What Is Contra Collaboration/Influencer Gifting?

Contra, or gifting, is an unpaid collaboration between a brand and an influencer, reviewer, or journalist. The brand (that’s you) provides a product or service for free (the gift) in exchange for an authentic review. This exchange can be targeted across social media platforms, including:

• Instagram
• TikTok
• Facebook
• LinkedIn

Influencer gifting may also be implemented for use in blogs, in print (particularly for journalists), or testimonials on a brand’s own website.

Wondering if an influencer is right for your brand? Click here to learn why you should (or shouldn’t) be using influencers

What is the cost of influencer gifting?

Like all great gifts, influencer gifting is free.

In a contra or gifting collaboration, your brand doesn't control the narrative or type of content shared (this relationship is only possible as a paid engagement where an influencer is paid to promote your product or service in a particular way).

The resulting contra collaboration is authentic and provides value across multiple branded touchpoints. For example, influencer gifting generates a range of authentic user-generated content (UGC), written reviews, and testimonials about your products or services. The more influencers you gift, the greater the reach of your branded content.

Put simply, influencer gifting involves no monetary exchange between two parties, but endless opportunities for both brands and influencers.

Congratulations! You’re all caught up on contra and ready to launch your next exciting gifting campaign.

Click here to create a gifting campaign now