Komodo began as a small company called FLOWTS, but a pivotal 2016 influencer trip to Bali shifted its trajectory. Initially using models for shoots, the team recognised the power of influencer collaborations and began crafting high-impact campaigns. This led to a new strategic direction and transformed Komodo into the leading agency for influencer trips.
For co-founder Joe Ellyatt, the key to a successful trip lies in the experience created for influencers. “Our brand activations are like press trips on steroids,” he says. “There’s a lot of strategic thinking behind every element.”
Komodo goes beyond fulfilling contractual deliverables to ensure all influencer content will engage their followers and signal a believable connection with the brand. “Audiences have become a lot more savvy, so if we can craft an experience that people genuinely enjoy, brands will receive a lot more coverage. That makes a massive difference to your return on investment.”
How to create an experience that delivers maximum coverage
One of Ellyatt’s proudest moments was in March when Komodo orchestrated a press trip for luxury perfume brand Penhaligon’s to launch its new fragrance.
Against the backdrop of Saudi Arabia’s ancient city of AlUla, 30 influencers from ten countries created visually spectacular content. Talent included Ryan Corr, Marvin Brooks, William Goodge and Alicia Breuer and the campaign generated more than £1 million in earned media value (EMV). The real-life impact? Penhaligon’s new fragrance became one of its top global bestsellers.
“Our mantra is ‘never do normal,’” says Ellyatt. “To cut through the noise on social, we need to do things differently and embrace our quirks.” With that said, he acknowledges that innovation doesn’t always mean starting from scratch. Sometimes it’s about elevating simple concepts, like tablescaping, to create something so eye-catching that it’s worth sharing.
A prime example of this was during the Penhaligon’s trip, where Komodo transformed the roof of the Maraya Concert Hall in the Saudi desert into a mirrored dinner table setting. The purpose of this creative is to drive more coverage for the client. “We want people to reach for their phones and take pictures when they don’t need to,” Ellyatt explains.
Reflecting on the agency’s early aspirations, he shares that Adidas and L’Oréal were at the top of Komodo’s vision board. “Adidas was a dream client, and now we have them as a retained partner,” he says. Similarly, Komodo recently completed its first projects with L’Oréal, bringing another long-held goal to fruition.
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The team carefully selects destinations, accommodations and itineraries to meet each brand’s needs, staying current with new openings and seasonal challenges. Equally important is choosing influencers who align with the brand’s values. Nailing every part of this is essential to maximise coverage for clients. Komodo also tries to mitigate the risk of negative sentiment through extensive market research and testing ideas with a broad audience to avoid any potential backlash.
The future of influencer press trips
As Ellyatt notes, there is currently a “huge appetite” for in-person experiential activations. International travel is back on the agenda after Covid and there has also been a notable rise in staycations and larger-scale events in major cities, offering both sustainable and logistically feasible alternatives.
Looking ahead, Ellyatt forecasts destinations such as Mykonos in Greece will remain popular alongside a growing desire to explore less obvious locations with influencer content. “Destinations themselves are now recognising the value that influencer activations bring,” he says. “I predict we will continue to see collaborations between hotels, tourism boards and brands, as long as they align with the values and target audience. It’s an absolute no-brainer.”
Community-driven initiatives are expected to play a significant role in shaping the future of influencer trips. Joe highlights examples such as Adidas’s “Here to Create” campaign, which involves athletes leading community workouts and challenges, and REFY’s recent initiative where they invited eight customers to a bespoke REFY villa. “They demonstrated that while we might be influencer-led, we’re community-focused,” Ellyatt observes, neatly summing up what every brand will be striving for in 2025.
By Abby Oldroyd, news and features writer for CORQ.
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