Influencers Created a World Where Normal People With Large Followings Can Hold Sway

This is good news for brands who are looking for people to represent them

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Influence wasn’t always quantifiable. Sure, celebrities and models could sell magazines, and there’s no question that Oscar-winning actors, superhuman athletes, chart-topping musicians and globally known politicians can convince people how to think (or to buy certain products). But the idea of influence as a measurable metric is a newer phenomenon, one predicated by normal people with large social followings putting content on the internet.

While celebrities still hold a tremendous amount of societal influence, a 15-year-old with a knack for making YouTube videos can

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This story first appeared in the Dec. 9, 2019, issue of Adweek magazine. Click here to subscribe.