Google AI
The Times Australia

Times Media Advertising

Marketing and Artificial Intelligence combine to shake up the influencer marketing landscape

  • Written by: Teagan West

Free Folk Agency has joined forces with Yarnly Artificial Intelligence and The Bundle to shake up the influencer marketing space and change the game for brands who want to leverage influencer marketing and make an impact, without losing a genuine human connection to their community.

Combining marketing, technology, automation and curated gifting experiences, the partnership will give brands access to a truly end-to-end influencer marketing solution with Free Folk Agency on the strategy and execution, Yarnly.AI on conversion-driven chatbot implementation and The Bundle on developing creative gifting experiences that bring surprise and delight potential customers.

Grace Newman from Free Folk Agency said influencer marketing is about so much more than generic sponsored posts or a focus on mass reach, and that many influencer marketing campaigns are still missing the mark.

Organic reach on social media platforms is declining and as we move into 2020, brands need to look for new ways to stand out in an oversaturated, 24/7 content cycle and they can do that with smart and strategic influencer marketing.

At Free Folk Agency, our specialist team have an intimate understanding of the influencer marketing landscape and while we’ve seen the industry mature over the last 5 years to become a widely leveraged marketing channel, the gap between influencer collaborations, scalable impact and tangible reporting still isn’t seamless.

Measuring impact and attribution is a pain point for brands who want to invest but don’t know how to measure the ROI of their activity, and it’s a challenge for marketers who can't justify their work with hard metrics.

There is a gap in the existing influencer marketing platforms and offerings available to brands and agencies in Australia and beyond, and we saw an opportunity to combine technology, data and customer experience while also prioritising human connection and relationships,” Newman said.

Through the new offering, businesses will be able to use influencer’s link out assets to better connect with potential customers, collect insightful and impactful customer data for retargeting and better attribute influencer marketing spend with unique reporting on individual influencer’s contribution to the campaign.

Yarnly.ai founder, Aoife O’Connell said she is thrilled to bring her tech know-how to the influencer marketing space and show Australian brands how to better connect with potential customers, safely collect customer data and better attribute influencer marketing spends.

We are experts in chatbots and chat marketing and develop AI solutions that create personality-driven automated conversations for businesses, brands and influencers,” she said.

Brianna’s creative gifting expertise, tied with her background in marketing and journalism, gives her a unique understanding of the importance of brand representation across every touchpoint, both online and offline.

The Bundle creates gifting concepts that get people talking, tagging and teaching consumers about their brand, and we have recently partnered with some of Australia’s leading brands including Google, Channel 7, GHD and Nike,” she said.

Together, Free Folk Agency, Yarnly.ai and The Bundle will give businesses the opportunity to leverage influencers in their marketing strategy in a new and exciting way, with a one-stop solution that covers campaign strategy and execution, AI technology and automation and creative gifting experiences that are polished and on brand, every time.

For more information about the Free Folk Agency’s, Yarnly.AI’s and The Bundle’s partnership and innovative influencer marketing offering, head to https://www.messenger.com/t/YarnlyChat.

Property Times

Why Australians need to rethink new apartments after the budget changes

As the Federal Government pushes to accelerate housing supply and incentivise new residential development amid Australia’s housing shortage, industry leaders say New South Wales is better positioned than ever to meet demand following a major transf...

Property markets react to budget signals before laws are even passed

Australia’s property market has already begun reacting to the federal budget announcements despite many of the proposed measures not yet becoming law. Across residential, commercial and industrial sectors, sentiment has shifted. Buyers, investors...

Most Australians think the Budget Just Changed the Rules on Property. They Have No Idea How Far it Actually Goes.

A generation of Australians may be entering the biggest rethink of wealth creation since the rise of the property boom, with the Federal Budget shaking confidence in the investment strategies many households spent decades relying on. The CEO of Ph...

Property Paralysis: Buyers Hesitate As Australia’s Housing Market Sends Mixed Signals

Australia’s property market may still be active, but beneath the auctions, listings and glossy real estate campaigns, a growing sense of uncertainty is spreading through the market. Buyers are hesitating.Sellers are confused.Banks are cautious but...

Food & Dining

Breakfast: step up to something new at home

Australians have long loved the traditional breakfast of bacon, eggs and toast, but in an era of rising café prices there is another option: create a café-quality breakfast at home that is both satisfying and mindful of calories. The good news is ...

The Great Indoors: Commune Group Has Every Reason To Get Out This Winter

From Ramen Nights To $15 Pho And Midweek Set Menus, Commune's Southside Venues This Winter Tokyo Tina’s Club Ramen​The cooler weather is here, and so is ramen. Every Wednesday evening, Tokyo Tina is serving bowls of steaming, made-to-order ramen unt...

The evolution of bread in Australia: from basic staple to artisan luxury

For generations, bread was one of the simplest and most affordable foods in Australia. A loaf sat on nearly every kitchen bench. White sandwich bread filled school lunchboxes, accompanied family dinners and became part of the routine of suburban l...

McDonald’s Australia keeps innovating as Red Bull lands on the menu

For decades, McDonald’s Australia has been associated with burgers, fries, coffee and soft drinks. In 2026, however, the fast-food giant is signalling that the next battleground may not be food at all. It may be beverages. In one of the most signi...

Business Times

Click and collect changes the economics of Australian shopping ce…

Australia’s major supermarkets are transforming consumer behaviour through home delivery and click and collect services, bu...

Australia’s business paradox: investing for growth while preparin…

Australian businesses are sending mixed signals in 2026. On one hand, investment remains surprisingly resilient. Companies...

Barbeques Galore collapse - BBQs, branding and the battle for Aus…

For decades, the Australian backyard barbecue was almost a national institution. Weekend gatherings, summer cricket, family...

The Times Features

A good night's sleep - Mattresses are not all the …

A good night’s sleep is no accident. Most Australians spend more than a third of their lives in be...

Phuket Villa Holidays: How to Choose the Right Stay for…

Private villas can be a practical option for Australian travellers heading to Phuket. Compared wit...

Bowen: The East Coast’s Secret Answer to Broome

You do not need to fly all the way to Western Australia to experience the magic of the outback mee...

Breakfast: step up to something new at home

Australians have long loved the traditional breakfast of bacon, eggs and toast, but in an era of r...

The battle that changed the war: how Ukraine’s stand at…

When historians eventually examine the defining moments of the war in Ukraine, they may conclude t...

The Great Indoors: Commune Group Has Every Reason To Ge…

From Ramen Nights To $15 Pho And Midweek Set Menus, Commune's Southside Venues This Winter Tokyo Ti...

Why Australians need to rethink new apartments after th…

As the Federal Government pushes to accelerate housing supply and incentivise new residential deve...

SpaceX goes public: how Australians can invest in Elon …

One of the most anticipated share market listings in history is about to take place, with Elon Mus...

Property markets react to budget signals before laws ar…

Australia’s property market has already begun reacting to the federal budget announcements despite...