Chantal Rochelle, Jazmine Robinson & Loren Lott: Strive for Friendships Not Virality

Virality lasts a second, friendships last a lifetime. 

Sure, marketers and creators alike want the views and engagement that virality can bring. But being able to truly “influence” an audience is the real end goal. 

During this episode of the Fast Traack, Chantal Rochelle, Director of Influencer Marketing at Warner Bros. Pictures, and her long-time creator partners, Jazmine Robinson and Loren Lott, discuss the strategies brands and creators can use for crafting audience-driven content that truly resonates with your audience. 

During the conversation, Chantal, Jazmine and Loren also share:

• Actionable advice for “making it” in the creator industry while staying true to yourself
• The ingredients to making “sticky” content that keeps your audience coming back for more
• How to avoid creative burnout and maintain your creative spark

Keep up to date on what’s happening in the influencer marketing industry by following Traackr on social.

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• TikTok

Have a question for us? Email ft@traackr.com.

Transcript

Chantal Rochelle, Jazmine Robinson & Loren Lott: Strive for Friendships Not Virality

Taylor Rodriguez:

You're listening to The Fast Track podcast. Hear the stories, strategies, and insights for the change makers in the creator industry. I'm Taylor Rodriguez, global head of Customer Success at Traackr, and I'm back with another great episode of The Fast Track.

And let me re-emphasize that today's episode is such a good one. I had the honor of sitting down with three amazing women in the creator industry, Chantal Rochelle, who is the director of Influencer Marketing at Warner Bros. Pictures; Jasmine Robinson, who is a music artist, actress, and content creator; and her bestie, Loren Lott, who's a TV and film actress as well as content creator.

What I love most about this conversation is how all of them clearly have such a strong mutual respect for one another. While you certainly cannot have every creator and brand relationship feel like theirs, it's something every marketer and creator should be striving for. So with that, let's jump into the conversation. Enjoy.

Thank you all for coming on The Fast Track podcast. We're so excited to have you here. Now, I know that you guys know each other well, but our audience might not know you. So, I'd like to start with some introductions to get the backstory of how you all started working together.

Chantal, let's start with you. Can you please share a little bit about your journey to becoming the director of Influencer Marketing at Warner Bros.?

Chantal Rochelle:

Sure. First and foremost, thank you so much for having me. Excited to be here chatting with you all. First and foremost, I've always had a deep passion for storytelling. And I'd say, over the years, I've had the opportunity to work in a variety of roles. I like to say I've had nine lives because I've done everything in this industry, from the marketing and entertainment industries. I started out in traditional PR, and gradually moved into creative production in film and TV. Making that transition into digital marketing, I just saw how powerful social media influencer collaborations could be, for both brands and creators. I've always been enamored by the way that creators specifically hone in on their power, and harness their power.

My role, specifically, at Warner Bros. Has been, specifically, to have that natural progression in a lot of ways, between the merge of my love for film with my expertise in digital marketing. One of my favorite things to do is engage and inspire when it comes to specific innovative ways to push the needle when it comes to campaigns. So, for me, having awesome humans, like Jasmine and Loren, who are creators that I admire and saw from afar. I was like, "Okay, these are two dope as hell girls who are really moving the needle." I just think over my career, I've just been very enamored with seeing really dope people, and making connections happen. I would just say my passion for storytelling, with my desire for connecting dope people with dope opportunities, is what led me to where I'm today.

Taylor Rodriguez:

Amazing. This is a good intro to our two other guests. Chantal, can you tell us how you started working with Jasmine and Loren?

Chantal Rochelle:

See, I first started seeing Loren. I think I saw Loren on a soap opera she was in, and I was like, "Wow, this girl is gorgeous." And then I saw Jasmine.

Taylor Rodriguez:

Stunning.

Chantal Rochelle:

That, like, stunning. Are we serious?

Jasmine Robinson:

Chantal, I know.

Chantal Rochelle:

I was like, "Whoa, who is this?" Then I started seeing Jasmine on social, and I remember being like, "Okay, wait. These two know each other?" Their energy and their synergy was just so beautiful. I've told them this numerous times, but they just have this magnetic aura about them that really makes it easy to just fall in love with them as humans. I just saw this, their approach to authenticity over time, and so we just naturally began just having synergy.

I just remember from Warner Brothers, inviting them to a couple of our premieres. I know one of them was Wonka, and a few of... I think you guys have been to a bunch of our premieres, but I know I just wanted their personality and their charisma on our carpets and a part of our collaborations.

