The Road to Branding in the Digital Age: The Power and Challenges of New Media Influencers

This study aims to provide insights into the impact of new media influencers on brand management in the digital age. With the rise of social media, the role of influencers in guiding consumer decision-making has become increasingly prominent. This paper systematically analyzes the role of new media influencers in arousing consumers' "awareness", "interest", "desire" and "action" and their contribution to the whole brand management process, combining the brand value chain model and the co-branding normalization strategies. By comprehensively analyzing indicators such as the number of observers, the degree of interaction and the quality of content, this study successfully quantified the degree of influence of new media influencers at different stages. It was found that when choosing partners, brands should focus on their fit with the brand's core values, as well as on whether the influencer's audience segment matches the target market. Meanwhile, recommendations are made for choosing authentic and trustworthy influencers and establishing transparent partnerships in order to cope with market saturation and trust crises. In the Future Challenges and Solutions Outlook, in the face of changes in social media algorithms, the paper suggests that brands adopt a multi-channel strategy while emphasizing the importance of establishing clear KPIs and a collaborative framework. Finally, an in-depth analysis of the opportunities and challenges of the co-branding normalization strategies is presented, highlighting the importance of trust building, collaboration costs, consistency and public relations risks. This research provides practical data support and strategic recommendations for brand managers to better address brand management challenges in the digital age.