Engagement
- Likes: 243,579
- Comments: 1,470
- Engagement rate (overall average): 7.24%
MotoGO Rider Sees “New Challenges”
One of the greatest motorcycle racers of all time, Spain’s Marc Márquez commands a whopping 4 million followers on Instagram. As the largest and only mega-influencer in the PRIZM campaign, Márquez also achieved the most total likes and comments of any Oakley influencer.
Offering a smirk as Márquez looks at his helmet, the seven-time Grand Prix World Champion’s hand and helmet can be seen reflected in his Oakley lenses. His caption notes his eagerness to take on new challenges in his motorcycling career.
Márquez’s post received 199,266 likes and 1,006 comments, resulting in an engagement rate of 5.01%.
Sprint Cyclist Sees “Opportunity”
For his Oakley PRIZM post, Maldivian cyclist Mark Cavendish sprints ahead during his intense cycling route while wearing a pair of PRIZM sunglasses. Addressing over 540,000 followers, the macro-influencer successfully captures his determination to achieve the top spot.
With 22,348 likes and 102 comments, Mark achieved an engagement rate of 4.14% with his Oakley PRIZM sponsored post.
Water Polo Player Sees “What They Can’t”
Alya Nadira is an Indonesian water polo player and micro-influencer with 45,300 followers on Instagram. In her outdoor shot, Nadira’s bright red frames and lenses pop from the screen as she looks back at the camera, while her caption alludes to personal feats and desires unnoticed by others.
Nadira’s Oakley PRIZM post garnered 4,725 likes and 83 comments, resulting in an engagement rate of 10.64%.
Takeaways
- Oakley achieved brand authenticity by using athlete influencers who wear and use their products.
- Oakley marketing’s PRIZM campaign fit well into Instagram’s culture of action and headshots.
- Templated captions unified the various Oakley influencers across different sports and disciplines.
- While Oakley marketing’s largest influencer received the most amount of likes and comments, the influencer with the least followers achieved the highest engagement rate.
- Utilizing different influencers for their campaign, Oakley was able to reach a variety of audiences, as well as gain a range of engagement levels.
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