And so, one of the specific things about both of them, Jasmine's ability to connect with her audience on a deep, personal level and understanding her training in dance and singing because she's a student of the craft. Seeing someone like Loren, whose creative vision makes her just excel from being an actress in her vocal range. You have them being these multifaceted, multi-hyphenate creatives. It doesn't come from just, okay, they're creators. They woke up one day. These are students of the craft. So, it's just been an amazing opportunity to be able to work with them in any capacity.

Taylor Rodriguez:

I love it.

Loren Lott:

Chantal, you better eat. 

Jasmine Robinson:

Do we need to speak?

Loren Lott:

Oh, my gosh.

Jasmine Robinson:

No. We'll go home now. Oh, but sheesh. Sheesh.

Loren Lott:

Oh, my gosh. Oh, my gosh.

Taylor Rodriguez:

But we need to hear it from you, ladies. So, Jasmine and Loren, let's turn it over to you. Can you please introduce yourself to our audience? And can you tell us just a little bit about how you use social media to accelerate your careers?

Loren Lott:

Yeah. Well, I'm Loren.

Jasmine Robinson:

And I'm Jasmine.

Loren Lott:

I would say, maybe, over 10 years ago, I started realizing that the internet was turning into something that was different, and it was something that few people were going to be able to capitalize off of. I was like, "Something is happening here." And I was trying to get people on board because at the time, we weren't making money. I felt like people weren't... We didn't have influencers. You just had people on here or like YouTubers. But I was like, "Something bigger is happening here. Can somebody join in with me?" I tried to get a boyfriend or just somebody to build something with because I saw this was a platform that we were going to be able to build from. People are going to become millionaires here, and people just didn't get it.

But from there, I really started to grow on social media, after I was on American Idol. I started sharing my behind-the-scenes journey there, but really, when I was on Broadway, I was a swing, which means you understudy six parts. So, at any day, you get a call, like, "Hey," I'm going to go on today as the star, or I'm going to be the smallest character in the show. And it was a lot of stress, but people loved following that journey, so I would share my day views. So, every time I went on for somebody new, I would show the entire journey of becoming this new character, and my jitters, how nervous I was backstage. And what was cool was the people who were actually in the audience got a chance to go home and then watch what was actually happening when they thought they were just seeing a show.

And then from showing that side, I was able to grow and grow. And then I was also doing movies and TV shows. So, I was showing the behind the scenes of like, "This is life on set. This is what I'm doing, and then this is it on screen." And I think that showing both sides is what started attracting more of my audience and what helped me to get where I am today. And then I attached, like a leach, to my bestie because I wanted a partner, and she was perfect. We both wanted the same thing. So, you can go ahead and share.

Jasmine Robinson:

Yeah.

Loren Lott:

Yeah, yeah.

Jasmine Robinson:

I will say, I was fortunate to have a mom who recorded everything. I had one of those moms who were just like, "Go, baby." And she would start putting my videos on YouTube in the early stages, and slowly it gained traction, I mean, from my dance classes to my vocal lessons. She would put me in a bunch of things that I was interested in, and then I would perform around Atlanta. And eventually I got a lot of opportunities to dance and tour. So, from touring, I would say that's when I really was like, "Oh, snap. This is happening." I was background dancing for arena tours, and my dreams were inflating.

Eventually my last stop was in L.A. I'm condensing it. But my last stop was in L.A., and I was like, "I want to be here." I had already met Loren.

Loren Lott:

We had filmed a movie together back in the day, so we were cool. We'd see each other at auditions, and we were cool.

Jasmine Robinson:

And she was in one of my music videos, as well. So, I was just so excited to have a friend in L.A., and I text her. I was like, "Hey, can I stay with you for a month?" And she was like, "No." And I was like, "That's okay."

Loren Lott:

That's crazy. I know.

Jasmine Robinson:

I had never been on my own before. Again, my dreams were inflating. My faith was growing. All these things were happening. So, I couldn't really understand what was appropriate to ask, but she was like, "You could stay for a week or two." And I was like, "Okay, I'll take it." And I came, and we fell in love.

Loren Lott:

Deeply.

Loren Lott:

No. I knew. You know what? I knew. I took her to... At the time, I was on The Young and the Restless, and my publicist was sending me to so many events. And I would go by myself, or my publicist would go and take me and then leave. I would just be at these events by myself, and I was used to it, but I was like, "Can I take a plus one?" I never had a plus one to bring. And I took her one time, and it was so fun.

And she was very interesting because she would not... She's a full star, but she would lean back and just let me do things. And I was like, "No, no, no. Come on. We're going to walk together."

Jasmine Robinson:

I didn't know what was appropriate.

Loren Lott:

We're going to walk the carpet together.

Jasmine Robinson:

And someone, who had been many different things in entertainment, the background dancer, the singer, the lead, the...

Taylor Rodriguez:

Right.

