LATEST DEVELOPMENT
Unilever CEO Fernando Fernandez announces massive shift to creator-driven marketing, planning to spend 50% of media budget on social channels and increase influencer investment twentyfold.
INDUSTRY TALK
"The biggest shift happening right now is that influencer marketing is no longer just about brand awareness—it's becoming the backbone of paid media. The best-performing ads aren't brand-created; they're creator-led."
HOLLYWOOD REPORTER
BY THE NUMBERS
Industry metrics show:
$10B projected US social media sponsorship spend in 2025
80% of impressions now come from non-followers
Only 5-10% organic reach for most creator content
50% of Unilever's media budget shifting to social
20x increase in influencer marketing investment
KEY TRENDS
Expert insights highlight:
Creator content driving performance, not just awareness
Organic reach continuing to plummet across platforms
Paid amplification becoming essential for visibility
Audience alignment crucial for campaign success
Long-term partnerships outperforming one-off activations
STRATEGIC SHIFT
Marketing leaders advise:
Integrating creators across full marketing stack
Building systems around creator content
Focusing on audience insights over follower counts
Leveraging creator "superpowers" strategically
Treating creator content as performance media
THE BOTTOM LINE
Unilever's massive creator investment signals a fundamental shift in how major brands approach marketing, moving from traditional messaging to integrated creator strategies that prioritize authentic influence at scale.