The UK creator marketing economy: what brands need to know now
If there’s one thing we should all agree on in the world of consumer marketing right now, it is that creator marketing is going nowhere. Predicted to see 26% year on year growth, hitting a total value of £1.2 billion by the time the year is out, the UK creator marketing economy is big business and set to get bigger still.
With brands investing ever more of their budgets into influencer marketing, we wanted to take a deep dive into creator marketing trends to better understand the insights and strategic opportunities that are of genuine use to marketing teams, whether those brands are new to the creator world or have worked with influencers for years.
And so, our UK creator marketing economy report was born. Produced by the creator marketing team at WPR, powered by the insights juggernaut that is GWI, we have explored everything from generational variations in creator adoption, to the difference household income makes; how creators can best drive impact at scale, to how direct-to-consumer brands can tailor their influencer marketing strategies.
Taking data from thousands of British internet users, the findings echo what we already know – strategic creator partnerships drive trust, influence and growth. However, it’s still a case of ‘horses for courses’ with adoption and influence varying across generations, opportunities fluctuating by sector and effectiveness differing across demographics.
Want to know where the opportunities lie for your brand? Download the UK creator marketing economy for the full findings, sector insights and practical recommendations for building a smarter creator strategy.
An essential read for anyone who has earmarked budgets for creator marketing next year, we have looked at insights across retail, food and drink, travel, hospitality and leisure, fashion and beauty, and home and garden.
The full report can be downloaded below but, for anyone tight on time, here are some of the themes:
- Creator influence extends beyond gen Z. We look at how creators are shaping brand discovery across generations, exploring what the differences really are between gen Z, millennials, gen X and boomers.
- Discovery is just one part of the story. From sparking initial interest in a product to providing the final nudge to buy, creator marketing can play a role at many points in the customer journey.
- You might be missing a trick with gen x. This often overlooked group might be behind younger ages in terms of their reliance on creators, but ‘midfluencers’ hold real sway with engaged audiences.
- The creator marketing picture looks different across sectors. We take a close look – and make practical recommendations – for how creator marketing works in retail, food and drink, travel, hospitality and leisure, fashion and beauty, and home and garden.
- Household income matters too. We’ve looked at creator influence by household income bands to understand what impact this has on people’s receptiveness and what it means for brands.
In summary
A crucial takeaway from our research is that there is no one-size-fits-all approach. Creator marketing doesn’t exist in a silo and real success involves understanding where your audiences are turning for inspiration, recommendation and advice, how to tap into that engagement and, ultimately, how to turn it into action.
To drive awareness, engagement and conversion, and strengthen brand credibility over time, creator partnerships must be relevant, authentic and culturally connected to the communities they are reaching.
Whether it’s launching a new product, changing brand perceptions, building thought leadership or engaging hard-to-reach audiences, partnerships can deliver meaningful results. But, only by activating creators, experts, advocates and industry voices across the full customer journey, can marketing teams reap the full return on their investment.
Download your copy of the full report below for detailed findings, sector insight and practical recommendations.
The author: Jane Ainsworth is managing director of WPR. She has over 25 years’ experience developing and delivering communications strategies for consumer brands including Dunelm, Tesco, Mothercare, Greene King, John Lewis, Bullring, Beaverbrooks and Westfield.
WPR is an award-winning PR agency, based in Birmingham, delivering world-class PR and social media which makes ambitious brands impossible to ignore.
We specialise in consumer PR, across sectors including food and drink, retail and leisure; B2B PR, where we work with companies spanning manufacturing, construction and HVAC industries; and social media.
To start a conversation about how we can get the world talking about your business, please get in touch – we’d love to chat.