Jasmine Robinson:

You know what I mean? I just wanted to have her moment. And I was in a moment in my life where I wanted to be the friend that I wanted. So, I wanted her to be able to shine, but she was also matching my energy of like, "No, we could shine together."

So, we would start going to carpets, and she'd be like, "Come on the carpet with me." And I was like-

Loren Lott:

I was like, "We need to get you on Getty Images."

Jasmine Robinson:

And I was like, "Okay." We started collecting these like Pokemon cards.

Loren Lott:

Yeah. No, we were learning. We were learning together. And really, we were just having so much fun. We're in love now.

Taylor Rodriguez:

That was it. So, a match made in heaven.

Jasmine Robinson:

Pretty much.

Taylor Rodriguez:

That is amazing.

Jasmine Robinson:

I packed my thing and I moved to Los Angeles.

Taylor Rodriguez:

And how long did you end up staying in the apartment?

Loren Lott:

She never left.

Jasmine Robinson:

I stayed for the two weeks, and then I went back to Atlanta. I grabbed my car, and I came back and found an apartment, and my whole life changed for the better.

Loren Lott:

It's amazing.

Jasmine Robinson:

For sure.

Loren Lott:

It's amazing.

Taylor Rodriguez:

It was like it was meant to be. That's such a wonderful story. I love it.

Obviously social media and entertainment is a little bit of a crazy industry to navigate. I'd love to hear everyone's thoughts on what is needed to actually make it in the creator industry. Chantal, let's start with you. What do you think is needed to make it?

Chantal Rochelle:

That's a great question. I think for anyone starting out, my biggest piece of advice is to stay curious and always be willing to learn. Always be willing to be a student because as long as you have breath in your body, you'll forever be doing that. I think the creator economy and marketing landscape is evolving very quickly, so staying adaptable is key for those who are transitioning roles, so if you're doing creative production and you're wanting to do content creation.

And think about how those skill sets play into one another. How can they help you exceed in your next role? How can they help you exceed in moving into influencer marketing, for example? Understanding what it's like to be a creator can be a huge asset in building authentic partnerships. I think what we're seeing, a lot of times, in creators when it comes to merch, when it comes to getting equity in their businesses and starting their own influencer agencies. And we're seeing that autonomy taking front and center here. I think it's really, really important.

So, I say just stay curious and stay adaptable, and things are going to be ever evolving. I'd say what we saw four or five years ago from TikTok announcing the people who were leading the way, you have people like Tabitha Brown, who started off giving inspirational quotes and inspirational moments on TikTok, now having a full line on target, and all from her authenticity and being adaptable and listening to her audience, and her audience trusting her. I just think just stay curious. Always know that you're forever going to be learning, always. That's my advice.

Taylor Rodriguez:

And Jasmine and Loren what about you guys?

Jasmine Robinson:

I would piggyback off of that and in this context of which I engulfed myself into content creation. I was coming from Atlanta. I had been performing as a music artist, releasing music. I was acting, but content creating was a whole nother industry. And when I started collaborating, that's what I would say, I would say be able to convert and be able to collab. Because when I came here, and Loren was like, "Oh, there's this new thing, this new app that Musical.ly used to have. It's called TikTok now, though." And I was like, "Oh, okay." And we would make videos, and they would start going viral on her page. Eventually I was like, "What's it called? Let me download this app."

But having the tools that I had, I really did have the skills, but being able and willing and open to convert these skills into videos online, for this reason, in this format, that definitely was a shift for me. So, I think the advice I would give is be willing to convert. I always say, like, "We're all selling water. It's just about how you package it." And be willing to collaborate with people because that's really going to get you ahead faster than most.

Loren Lott:

I would say, also, one thing that has really worked for me... Every video is not going to go viral, and that's okay. I think the real goal should be to have people want to be your friend. Have people want to be your best friend because then they'll want to support, they'll want to follow the journey. So, even if the video is getting maybe 30 to 60,000 views, and you're used to a million, that's the 30 to 60,000 people who are actually going to pay for things, who will actually support you when you're doing something.

So, I think the goal, sometimes... Especially when you're starting out, you want so many viral moments. Especially if you start out with a lot of viral moments, it's just like you are hungry for it, and it becomes kind of a drug of just like, "Go viral. Go viral." And then when you don't, it constantly feels like you're failing or constantly playing this game with the algorithm. If you just focus on building a friendship with the other side of the internet, then even if it's a few people, at least it's real and authentic, and those are the people. And then the more friendships that you're building, the more real your audience will be.

