Jules Lund TRIBE Interview

Jules Lund TRIBE Interview

Radio and TV personality Jules Lund has launched the new app TRIBE, which he's founded to match social media influencers with leading brands to transform word of mouth recommendations.

Celebrity and everyday influencers who have built audiences around a particular passion or expertise, can now submit posts featuring products they already use and love.

'So many of our social posts feature our favourite restaurants, films, fashion, snacks and more. Now if you have over 5000 followers on Facebook, Instagram or Twitter, brands are willing to pay you for simply sharing those products to harness the power of authentic online influence," Lund says.

Industry leaders Reebok, Sony Music, Grill'd, Contiki, Paramount Pictures, UNIQLO and American Express have already recognised the value of this self-serve platform by submitting campaigns pre-launch. These campaigns are then matched with the country's most influential people from beauty, fashion, sport, health, travel and entertainment.

In minutes, brands can create a brief and invite the most powerful content creators in the country to submit a creative post with a fee attached. As soon as a brand approves it, the influencer publishes their content direct to their socials and is paid immediately.

With a social tribe of close to 400,000, Home & Away actress Pia Miller believes it's an exciting time for content creators; 'After sharing our experiences and parts of our lives on social platforms, our followers now care, share and more importantly trust what we have to say. With TRIBE, everyday content creators can be rewarded for doing more of what they love."

Still hosting The Scoopla Show on Southern Cross Austereo's Hit Network with Emma Freedman; Lund is thrilled to finally see the app in Apple's App Store this week with the platform launching with an immediate following. TRIBE will continue to grow and evolve in the coming months as it raises its second round of seed capital later this year.

Influencers can download TRIBE INFLUENCER via the Apple App Store. Or via www.tribegroup.co

Interview with Jules Lund

Question: What is TRIBE?

Jules Lund: TRIBE is a platform that connects brands with social influencers to drive word of mouth marketing at scale. For brands, we provide access to Australia's largest pool of influencers through a desktop platform, while influencers use our app to get paid for recommending their favourite brands.


Question: Why did you create TRIBE?

Jules Lund: Through my radio background, I've been lucky to run some of the countries most engaged social accounts and was approached to create branded social content before the trend. When I realised the workflow could be steam-lined through technology, I set out to bring my concept to life.

Question: What do you love about TRIBE?

Jules Lund: The authenticity that underpins the entire platform. No one knows what resonates with their audience better than an influencer, so TRIBE ensures they have full creative control over content they submit in an easy self-serve platform. Plus we rarely supply product for the Influencers to post about and opt to put their audience first. If an Influencer doesn't own the product or isn't willing to buy it, what right do they have to recommend their tribe does.


Question: How does TRIBE work?

Jules Lund: Check out this 60sec demo: http://bit.ly/TRIBEdemo

An influencer can simply download TRIBE INFLUENCER in the Apple App Store, and connect their socials. From here they can submit posts featuring their favourite brands and if approved they publish direct to their platform and get paid immediately.

Brands can create a brief on our desktop platform and invite the most powerful content creators in the country to submit a creative post with a fee attached. If a brand likes an influencers post, they buy it. If not… they don't.


Question: What brands are working with TRIBE, currently?

Jules Lund: Industry leaders Reebok, Sony Music, Grill'd, Carmen's, Hungry Jacks, Mercedes-Benz, Universal Pictures, KFC and American Express all have active campaigns and are buying posts regularly. In just one month we now have over 60 brands in the platform, covering everything from beauty, snacks, fashion, sport, health, travel, entertainment and more.


Question: Who can use TRIBE?

Jules Lund: Anyone can download our app, however to submit posts for approval, you currently need 5000 followers or more on Instagram, Twitter or Facebook. Some have said 5000 is too low, we believe it's too high. The smaller the tribe - the more potent the influence. But even more encouraging, is that the smaller the tribe - the more accountable the individual is for the authenticity of their recommendation. Soon we hope to reduce the cut-off to 1000 or less.


Question: How is TRIBE different to other apps already in the App Store?

Jules Lund: We are the only app that not only connects brands and influencers, but also facilitates the transaction between them.

Brands receive Influencer content celebrating their product, at no cost. Brands only pay for the posts they purchase. Influencers set their own rate to and get paid within 24hrs of publishing, providing them with a powerful revenue stream.


Question: What's next for TRIBE?

Jules Lund: We've got an ambitious roadmap for product development; and also international aspirations. We've already got global brands, global influencers and a product which is in every app store in the world, so we're feeling excited about the future.

Visit www.tribegroup.co or download in Apple App Store

Interview by Brooke Hunter