Even in adland, which is constantly changing and innovating, the rise of influencer marketing has been rapid. In the last 12 months, we’ve seen consistent year-on-year growth in adspend on influencer marketing; 2024 saw the UK spend £930 million on this format while spend in 2025 is predicted to reach £975 million, according to Statista.
Several large players are betting big on influencer marketing. Earlier this year, Unilever announced a commitment of up to 50% of their annual marketing budget to influencers – even whilst 49% of brands are spending less than £10,000 on this channel. It is clear we are seeing more than a short-term trend here, but to assess ‘why’ this is happening we need to understand what unique qualities influencers bring to the table in a fragmented media landscape.
Influencers are a unique proposition, but they possess two specific selling points that, when combined, help to set them apart from more traditional media channels. The first has been widely known since the turn of the decade: their ability to target unique audiences large and small successfully.
‘Influencers’ is a broad term. It encompasses macro-influencers (1 million+ followers), micro-influencers (100,000 to 1 million followers) and nano-influencers (sub 100,000 followers). This breadth can be a major boon, as potentially it allows brands to reach mass audiences or target niche sub-groups. Given influencers’ audiences all share one thing in common – an interest in the influencer – such content partnerships offer the potential to reach large audiences with shared values, aligning with those of the brand.
Proponents of influencer marketing can point to an array of studies as evidence for their decision to divert investment from traditional media channels towards influencers. Research conducted by MTM found that influencer content triggered high emotional impact scores for all age groups, especially 18-34s, on a level comparable to iconic ad moments such as the John Lewis Christmas ads in the 2010s. This research also showed that the more relatable the content, the more memorable it proved, too.
But while influencer marketing is undoubtedly here to stay and has unique benefits to offer, we also must be cautious. Consistent, gold-standard measurement has so far remained elusive on this topic as, given its relative newness, the effectiveness infrastructure has not had time to develop. Equally, interplay between media channels, diversifying the types of content and imbuing creativity into the media plan are crucial elements of a successful marketing strategy.
While influencer marketing can provide a gateway for brands to high-value audiences, the channel is not a silver bullet. Even as the media landscape shifts, other channels, such as AV and OOH, continue to deliver strong results for fame-driving campaigns. A successful media mix should be exactly that – a balanced mix of channels working in tandem to drive long-term brand building and consistent business outcomes.
As Sabrina Francis, Strategy Partner at the7stars, notes, ‘influencers should have a role in our plans. They just shouldn’t be the plan’.
