News UK Launches Influencer-based Trend Forecasting Agency

News UK, the publisher of British newspapers The Sun, The Times and The Sunday Times, has launched an influencer marketing agency called The Fifth, which will combine verified audience data with storytelling creativity, studio production and trend forecasting.

Founded and led by Oliver Lewis (pictured), the group's former Director of Digital Strategy and Partnerships, London-based The Fifth aims to spot cultural trends in real-time and build connections with the individuals or tribes defining them. In addition, the agency claims to only 'measure and report true reach', saying it believes that follower reach is a vanity metric that hides the real story.

Rather than segmenting by micro, macro and celebrity categories, The Fifth defines influencers by what it calls the 'nine faces of influence', to help brands connect with credible storytellers who resonate with their target audience. These 'faces' are: The Artist, The Humourist, The Collective, The Enthusiast, The Tastemaker, The Journalist, The Expert, The Host, and The Cosmopolitan.

The new agency is supported by a partnership with intelligence platform CORQ, which combines journalistic insight and analysis. Commenting on the launch, Lewis said: 'The Fifth helps brands elevate influencer marketing into multi-channel campaigns. We believe in a human-first approach to talent identification. We immerse ourselves in cultural trends and we build connections with the tribes defining them to help brands join the conversation at the right time and in the most genuine way.'

Web site: www.fifth.co .

All articles 2006-23 written and edited by Mel Crowther and/or Nick Thomas, 2024- by Nick Thomas, unless otherwise stated.