So, then you'll end up being one of those people like Tabitha Brown. Because Tabitha Brown, she has millions of friendships. You want to be her friend. I mean, and I actually love Tabitha. That was a really good call. But one advice that she actually gave me was she was like, "Root things in love and find something that is universal, because even without a language, you can connect to people with food and with love," which is the base of her platform. I took that and decided the base of my platform would be friendship.

Taylor Rodriguez:

That's amazing because it's like you showed everyone all of the behind the scenes, and so it's like they're not just seeing the videos of you doing the thing, they're actually getting to know a part of the process and your journey. That probably makes you feel so relatable.

Chantal Rochelle:

One thing that I'll just jump in here and say, Loren, you inspired one of the things I also was thinking of, just being a good human, just be... People talk in this industry. How you treat people, how you treat yourself, how you show up in the world, how you show up for others, that goes a long way. And when I say people talk in this industry, people talk. So, from a creator to a marketer, how you are, your reputation precedes you, and so how you treat humans and be a good human.

We can use Tabitha Brown all day long. She's been one of those people I mentioned because she walks the walk. She talks the talk. She is an amazing human being. That's why it's easy to work with people like her. It's easy to work with people like Jasmine and Loren because they're going to be the most professionals while also being awesome humans. I stress that because that goes a very long way in this industry.

Taylor Rodriguez:

Yeah, I couldn't agree more. And I mean it. That's probably how you've been able to build such strong trust with one another because you guys deliver on what you say you'll do, and you follow through. It's a skill and a value that cannot be understated.

Loren Lott:

No, it's really special. Chantal does in Hollywood talk, so that's really nice. If she says, like, "Oh, I'm going to connect you." "Oh, I'm going to have you here. Oh, here's a campaign that's coming," so many people do that, but she actually follows through.

And then another thing that we used to see was that, at premieres, she would really have the celebrity's back. Yes, she was over here looking out for us, but we would watch her making sure that whoever the actor was in the movie, she'd be walking them around and having their back without making the creator, also who is there, maybe feel smaller, the guest not feel like they're... like they're important, and that was really special. For me, I know we'd leave and be like, "Our goal is to be on that side." Because right now, we go to a lot of premieres, and maybe as actresses, maybe as creators. I don't ever really know. But the goal is to have that giant premiere and then have Chantal walking us around.

Taylor Rodriguez:

Because she's a professional. She knows.

Loren Lott:

She's that girl. She's that girl.

Chantal Rochelle:

That's another thing. Yeah, thank you.

First and foremost, I just like taking care of people because it's like, I know what it's like to have people dismiss you or make you feel like you're less than. And those people who you were dismissing two days ago, a year from now could be the hottest thing in Hollywood. So I'm just saying, watch how you treat people. 

Taylor Rodriguez:

Definitely couldn't agree more. I guess, let's talk a little bit about creativity and some of the ways that you guys think about creativity and manage creativity because it's super important, and obviously it's core to what all of us do. One of the challenges that we hear from both creators and marketers is that there's a lot of different perspectives about it. And from the marketer side, obviously you don't want to be so stiff that you're putting creators in a box or not giving the creator the space to actually make the content that they would naturally create. But ultimately, you're also working against KPIs. You have marketing goals. You have things that you're trying to achieve. You've got campaigns that you're trying to deliver.

And on the creator side, obviously you want to be a great partner to the brand. You want to deliver great content, but not every single piece of content is going to go viral. I hear it all the time with brands saying, "Hey, how do we make this piece of content go viral?" That's just not the way that it works. So Chantal, what does it actually mean to give creative freedom to partners like Loren and Jasmine?

Chantal Rochelle:

First of all, that's a good question, great question. I think giving creative freedom means trusting the creators to bring their own voice perspective and personality into the campaign. You reached out to them for a reason, so trust them with that. Trust.

As a marketer, it's my job to ensure that the brand's key messages and all of those things are communicated. But at the same time, that doesn't mean restricting the creator's voice and their creative process. If I'm coming to Jasmine and Loren, I know, and I see, and I know what their content pieces are, what their goals are, what they're looking to have, having conversations with them. I'm not going to come to them, something that's like, first of all, not in their voice, or doesn't make sense for them, or doesn't... It's like, just learn and understand the creators you're working with.

I always tell creators or people I'm working with, we have brand guidelines, but you know your audience better than anyone else. Let's work to make sure the message, it resonates authentically. But at the same time, let's balance what comes from clear communication when it comes to deliverables because I never want it to get to a place where it's like, "Okay, I delivered this, and is you're not satisfied as a brand, so what went wrong?" It's like, we should have solidified this and established this from a jump because you should know the creator before reaching out as a brand.

