Unilever is reimagining its marketing efforts with a significant commitment to influencer-led content. CEO Fernando Fernandez has announced that 50% of the company’s media spend will go toward social platforms, while the investment in influencers skyrockets by 20-fold.
This change signals a dramatic shift away from traditional messaging toward a future led by digital influencers.
A Significant Shift in Marketing Strategy
Unilever’s pivot toward creator-led content reflects a significant shift in the marketing industry, as engagement on social media platforms wanes due to algorithm changes. Unilever is shifting its strategy toward creator-led content, positioning it as the core of its paid media campaigns.
“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,” explains Anders Bill, Co-Founder and Chief Product Officer of Superfiliate.
The key challenge for brands will be to integrate creators into their campaigns in a way that drives results with U.S. marketers set to spend $10 billion on social media-sponsored content in 2025.
The Changing Social Media
Social media’s algorithm changes have led to a significant reduction in organic reach, prompting brands to adjust their influencer marketing strategies. Nate Harris, VP of Product Innovation at CreatorIQ, notes, “All social platforms have published numbers showing that about 80% of impressions now come from people who are not actively following a creator.
That means the content itself, not the creator’s follower count, is the vector for distribution.” This new dynamic means that the focus is now on content quality and its distribution, rather than the size of an influencer’s audience.
Harris adds, “A creator with one million followers may only organically reach five to ten percent of them,” emphasising that creators with higher engagement may drive better results.
Merging Influencer Marketing with Paid Media
Targeting the right audience is becoming a major challenge for brands. Blair Imani shared her experience: “I’ve had my content boosted to the wrong audiences and had to ask brands to take it down because of the backlash.” Pierre-Loïc Assayag, CEO of Traackr, explains why this happens,
“While brands realise they need to boost creator content, many still do it without a strategy. Too often, they succeed in increasing views but send the content to the wrong audience. The result? Engagement disappears, and the content falls flat—or worse.”
The Power of Long-Term Creator Partnerships
Brands are moving away from short-term influencer campaigns and focusing on building long-lasting relationships with creators. According to Magda Houalla, Director of Marketing Strategy at Aspire, short-term thinking often leads to missed opportunities,
“The biggest mistake I see brands making is being too laser-focused on one outcome and prematurely parting ways with a creator. Not all creators are the same. Some are best at driving awareness, others at engagement or sales. The key is knowing how to leverage their superpowers instead of expecting every creator to deliver the same results.”
One prime example of this approach is Alaska Airlines’ partnership with Jordan Howlett, known as “Jordan the Stallion.” Rather than relying on a single campaign, Alaska Airlines integrated his content across social media, TV, and digital platforms.
Scott Sutton, CEO of Later, points to this model as the future of influencer marketing: “The most successful brands don’t just repurpose creator content; they build systems around it. The key is integrating creator content across all channels—organic, paid, email, website, and retail.”
Unilever’s Move Signals a New Era for Brands
Unilever’s increased investment in influencer marketing marks a radical shift in how brands build influence. CEO Fernando Fernandez has emphasised that traditional messaging is no longer effective, and creator-led content is where the future lies.
With social media algorithms constantly evolving, brands that don’t adapt risk falling behind. The question now isn’t whether others will follow Unilever’s lead—it’s how quickly they will make the change.