‘Love of our Brand’ Prompts Ninja’s Choice of a Micro-Influencer for its Smoothie Bowl Sommelier

[Editor’s Note: The pandemic has compelled creativity. There are few better examples than the Changs, an octogenarian couple who pose in clothes unclaimed from their Taiwan dry cleaning establishment. The Changs now star in Red Wing Shoes’ first global campaign. They’ve amassed nearly 700,000 followers and are debuting a clothing line, reminiscent of the colorful outfits they model on Instagram.

Creativity and authenticity also are at the heart of Ninja’s social media search for a Smoothie Bowl Sommelier. After a nationwide search in late January, Ninja chose Gillean Barkyoumb, a registered dietician with 8,000 followers on Instagram. She’ll make $25,000 for the two-month stint.

We asked Sasha Hartman, SVP, director, global creative and digital at SharkNinja, about why Ninja chose a micro-influencer and specifically Barkyoumb. Her answers were edited for space and clarity.]

PRNEWS: We know Ninja mostly from infomercials. Why enlist a social media influencer?

Sasha Hartman:At its core, an informercial is about demonstrating how a product solves a consumer pain point.