The Bloomberg campaign has reportedly begun paying social media influencers to advertise the former NYC mayor’s presidential campaign to their followers using a “branded content marketplace” called Tribe.
New: Mike Bloomberg Is Paying ‘Influencers’ to Make Him Seem Cool
@scottbix scoops https://t.co/Yu83Ee6E0v
— Yashar Ali ???? (@yashar) February 7, 2020
The campaign is paying $150 to “micro-influencers” — someone who has from 1,000 to 100,000 followers, to create content — according a Daily Beast report published Friday. Bloomberg’s team reportedly wants the accounts to describe “why Mike Bloomberg is the electable candidate who can rise above the fray, work across the aisle so ALL Americans feel heard & respected.” (RELATED: Bloomberg Super Bowl Ad Cites Dubious Data)
“Are you sick of the chaos & infighting overshadowing the issues that matter most to us?” the campaign asks potential influencers. “Please express your thoughts verbally or for still image posts please overlay text about why you support Mike.”
Tribe works with nearly 70,000 influencers to offer brands the ability to solicit their platforms to advertise a product or service, in this case, a presidential campaign. The brand is also able to license the content and use it on their own platforms.
Using Tribe to expand its audience is a small part of the Bloomberg campaign’s attempt to capitalize on the Iowa Caucus disaster by doubling its advertising budget.
WATCH:
Users on Twitter were quick to mock the campaign, which has experienced a surge in the latest national polls.
— Justine Sanders (@JustineAnnSand) February 7, 2020
Narrator: There isn’t enough money in the world to make Nanny Bloomberg “cool” or even remotely likable. https://t.co/kHAA8fIM43
— Andrew Surabian (@Surabees) February 7, 2020
Only $150? Given how much he’s spending to buy the election, I would’ve figured he would be making it rain Bloomberg Bucks on these influencers. https://t.co/G0V5AsqSpX
— Cam Edwards (@CamEdwards) February 7, 2020
The campaign declined to comment.