The Influencer Effect: Why Authenticity Is the New Ad Currency
- VIVHOK LTD
- May 29
- 5 min read
Updated: Nov 6
There was a time when advertising meant slick commercials on TV, larger than life billboards, and carefully polished magazine spreads. Fast forward to today, and I find myself scrolling through Instagram, stopping on a video of someone unboxing a pair of trainers with real excitement. No studio lights. No celebrity gloss. Just someone relatable, speaking with genuine enthusiasm
And just like that, I’m intrigued. That’s the power of the influencer and as someone deeply involved in creative advertising through VIVHOK, I’ve come to see just how much they’re reshaping the landscape
This blog isn’t just about numbers or campaign strategies (though we’ll touch on that). It’s about a personal shift in how I, and many others, feel about advertising. How influencers have turned promotions into conversations. How trust has become currency. And why it’s no longer about just being seen, but being believed
The Age of Influence
I remember when the term “influencer” first started floating around marketing circles. Skepticism hung in the air. “Isn’t it just people taking selfies and promoting teeth whitening kits?” But what started as niche collaborations quickly became a full blown industry. Fast forward to now, and influencer marketing is projected to reach $24 billion by 2025
So what changed?
Influencers tapped into something advertisers have been chasing for decades: authentic connection. People don’t just want to be told what to buy. They want to trust who’s recommending it. Influencers especially micro and niche creators, built that trust not through polish, but through personality
I think of them as modern storytellers, embedded in our daily digital lives. And when they promote something, it doesn’t feel like a traditional ad. It feels like advice from a friend
The Science Behind the “Like”
Let’s get real for a second. We all know promotions can be manipulative. But when an influencer you follow talks about a skincare product they’ve been using for months and you’ve seen their real skin, their struggles, their lifestyle, you listen. Why?
Because it’s contextual. Because it’s personal. Because it’s earned
And the numbers back it up:
61% of consumers trust influencer recommendations more than brand content
Influencer marketing delivers 11x higher ROI than traditional forms of digital marketing
Micro influencers (with under 100K followers) often drive 60% more engagement than celebrities
As someone who works with brands to visualise and promote products creatively, this excites me. Not because it’s cheaper or easier (it’s not always either), but because it means we’re moving towards more meaningful marketing
Authenticity: The New Creative Brief
I’ve sat in rooms where we brainstormed massive billboard campaigns, big budgets, big visuals. But I’ve also seen a single 30 second TikTok outperform several days shoot. Why?
Because people crave realness. And influencers provide that, in abundance
Let me give you an example. One of our clients, a boutique sustainable fashion brand, was torn between running a glossy digital OOH campaign or investing in a handful of eco conscious micro influencers. We helped them do both designing 3D visuals for city displays while also producing short, authentic reels with influencers styling their pieces in everyday life
Guess which content drove the most direct sales? The unfiltered, low budget, personality driven videos
There’s something deeply refreshing about that. It reminded me that influence isn’t about perfection, it’s about resonance
The Challenges (Because Yes, There Are Some)
Now, it wouldn’t be a complete picture without addressing the tricky parts of influencer promotions. I’ve seen campaigns go sideways because of poor vetting, mismatched brand values, or dependence on follower counts
Here are a few truths I’ve learned:
Not all followers are created equal: An influencer with 50,000 loyal fans in your niche is worth more than a celebrity with 5 million disengaged ones
Fit matters more than fame: If your brand sells luxury watches, a fashion forward lifestyle influencer makes more sense than a fitness coach even if the latter has more reach
Oversaturation kills trust: Some influencers promote too many products too often. When that happens, audiences notice. And tune out
Metrics can lie: Vanity metrics like likes and views are easy to manipulate. Always look at engagement rate, saves, comments, and click-throughs
That’s why at VIVHOK, when we partner with influencers on visual campaigns, we always focus on alignment first, brand values, audience overlap, storytelling ability, and transparency
My Favourite Influencer Moment
Let me tell you about a small but unforgettable campaign we worked on
A startup client was launching a new wellness supplement. Instead of splashing out on celebrity endorsements, they asked us to find two micro influencers: one a yoga instructor, the other a new mum documenting her postpartum journey
We helped co create their contents to be casual, honest, and visually warm. No scripts. No filters. Just personal stories of how they were using the product to feel better and find balance
Sales increased steadily. But what really stuck with me were the comments:
“Thank you for sharing this, needed to hear it today.”
“You always keep it real. Just ordered mine!”
“This doesn’t feel like an ad. It feels like self care.”
That’s the holy grail of advertising. When it stops being about selling and starts being about connecting
Where This Is All Heading (And Why It Matters)
Influencer promotions aren’t a fad, they’re a fundamental shift in how people engage with brands. And while some of the hype will fade, the core idea, "trust through relatability, is here to stay"
I believe we’ll continue to see:
More video storytelling (short form and vertical are king)
Deeper brand influencer collaborations (think co created products and campaigns)
Cross channel storytelling (OOH and influencer content)
Values based marketing (people want to know what your brand stands for)
And as AI generated content grows, influencers may become even more important. In a world full of automation and deepfakes, human trust will be the last frontier
Influencers Are the Mirrors of Culture
When I think about the future of promotions and advertising, I see less shouting and more storytelling. Less pushing and more pulling. Less gloss and more grit
Influencers aren’t replacing advertising, they’re redefining it. And if we, as creatives and strategists, listen carefully, we’ll learn that people no longer want to be sold to. They want to be seen, heard, and understood
Promotions should feel like conversations. And the best influencers? They know how to start one that resonates. As someone building creative campaigns at the intersection of tech, storytelling, and experience, I’m excited to see where this journey leads. And maybe next time you pause on a post, watch a video, or double tap a story, you’ll feel it too
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