How much do joint posts boost video engagement, and why?

The components involved in delivering the partnership, such as timing of release, choice of media or platform and the message carried, can be just as important as the ambassador that fronts the campaign.

Going the distance 

On Instagram, Wagamama enlisted the help of prominent YouTuber Niko Omilana to launch its new ‘Noodle Union’ giveaway. Choosing a YouTube star appeals to younger audiences, who in the film are urged to like the campaign and post an image of themselves with a chance to win free meals.

The response was overwhelming and saw the Instagram video engagement needle swing dramatically upwards.

Reactions per 1k followers is a valuable metric for engagement, and Wagamama’s previous video post achieved around 0.62. Two weeks later, as the ‘Noodle Union’ launched, reactions per 1k followers ballooned to around 514, an uptick of over 80,000%. The video garnered over 129k likes and surpassed fashion powerhouse Burberry for the week to take the top spot for most likes on any one video post.  It also boosted Wagamama’s average likes per post from 800 to 13k.

The scope of Wagamama’s success can also be measured through the impact on its following.

Between weeks 10 and 11, when the video launched, Wagamama’s follower trend spiked. Both metrics mark this campaign as a great example of the power in aligning a spokesperson with the brand's offering and audience.

Often, partnerships are a one-time association. British Airways recently spotlighted Lewis Capaldi's turn as in-flight cabin crew to the bewilderment of passengers. And while that video drew higher than average Instagram engagement for the brand, it was by no means a knock out. The off the cuff virality of the incident did mean more engagement on other media platforms, but it seems clear this was more stunt than strategy.

Luxury brands like Burberry tend to enlist personalities with a long-term ambassadorial role in mind with the potential to expand the brands’ profile among other audiences.

Expanding into other sectors

South Korean and Tottenham football star Son Heung-min became one of the faces of Burberry’s Big Wipe and Rebrand. Burberry's average likes per LinkedIn video before it began leaning into its joint post approach sat at around 22k. From week 11, average likes skyrocketed to almost 360k, a staggering increase of just over 1,500%.

Tying the aspirational element of luxury to elite sport makes sense. Aston Martin have done the same by folding driver Lance Stroll into a small part of its recent video campaigns, in anticipation of the launch of the DB12. That strategy has secured a 27% increase in likes between Q1 and Q2.

For Burberry, choosing Son Heung-min not only provides the brand access to a further 12 million eyeballs via his Instagram following, it increases its visibility among Asian audiences and markets. This, timed perfectly with the launch of Burberry’s new Equestrian Knight logo and online approach, mean it functions as a powerful collaboration.

The right stuff

Not for profit War Child UK collaborated with Emmy winning actor Gillian Anderson on a video for its appeal to mark the one-year anniversary of the war in Ukraine.

Working with the correct collaborator carries not only the brand’s direct appeal but also the emotional heft of that message. Average likes were multiplied by a factor of 8, from around 4.5k prior to the new video to over 35k now, a swing of over 700%. Recent times have seen a renaissance in Anderson’s work. Popular coming of age drama series Sex Education is aimed at, and adopted by, predominantly younger audiences, while others might remember her as Agent Scully.

For War Child UK, a combination of these two points may account for the video's remarkable drive in uptake. The sudden rise in engagement also encapsulates the wider case being emphasised throughout this exploration of joint post strategies: Success consistently comes from the right brand choosing the right delegate at the right time.

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