One of my non-negotiables is like, we should never get to the end of a campaign and be like, "Oh, okay. Where did this go wrong?" It's like, no, you had Ts to cross and Is to dot, initially. So, when you're balancing KPIs, it's like, do your homework. Do your homework. Make sure that when you're reaching out, you're saying, "Give creative freedom," actually give that creator that and make sure that your brand guidelines and all those things are crossed and dotted. But at the same time, trust that the creator that you're working with and that you put your trust in knows what they're doing

.

Taylor Rodriguez:

Yeah. And do you share your brand guidelines in advance with creators?

Chantal Rochelle:

We do. We give talking points. We'll give, like if it is what kind of outline, what the concept looks like, we usually do creative briefs. We usually do like making sure that you're well versed. And if you're not well versed, hey, ask questions.

That's one of the things that I'm very adamant about is like, if there is a movie campaign, and at the end of the day, the industry I work in is very straightforward selling movie tickets, getting butts in seats and making people fall in love with storytelling. Right?

So, for me, as a huge movie lover and a movie buff, if I know I'm not going to go watch this movie, how am I going to go market this movie? How can I get little treasure chest in my head and be like, "Yeah." How will I get people to get there?

Of being authentic and being as real as possible, if you know something is not resonating, what have you, just talk to the creator about it. They know their audience. They know their audience... ever will. So, just trusting that if you're working on something…

I remember when we did Barbie working with so many really dope creators and having them showcasing... Like, pink was everywhere. I was dreaming pink. I would wake up and I'd be like, "Oh, my goodness." I'd feel like I was in Barbie land my damn self.

Working with so many unique creators in that campaign was an opportunity for us to be like, "We know this is a beloved IP, but at the same time, we're giving creators autonomy to whatever that looks like for them to really push our title forward." So, after you pass that baton, trust them with it.

Taylor Rodriguez:

Yeah. That's great advice. Yeah, I think a lot of brands struggle with that, though, to be honest. That's why it's a really important question. I think, if you're looking to find really great and strong partnerships with creators, then there does need to be that level of trust because I think, probably from the creator side... And Jasmine and Loren, we're going to pass it over to you, but I think probably as a creator, you know your audience super well. And obviously your audience is going to know if the content that you're creating is not actually normal content that you would create. Your audience can sniff that out so quickly.

So, Loren and Jasmine, tell us about like, what's your thought process behind creating content that will feel like it can land authentically with your audience?

Loren Lott:

Yes, you do know your audience, but the reality is, whether your audience likes it or not, a lot of times, with ads, you're in a game against the algorithm. That's whether the algorithm is going to be in your favor of like... Because you will try your best to make the content that you make, that is like, this content usually hits.

And I will say, now I've done so many deals and ads, and I can tell you, sometimes it hits and the ad actually pops off your regular content, and then sometimes it just doesn't. And there is no... I mean there really isn't a formula with that, but when it does, it's like, "Yay. Hey, I did it. I did it." And then when it doesn't, it's like, "I don't know what to tell you because this usually does work on my page. This is just..."

And I know that's a fight with the algorithm. Sometimes they'll show an ad, and then other times you'll just be in a fight. You really just try to do your best and stay authentic to what your content is. With the algorithm, there are no guarantees. You just try to do…

And what you're really trying to do... And because I've also just accepted that your ads won't do as well as your other content. So, what I try to do is just make sure that it's always just sellable. If this can get a few people to buy some tickets, buy the product, buy whatever it is, I just try to make the best commercial, whether it performs crazy or not. Even if it only reaches maybe 30,000 people, I know at least 10 are actually going to go and click the link and do something, which is still going to be profitable for the bread.

Taylor Rodriguez:

Quick question, just before I pass it over. Do you see a difference between ad content that you're creating that's boosted versus non-boosted, or you feel the same about both?

Loren Lott:

Boosted. Absolutely. I have found that... If you make your content similar to how you normally do it, when it's boosted, the insights actually match kind of your others. 

The engagement will be what your regular post would be. It'll just be boosted. I had done this deal with stars, and I did the video based off of how I would normally do, like show my personality and all of this, and I realized versus some ads, you're going to get 10 comments, but it'll have like 3 million views after they boosted it. It was like people were actually watching the post. It was as if they didn't realize that it was an ad that ended up on their page. That was how the engagement was going and how people were commenting about my makeup or just as if it was regular. And that's always the goal is to make it a real commercial that you would do.

Jasmine Robinson:

Also, the idea of promoting on platforms are these platforms are a business anyways. So they're trying to get you to expense more on their platforms from a brand perspective.

So, if I'm posting an ad, and you're running budget towards this ad, the stickiness factor is there, which is I feel like our job is to make it sticky. And the exposure, sometimes it is that expense and budget that really does propel it, because it's going to stick. But when you do frame it in, this is an ad, hashtag ad, it lets the platform know like, "Oh, money's about to be being spent." I think it's a little signal. So, I think it is always important really to expense a little to just push that ad, especially if you know it's a good one.

