Influencers made an out-of-the-blue debut and rapidly evolved into shapers of public opinion as well as of our consumer habits.
Moderator
Aris Kavatzikis, Journalist
Experts
Athina Oikonomakou, Αctress, Εntrepreneur
Stefania Vaidani, Influencer, Fashion Designer
Influencers made an out-of-the-blue debut and rapidly evolved into shapers of public opinion as well as of our consumer habits. Although they aren’t something new in the digital industry, they are now claiming the lion's share of the advertising budgets of companies, often disdaining the traditional media. Their audience adores them, brand managers love to hate them and many modern teenagers dream of becoming instagrammers and youtubers. Influencers are no longer doing their hobby. They are now entrepreneurs often active beyond the Internet, who establish the new sustainable trends of fashion.
So what does being an influencer mean and what does "influence" mean in today's digital age?
How much influence do they really have on their audience? Are there any objective measurement criteria?
How do influencers build their audience?
How do they build their fame and influence?
What criteria do companies employ to select influencers?
How does one become an influencer?
What characteristics do influencers have or should have?
Why do marketers choose influencers over traditional media? What are the comparative advantages?
Are there any trends in influencer marketing?
What new standards and values do influencers bring in the field of communication and marketing?
Nano / Micro / Mega Influencers: How are influencers categorised?
Why do marketers prefer nano influencers lately even though they have fewer followers?
Is influencer marketing a profession with an expiration date? Many influencers create their own clothing brands or become artistic directors in companies, producing original content.
Can you become an influencer by just being a beautiful girl?
Much has been said about the exorbitant fees of influencers. Do they correspond to reality and what’s your opinion on that?
What would you advise a young person who wants to be an influencer?
What are the dangers of the profession? (like extreme promotion, or addiction to social media etc)
How do you handle negative feedback? Do they affect you?
Does watching TV play a role in your success?
What do you think about the influencers that emerge from reality shows?
How would you see yourself in the future?
Aris Kavatzikis is a journalist. He was born in Ioannina and lived in Thessaloniki where he studied Italian Language and Literature at Aristotle University. Journalism won him over and he is now considered one of the most well-known journalists in Greece with a notable career in magazines, radio and television. Since 2007 he has lived and worked in Athens. The collaboration that defined his career was the one with the magazine "Sunday", with director Giorgos Toulas. From 2014 to 2020 he served as director of the magazine "Hello!". In his TV career, he has worked with the most famous Greek presenters, among them Eleni Menegaki, Fay Skorda and Giorgos Liagkas. Since 2020, he has been working in the morning show of Mega "Pame Danai" with presenter Danai Barka.
Athina Oikonomakou is a Greek actress and entrepreneur. She was born and raised in Skala, Laconia and moved to Athens to study. Before graduating from drama school, she made her television debut in the series "Deligianneion Parthenagogeion" and very soon her career took off. Her role as "Xenia" in the TV series "I Zoi tis Allis" established her as a leading Greek actress with many leading roles following in different series, as well as in theatre and films. Indicatively, in 2021 the series "Ela sti thesi mou", where she had the leading role, was completed with great success after five years of daily screening. At the same time, she is the CEO of the jewelry company Allover by Athina Oikonomakou and together with Mary Synatsaki the CEO of the clothing company Project Soma. In addition to her artistic and business activities, she has one of the most influential profiles on Greek Instagram, which makes her extremely popular on social media. In her personal life, Athina Oikonomakou has been married to entrepreneur Filippos Michopoulos since 2017, and together they have two children, Maximos and Sienna!
Stefania Vaidani was born and raised in Greece and comes from a family of fashion designers. She inherited realistic thinking and practicality from her mother and the passion that distinguishes her from her father. She graduated from the Marangoni Fashion Institute in Milan in 2018. Her creations were immediately embraced thanks to the romance and feminine energy they exude. Stefania Vaidani, as Creative Director and Head of Design of the brand that bears her name and has given her recognition in Greece and abroad, applies sustainable fashion in each of her creations using recycled and recyclable fabrics and following the principle of zero environmental footprint.
