Food campaigns and content have won over consumers more than any other vertical in the run up to King Charles’ coronation on May 6th.
The top 25 influencer best performing posts from the past three weeks have detailed recipes and celebration feast ideas and on average achieved an engagement rate of 2.5%. While some have earnestly looked forward to the crowning of King Charles, others have been more tongue-in-cheek. A special nod to Waitrose, which has managed to connect with numerous creators and told coronation food stories that have truly resonated with their individual audiences.
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Stand out brand work from the most engaging influencer posts include Katie Pix‘s playful Reel for Waitrose, Martha Collison’s Crown Scones recipe which is part of the royal family’s official coronation party toolkit and Cathryn Wood’s rainbow cake hack for the Rainbow Trust. On the organic front, Thomas Straker’s coronation chicken skin butter has been a hit with monarchists and republicans, as has a vegan Battenberg recipe by Holly Jade.
The coronation has also sparked conversations about the traditions of the monarchy and the institution itself. While Dr Shola Los-Shogbamimu opined that the royal family is simply not an inclusive institution, TikToker Kazascoot captured the feelings of many on the subject of allegiance with this video. Grace Long went viral with this satirical skit and Amreen Gill summed up the confusion of many people outside of the UK on why taxpayers are paying for the coronation during a cost of living crisis.
@gdiddlydog cannot wait! 😍🇬🇧👑 #fyp #coronationofkingcharles #brexitmeansbrexit🍻🍻🇬🇧🇬🇧 #kingcharles #gdiddlydog
However, the most surprising highly engaging discussion started via a post by broadcaster and entrepreneur Ateh Jewel. She noted that she believes Sarah Ferguson, Duchess of York, should be allowed to attend the coronation with the royal family. After all, her daughters and grandchildren will be there and she has been nothing but loyal to her disgraced former husband, Prince Andrew. This sparked an in-depth and heartfelt discussion about the social impact of divorce on women. If you want to get sucked into one piece of content about the coronation, this is it – read the whole thing.
The biggest takeaway from reviewing influencer coronation content – both organic and sponsored – is that we as a nation are not quite sure how to feel about this event. We’re not quite sure if it’s right to celebrate or be annoyed or be completely ambivalent and just take the day off. But wherever consumers fall on the spectrum from royal mad to republican, influencer content is giving them a chance to discuss their views and get involved. It proves that for businesses tapping into topical marketing moments, a multitude of storytellers are necessary and the only way to connect with people across their consumer base, no matter what their views.
By Sara McCorquodale, CEO and founder of CORQ. Get CORQ’s Voice Note on influencers and King Charles’ coronation here.
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