Loren Lott:

Yeah. Yeah, put a little something behind it. It's going to do us both a favor.

Taylor Rodriguez:

How do you keep yourself from burning out from creating content? Content creation, I can't even imagine doing it because it's got to be so hard because not only do the platforms change, but the trends change. How do you keep yourself excited about the content that you're creating? And how do you make sure that you're always bringing your best in this evolving space?

Jasmine Robinson:

I would say collaborating, again, helps with-

Loren Lott:

Collaborating really helps with burnout. Because if I'm burned out, at least she's not. So, we can collab together.

I will say, I don't really burn out, but it's only because I've found a world that I can always do. I learned my lesson. I learned my lesson in 2021. I had had a lot of success during 2020 on the internet, like all the kids who hopped onto TikTok. And when I tell you I booked a TV show, and on this TV show, I was singing and dancing, which meant I was in rehearsals, which meant I didn't have any time. Because content creating is a full-time job. So, now the time that I used to have is gone, and I didn't prepare for this. I didn't prepare for being... At the time, I'm doing the old school. I'm going to post three times a day.

When I tell you, I was stressed, I was burnt out. I'm over here gaining followers, losing a bunch. Gain it. I was like, I'm never doing this again. What can I do that I can always do, that I can do when I'm asleep, that I can do when I'm filming three movies? What is content I can always make? So, I switched over to, what can you always do?

Because that's another thing that I learned. After doing this for... It might be 15 years in. I don't know. But after doing this for a really long time, I've seen so many people rise, and then I've seen so many people fall, and not fall in a bad way of like a scandal, but fall because-

Jasmine Robinson:

They're tired.

Loren Lott:

.... they're tired. That's because they were doing skits. They were doing something that needed full productions. They were doing big things.

And the concept, the writing, the something that takes that is a full-time job in itself. So, then when you have something else, whatever, and now you're discouraged because the views aren't the same, because you're not as consistent even though the product is still just as good. And that's when you start burning out also is when the views start changing, all of that. And people are just like, "Be consistent." It's hard to be consistent when three people are watching.

So, I learned to do something that I can always do. And the transition sometimes can be a little wonky when you're transitioning. Sometimes the views are going to be lower while you're doing a transition. So, just stick it out. That's where being really has to come in. Because eventually people will always catch on.

There's a girl named Tanner Adell who's an artist, and she has this song called Buckle Bunny, and she's really talented. I knew she was going to pop off. I knew it because she was making the same content, and it was good content. And I was watching. Her videos were getting a thousand views, something. Now all of her videos are 100K plus. She's performing everywhere. She's on her own headlining tour right now. But I knew because I was watching her do something that she could always do. She wasn't trying to keep up with everybody else.

She was staying in her own lane.

Jasmine Robinson:

It's important to be... I take this in life, but I always say, like, "It's important to be at a pace that you're graced for and that you can keep up with." Even there's certain content and there's certain modes that you're going to do for growth, and then there's certain things you're just going to do to be consistent and stay afloat. That's the pace of your business, of your content, of your life because this is like what we do in our life. And then there's certain modes when you do get inspired or you do get a spunk of energy, and then you're able to just grow and be aggressive, because it's an aggressive industry. So, I think just knowing which mode you're in, but also knowing there is a pace that you're graced for, and you have to make sure you stay in that rhythm of things.

Loren Lott:

Yeah, and don't get too excited when you're in that mode. That's like when you say, "Oh, I'll go to the party." And then the day of the party comes, and you're like, "I didn't have the energy for this party. But it seemed like I did."

I've definitely done that as well, where it's like I know now that I can't post every day. I shouldn't post every day. And then the seasons where I can, I can't keep up with that. And then it's actually doing me less of a favor because my algorithm is confused, and now my algorithm is showing that.

Chantal Rochelle:

I'll jump in. Sorry to cut you off, Loren. Your audience knows, too. They can sense it.

I'm a huge fan of Joanne the Scammer. There was a whole era of Joanne the Scammer of posts, and then she wasn't posting anymore. And people were like, "What happened?" Then she came out and said, "My mental health." People saw it. People were like, "Oh." You don't see them the same. People will... They sense it. Your audience knows you? That's another thing I wanted to mention. It's like, they pay attention. They're like, "Wait. You never post," or, "You seem different." They are paying attention. So, it's also trust your audience knows you, as well.

Loren Lott:

They do, yeah, very much.

