The Mandai Wildlife Reserve in Singapore captured the internet’s imagination last year with a charming little video. It featured two of their millennial-age chaps decked in staff uniforms, attempting to describe the park using Gen Z slang. One quipped, “Pop off, queen,” while the other simply said, “Slay.” The headline read, “We let our Gen Z intern write the marketing script,” and it quickly became a meme, prompting countless brands to offer their own twist.
Now, this particular trend isn’t just an isolated spectacle. It’s part of a broader movement within marketing circles. In earlier days, companies paid colourful social media influencers to peddle their products. However, the tide is turning inward. Instead of merely relying on external voices, brands are harnessing talent from within. Employees across various roles are being roped in, sometimes through formal programmes, to bolster the company’s image.
Take, for instance, Lego’s official TikTok page. There, designers open up about their creative processes. Similarly, Delta Air Lines operates an Instagram page titled “Life at Delta,” where aviation maintenance technicians display their daily endeavours and join in on popular dance trends. Portillo’s, a fast-food gem from Chicago, has embarked on an internal influencer programme to enhance employee followings.
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This programme remains in its infancy, but Portillo’s aspires to station an internal influencer at each outlet. According to British brand strategist Lachlan Williams, employees are “among the most-trusted sources” for consumers, thanks to their genuine insider knowledge. This approach of using employee credibility has been in play for years — sales clerks have long acted as company ambassadors. However, the phenomenon only recently seeped into the realms of social media, where it’s proving to be both cost-effective and efficient.
Some innovative companies take this strategy further by engaging employees’ personal accounts. Although employees often star on in-house channels, a growing number are granted more creative freedom. For example, DHL invites couriers to create videos during their routes, using the hashtag #YellowUnited. These clips often make it to the corporate brand page, showcasing an authentic slice of life.
DHL even provides training courses on crafting engaging posts and boosting audience interaction. Other firms like Nordstrom, Adobe, and Dell have similar initiatives. While most of these internal influencers aren’t handed extra pay for their social media appearances, Williams notes companies are beginning to recognise this effort as additional work deserving compensation, whether through bonuses, pay raises, or special perks.
Nevertheless, there’s always a bit of a tightrope to walk regarding messaging. Employee-driven content, particularly when posted directly to personal accounts, is often spontaneous and casual, which adds to its authenticity. This spontaneity can sometimes clash with the brand’s more strategic messages. For instance, an enthusiastic Instagram Reel about vintage Lego sets might run contrary to a focus on upcoming designs.
“If employees are given free rein, they’ll post about what they’re passionate about,” Williams said. “This might occasionally align with business objectives, but it might also diverge.”
Chelsea Thompson-O’Brien, the vice president of customer experience strategy at VML, pointed out the balance required in assessing employee influencer content. Meanwhile, Balazs Balogh, part of DHL’s global social media team, revealed that the creative process does depend somewhat on the subject. “For HR and sustainability topics, we agree on the core idea but have the liberty to express it in our own manner,” he explained. More generic topics often demand less scrutiny.
This employee-enabled model seems to be the way of the future. As it unfurls, it will be interesting to observe how companies maintain the delicate balance between earnest spontaneity and strategic consistency.
