The Power of Implied Endorsements

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Aug 3, 2020 1:00:00 PM

The Power of Implied Endorsements

Implied endorsements can add a number of benefits to your marketing plan. Celebrity spokespeople have long been a staple of many marketing plans. Using a celebrity implies that the celebrity supports and approves of your brand and your business, even if they do not actively endorse or sponsor you. Consumers, in turn, support your business because they support the same things that celebrity does.

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Implied endorsements do not specifically reference celebrities or popular content, but they imply a connection that fans will be sure to notice. As a result, fans will associate your brand with that concept. It can be a team, celebrity, show, or other popular media that appeals to fans. Many brands have successfully seen sales increase as a result. So what exactly is an implied endorsement?

What is an Implied Endorsement?

An implied endorsement implies that your brand supports a certain concept, fandom, or team without coming out and explicitly stating it. Your local sports team, for example, probably won't allow you to use team members' faces or to mention the team name or mascots in your ads unless you sponsor the team. Unfortunately, team sponsorship is expensive. For a smaller business, that type of sponsorship may be out of reach. However, implying that endorsement without coming out and mentioning the team directly can be a possibility. 

Many businesses choose to capitalize on sports marketing by targeting fans through game day deals and promotions. These promotions do not specifically mention the team, but your color scheme can quickly make it clear which team your brand is supporting. 

That implied endorsement is not limited to sports teams, either. In 2017, for example, Arby's chose to capitalize on the release of a popular show's season finale by releasing turkey legs and the slogan, "Turkey is coming." The ad never mentioned the popular franchise, but fans were quick to take note and support the release. 

Why Should You Incorporate Implied Endorsements into Your Marketing Plan?

Four in 10 Snapchat users discover new brands through direct celebrity endorsement. Celebrity endorsements can increase a brand's sales by around 4%. Those options, however, typically work best for big businesses with big advertising budgets. You can incorporate implied endorsements into your marketing plan to experience results on a reasonable budget. 

Implied endorsements offer a number of advantages to your brand. They help establish your personality. The things that you endorse, even by implication, show what's important to your brand. Do you stand behind your local sports team? Consumers who avidly follow the team will be more likely to support your brand. Do you have a deep interest in a specific fandom? Followers of that fandom will likewise get excited about the ads and products that tie in with that fandom. 

Your implied endorsements can also help establish your place in your community. Users who are interested in your business care that you support your local team, or that you have an interest in the same things they do within the community. 

Finally, implied endorsements can help increase interest in your brand. Fans of a specific team or enterprise will increase their likelihood of supporting your business when they see that connection. 

How to Incorporate Implied Endorsements

Start by establishing what you, as a business owner, want to endorse. Consider what is important to your target audience and how your target audience connects with that franchise or team. Evaluate how you want to show your support. Do you want to run a specific deal or promotion related to that concept? Do you want your ads to relate back to a specific fandom? Keep your endorsements, implied or otherwise, in line with the values of your business and your target audience. 

Incorporating implied endorsements into your marketing plan may require a delicate touch and assistance from a marketing expert. By working closely with a media partner, you can ensure that you do not cross any legal lines. A media partner can help you choose the right franchises or teams to support and help you toe the line of implied endorsements. For example, if you're implying your endorsement of a sports team, you may not be able to use the name of the team or the names of any players directly. You can, however, hype up game day excitement or encourage your viewers to wear their team colors. 

Likewise, you cannot use a popular wizard-themed franchise directly in your advertising, but you can showcase your love of magic and mystery. A media partner can help you create that implied endorsement while keeping the law in mind. Not only that, but a media partner can also provide guidance as you select your implied endorsements. They can also help provide the creative content for your social media page, website, and commercials. 

Implied endorsements can have a number of advantages for your business. By carefully incorporating them into your overall marketing plan, you can enhance customer appreciation of your business and even show a greater connection to those customers. Many businesses see an increase in sales when they carefully manage their implied endorsements, especially with the help and guidance of an experienced media partner.

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