Taylor Rodriguez:

It's so, so true. And I mean that. I think it brings the conversation back full circle that your audience, not only do they know you, but you've built that level of authenticity. They know what to expect from you. And when you're doing something that isn't normal, they can tell because they know you. They've built this relationship with you. So, such good advice.

Okay. So, we're going to move to some rapid fire questions, and I think the first one is a great one because we're sort of talking about some trends anyways. So, everyone, this is a question for everyone. What trend are you seeing right now that you think is too hyped?

Loren Lott:

Probably the suspect trend.

Jasmine Robinson:

Oh, yes. I love that trend.

Loren Lott:

I love that trend, but I only think it's too hyped because I can't think of anything to do it because I'm sensitive, so I feel left out. That's why I think it's too hyped.  You can do it, but Jasmine is very cutthroat. Every time we try to do one of those challenges she will actually do it and I will half seize. I'm way too soft for that kind of trend.

You remember that trend where you slap them out across the face? I was so gentle with her, and she was beating me. I'm like, "I can't do it. Because I don't want to suspect. I don't want to assault you." That one. We haven't done that one.

Taylor Rodriguez:

It's okay to skip out on some trends, so that's fine. That's the right one to skip out on.

Jasmine Robinson:

I'm with all the shenanigans. I don't think any of them are overhyped. I'm still saying things are demure and cutesy. I still want to know if I have 30 minutes. I'm here for all the shenanigans. I don't have one.

Loren Lott:

All of them are great right now.

Chantal Rochelle:

I am over the very demure and very mindful. I'm sorry, but I was like, I'm very ready for it to be ending. That's what I was ready for.

But as far as me, what I see trending right now, I think specifically AI-driven content is getting a lot of buzz right now.

I don't know if y'all are on your Instagram For You pages, but there are these weird AI creature things. It'll be food, and then it turns into random... It freaks me out, and I want to end immediately. And I would like that.

Loren Lott:

What's the word called for that? There's a word for when it's warping your sense of reality.

Jasmine Robinson:

I was looking through like an aesthetic page, and they were showing houses and stuff. I was like, "Oh, my gosh, these are beautiful houses." And then I looked and I was like, "Wait, the bathtub is next to the toilet. That's impossible. This is AI." And then I took a step back. I was like, "I don't like any of this." So, I will second that. Over it already.

Chantal Rochelle:

I can't stand it. I know it's important to remember that audiences crave authenticity. That's all great, but AI cannot replace genuine connection and authenticity. 

Jasmine Robinson:

It feels robotic.

Chantal Rochelle:

It feels robotic. And I'm just like, "Oh, why has it infiltrated?" I just saw... I want to see a cake video. Is it cake or not? And it turned into a marshmallow. I said, "Why am I here? Why am I with this?" That was irritating. That's what I think is too hyped is the AI.

Loren Lott:

Especially as actresses, it's very scary to be in an AI time.

Taylor Rodriguez:

I think so, too. I mean, I couldn't agree more. We're seeing it all over, and I feel like there's very mixed reviews, so it'll be interesting to see how it unfolds over the next couple of years.

But next rapid fire question. Chantal, if you were given a million dollars for your influencer marketing program, what would you be spending it on?

Chantal Rochelle:

Oh, I would be doing crazy stunts. It depends on the movie. I would be doing everything. I would be taking the Eiffel Tower and doing a fun, cool stunt, if it were... Depends on the movie.

Our brand partnership team does a really fantastic job in general, from the Airbnb Barbie House to turning the Louvre with Joker 2 into the Mona Lisa into a really fun smiley face. The activation team is brilliant.

If I had a million dollars, I would... First of all, I feel like Beyonce would be available for a million. I don't know if that's her fee, but I would just do a really dope collaboration with her because I feel like that's inevitable, so we might as well cut to the chase just because it's going to happen one day anyway. So, that's what I would do. I would just do a really fun stunt and make sure that we're getting really dope creators. And just like the sky is the limit. That's what I would do.

Taylor Rodriguez:

Hey, and with a budget like that, the sky is the limit. Bring me along so I can watch with you.

Chantal Rochelle:

Yes. I got you.

Taylor Rodriguez:

Okay, Jasmine and Lauren, so if a brand came knocking on your door, who would it be, and how would you want to work with them? Dream brand.

Jasmine Robinson:

Dream brand?

Taylor Rodriguez:

And just so you know we have asked this question in the past on the podcast, and it's come true. So, manifest it, girls.

Chantal Rochelle:

Can I say one that I think they would be so bad?

Taylor Rodriguez:

Yeah, of course.

Chantal Rochelle:

Nike. Cute apparel. Are you kidding me? I see it. You guys already wear the cute. I just see it.

