Marketing by influencers is no longer a buzzword. It is a type of cooperation where a corporation partners with an influential individual to promote a product, service, etc.
To up the game of influencer marketing and support young talents, Sumedh Chaphekar created NOFILTR in 2017. The Mumbai-based startup is a social media label that, by giving them innovative and resourceful direction, incubates young talent. It has partnered with a multitude of influencers and brands and aims to build a growing community network that facilitates personal expression and fascinating material.
By providing a wide range of services, including personal branding, content development and curation, influencer marketing and brand partnerships, campaign design along with campaign execution and analysis, the start-up ultimately ties the brand to the influencer and the influencer to the world at large.
The startup claims to have a pool of 40 influencers on board who are working exclusively with NOFILTR Group. It also claims to be affiliated with renowned brands such as Amazon, Flipkart, Bumble, Snickers, Colgate, Cadbury, OnePlus, Oppo, etc.
An engineering dropout, Sumedh moved to New York to do a course in Filmmaking from New York Film Academy. During this time, he realized there was an incredible shift that was happening in the US. “Similar to how an actor plays a character on screen for 3-4 hours, these individuals were playing their true selves on social media. Instead of doing it for a few hours, they were playing their character 24×7, 365 days. We realized these individuals will be bigger than media companies in the future. We wanted to be a part of this revolution rather than being bystanders,” says Sumedh.
Sumedh Chaphekar, the CEO and group owner says he looks at NoFiltr as a kind of human incubator. We notice influencers from the early stage, someone who has managed about 10,000 + followers. It means they are on to something and are willing to put in the work, ” he says. They attend an intense preparation session once they are signed on (at no charge). We cover everything from the experience of childhood to current expectations, and then paint a roadmap that draws and amplifies their character from these narratives, “he says.” A plan is developed for every platform. Do they approach HNIs (High Networth Individuals) to help them develop a following? Chaphekar says yes, but they’re not taking on projects like that.
NOFILTR is a team of 45 members today. Mrunu, Ashi Khanna, Manav Chhabra, Awez Darbar, and Nagma Mirajkar include some of the famous artists he has groomed. On Instagram and TikTok, these influencers have broad followers and their content ranges from dance and make-up to music videos, etc.
NOFILTR’s target demographic is entirely arbitrary and depends on the brand it is working with. However, most times, a campaign is geared towards interaction with the target group in the age range of 21 to 35 years.
NOFILTR ‘s incubation process begins from meeting with the content creator and knowing their character. After recognizing their ability, the startup incubates them, recognizes their specific characteristics, and assists them in any conceivable way to amplify it online.
NOFILTR partners with marketing agencies and knows what the advertisers are asking for. It takes about six to eight months for the entire process to develop them into something that can be monetized. Post that NOFILTR takes 30 percent of what the influencers make after the brand partnership in the contract era.
According to a report by Statista, the global influencer marketing market was estimated at $137 million in 2018. In 2020, it is projected to rise further to $162 million and to reach $370 million in 2027.
People have begun to adapt to fresh changes with an inevitable situation like COVID-19 coming in. And this came as an advantage for the startup.
In the years to come, NOFILTR plans to continue training developers in its truest sense. It wants the NOFILTR group’s team and its community of influencers to expand.
Influencer economies are amid a flux, especially in India. Social media sites are continually tweaking their algorithms to evaluate the type of content that users think they want to see (although all we want is to return to Instagram’s chronological timeline!). Brands often look at a common ethos, commitments over several shares, and content consistency over several followers. So macro and micro-influencers need to stand out in a crowded playing field.
