Federal government leans on influencers to reach Canadians

In the golden age of social media, influencers in Canada are getting a sneak peek at federal budget numbers like it’s a limited-time sneaker drop.

Driving the news: The federal government has spent $1.7 million on influencer marketing campaigns over the last three years, according to The Canadian Press, promoting everything from health resources to ice carving competitions to the Canadian film industry.

• Local influencers have been paid to take staycations in Saskatoon, while Dragon’s Den stars Michele Romanow and Nicolas Duvernois were enlisted to run Export Development Canada’s $120,000 ad campaign centred on Canadian businesses.

Why it matters: With nearly a quarter of Canadians now using social media as a primary information source, influencer partnerships are an effective way of reaching people, especially youngsters, through the personalities they already interact with and often trust.

Zoom out: Countries like the US, the UK, and Singapore are leaning into similar strategies, especially when it comes to trying to combat disinformation. The White House has even started giving influencers press briefings on subjects like the war in Ukraine.

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