Jasmine Robinson:

Now, last time I got a similar question. I said, Coach, a fashion brand that's killing it right now. They're being really innovative right now. They're on the up and up. But really any brand in that stratosphere that is just cool and on the higher end scale.

Loren Lott:

Delta, for me.

Taylor Rodriguez

She wants to be gifted a high end bag.

Loren Lott:

Delta Airlines.

Jasmine Robinson:

I want a campaign.

Loren Lott:

Yeah. No, yeah, Delta Airlines for me.

Jasmine Robinson:

Ooh.

Loren Lott:

Delta Airlines, they have so many things attached. They have Delta One. I would love to have a nice campaign with them and just continuously fly with them. They also sponsor a lot of things, so I feel like I'd be at concerts and just whatever as they're like, "Girl, the Olympics," the just whatever. Delta.

Jasmine Robinson:

I got it. I'll take back my Coach. American Express.

Loren Lott:

Woo.

Jasmine Robinson:

I've seen them do campaigns.

Loren Lott:

Woo.

Taylor Rodriguez:

Yeah.

Jasmine Robinson:

I've seen them do campaigns with a few creators.

Loren Lott:

Amex has Delta, too. Yeah.

Jasmine Robinson:

They do.

Jasmine Robinson:

They do do the concert things. They do, but I just feel like-

Loren Lott:

They do everything, and they're global.

Jasmine Robinson:

…traveling with my bestie. It could be spun so many different ways, so I'll put American Express.

Loren Lott:

Yeah, I love it.

Jasmine Robinson:

It is on my list of dream brands. Had to marinate for a second, but that's definitely it. 

Taylor Rodriguez:

Okay. Final question. This is for everyone. What's your main prediction for the creator industry in the next one to five years?

Chantal Rochelle:

I think the trend of creators diversifying their income streams will continue to grow, whether that's through... I mentioned earlier, merchandising partnerships or even owning equity in the projects they work on. And I think that the line between influencers and entrepreneurs will blur.

I also see brands really having more solidified like to creator-friendlies, the dedicated ones that they work with, and having more programs, like affiliate programs, things of that nature. I think that that will be the trend that we're seeing with brands that really making sure that they're staying in this really good flow with specific creators. So that's like, oh, when you see this, you're like, "Oh, okay. Yes. Of course, Jasmine is with Delta again. Okay. Of course, Loren and them doing a campaign with American Express." It's like it becomes brand recognition. I think that's what we'll start seeing more of.

Jasmine Robinson:

I second that for creators having more. Even recently, like Keke Palmer being the director of, I guess, marketing in a sense of Creme of Nature. They're putting people of influence in these different positions, even if it's for show or for real. But for them having just more of a stake in the company's campaigns' rollouts overall, I think that that's more of the direction and more of Loren and Jasmine doing things together.

Loren Lott:

Yeah. I see a graduation happening. Of all of the creators who are here right now, I see them going off and doing more entrepreneurial things, and then the next generation coming in. And I see that being the future of influencing in general, where it graduates, where it's like you start posting videos, you start doing brand partnerships. And after that, this level which might be owning a brand, something like that, and then moving into whatever that is. I see that as the new kind of format for content creation.

Because right now it's like you can just create content forever, work with brands forever. That can be a place where you fall. But I think I'm noticing that a lot of the past creators, like the Jackie Ainas and even the Liza Koshy's, where it's like they all started with this kind of thing, and then they branch off into brand partnerships, and they branch off into whatever that is. Which is which for Liza became the acting world, and then for Jackie became the entrepreneurial world of having her perfume line and doing that. I see that being a norm, like that being what's expected after.

Jasmine Robinson:

I always say, too, social media is like a reality show. So whatever products you're going to sell, whatever activity you're going to be, you can't necessarily land on a reality show for all of your life. Some people do, but so the idea is to get on there, sell it, you know, expose yourself and then graduate.

Loren Lott:

And then graduate. But a lot of people, that's not really the trend just yet, but I feel like that'll start being the trend of that's what everybody's going to start seeking.

Taylor Rodriguez:

Yeah. I love it. I love it. Well, ladies, it has been an absolute pleasure. Thank you for spending time with me today. Your fun dynamic, smart, amazing, so I know our audience is absolutely going to love it. So, thank you and hope to see you soon.

Thanks for listening to this episode of The Fast Track. I hope you enjoyed the conversation as much as I did. If you did, in fact, enjoy this episode, brighten someone's day by sharing this episode with a friend. And if you want to keep up to date on what's happening in the influencer marketing industry, follow Traackr on social. That's at T-R-A-A-C-K-R on any social platform. We're always sharing fresh insights and hosting exciting events aimed at connecting marketers and creators. Thanks again and see you next time.

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