# Celebritized Employee UGC and brand influencers are replaced by EGC; brand-advocating employees. By [Armida Ascano](https://www.trendhunter.com/Armida), Chief Insights Officer | Published Apr 6, 2020 | Category: [Business](https://www.trendhunter.com/pro/category/business-trends) Source: Trend Hunter, https://www.trendhunter.com/protrends/celebritized-employee ## Key Figures - Trend score: 5.7/10 - Evidence articles: 8 ## What is the Celebritized Employee trend? **Celebritized Employee:** In an attempt to move beyond influencer marketing while still retaining a sense of authenticity, brands are placing their everyday employees front-and-center. The celebritization of regular brand employees can be seen everywhere from marketing to media. ## The consumer insight behind the Celebritized Employee trend Originally, influencers were an appealing prospect to brands looking to market their products because influencers acted as an audience surrogate. Their status as "real people" made them relatable. However, the proliferation of influencer marketing has elevated most influencers to near-celebrity status, making them unrelatable to the average consumer. Furthermore, the pandemic-driven appreciation for front-line workers and ethical employment practices positions employees as a trusted and revered authority. ## At a Glance - Evidence: 8 featured examples - Articles from: Aug 24, 2019 to Nov 25, 2024 - Published: Apr 6, 2020 - Patterns: [Divergence](https://www.trendhunter.com/pattern/divergence), [Acceleration](https://www.trendhunter.com/pattern/acceleration) - Megatrends: [Prosumerism](https://www.trendhunter.com/megatrend/prosumerism), [Authenticity](https://www.trendhunter.com/megatrend/authenticity) ## Audience - Gender: 50% men, 50% women - Primary generations: Gen Z, Millennial, Gen X - Top markets: North America, Europe, Asia ## Themes within the Celebritized Employee trend ### Employee Brand Advocacy Brands are leveraging the authentic and relatable status of their everyday employees to move beyond influencer marketing. ### DIY Advertising Brands are recreating iconic advertisements entirely from home with simple tools to convey their values and ease of use. ### Philanthropic Employee-Led Campaigns Brands are enlisting their own employees to star in philanthropic initiatives and show their commitment to the cause. ## What the Celebritized Employee trend means for industry ### For Employment The employee brand advocacy trend creates new opportunities for employee engagement and collaboration in the workplace. ### For Marketing The DIY advertising trend presents opportunities for creative expression, engagement with customers and agility in responding to cultural trends. ### For Corporate Social Responsibility The philanthropic employee-led campaigns trend enables employees to play a more active and visible role in the company's charitable initiatives, and demonstrate their values alignment to customers. ## Workshop question How could you better leverage team members at all levels of the business? ## Trend signals for Celebritized Employee Trend score 5.7 out of 10, from popularity 71%, activity 69%, freshness 31%. - Popularity: 71% - Activity: 69% - Freshness: 31% ## Examples of the Celebritized Employee trend 8 featured examples from Aug 24, 2019 to Nov 25, 2024. - [Fashion-Foward QSR Uniforms](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/popeyes-uniforms): Inspired by Adidas & IVY PARK, Popeyes Uniforms are Now Being Sold (Category: Fashion) Implication: Fast food chains are taking advantage of the trend by selling their uniforms as fashion items to capitalize on the novelty factor and attract customers. - [Quarantine Banking Ads](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/dance-from-home): TD Bank's Dance from Home Was Shot on an iPhone 11 Pro (Category: Marketing) Implication: The advertising industry is being disrupted by the trend of nostalgic recreations and the use of home filming techniques, challenging traditional production methods. - [Employee Fragrance Campaigns](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/lidl-fragrance-campaign): Lidl's Fragrance Campaign Features Local Talent with Celebrity Names (Category: Marketing) Implication: The perfume industry can explore the use of employee talent to promote and increase sales of their fragrances. - [Employee-Curated Fast Food Meals](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/anti-celebrity-meals): A&W's Anti-Celebrity Meals Spotlight Favorites from Staff (Category: Lifestyle) Implication: Fast food chains can leverage the trend of employee-curated meals to differentiate themselves from competitors and promote their workforce. - [Feel-Good Financial Campaigns](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/banksgiving): Ally Financial's Banksgiving Supports Customers in Need with Funds (Category: Marketing) Implication: Banks and other financial service providers can enhance customer loyalty by incorporating emotionally driven campaigns that provide direct support to individuals. - [Employee Ambassador Programs](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/hm-insiders): H&M Insiders Leverages Employees as Style Advisors (Category: Marketing) Implication: Retailers can implement employee ambassador programs to strengthen their brand image and increase customer engagement. - [Philanthropic Employee-Led Campaigns](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/watch-hunger-stop-2020): Michael Kors' Watch Hunger Stop 2020 Stars Brand Employees (Category: Lifestyle) Implication: Fashion brands can disrupt industry norms by featuring their own employees in campaigns, creating a more authentic and relatable brand image. - [Artistic Customer Service Ads](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/the-goldfish1): The Goldfish for U Shops Shows How Far Employees Will Go (Category: Marketing) Implication: Innovative customer service ads can help retail businesses differentiate themselves from competitors and show dedication to customer satisfaction. ## Recent trend clusters - [Assisted Conversion](https://www.trendhunter.com/protrends/ai-assisted-checkout) (Business) - [Occasion Commerce](https://www.trendhunter.com/protrends/occasion-commerce) (Business) - [Autonomous Merchandising](https://www.trendhunter.com/protrends/autonomous-merchandising) (Business) - [Assisted Choices](https://www.trendhunter.com/protrends/weight-loss-medication-support) (Lifestyle) ## Trending in Business - [Performance-Based Creator Ads](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/creator-ad-platforms) - [MIami Pop-Culture Shirts](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/miami-pop-culture-shirts) - [Natural Deodorant Expansions](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/target-beauty-studios) - [Mini Beauty Stores](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/little-luxuries-store) All articles: [Business](https://www.trendhunter.com/business)