SINGAPORE — HAVAS Red, the global merged media micronetwork released its inaugural “The State of the Influencer in 2024: A Client’s Perspective” whitepaper. To understand how influencer marketing is evolving, HAVAS Red surveyed clients across ten markets – Australia, Ireland, Germany, Italy, Japan, The Philippines, Singapore, UAE, the US, and the UK.
These clients spanned a range of industries and sectors, from health and wellness, technology, and food and beverage to automotive, manufacturing, and tourism and travel. Clients shared their experience, what works and what doesn’t, how to drive the best outcomes and where they believe influencer marketing is heading.
“As an industry, we’ve observed how the influencer category is ever-expanding and increasingly emerging and recognized as a performance channel,” said James Wright, Global CEO of the HAVAS Red Group and Global Chairman of the HAVAS PR Global Network. “Influencer marketing is driving measurable opportunities for both consumers and corporate brands globally, delivering higher engagement and paving the way for accelerated consumer conversion.”
James added, “Our report delves into influencer marketing at an industry level to help brands navigate the evolving landscape and inform strategic thinking. The findings of this report are insightful for brands when shaping their overall strategy, as it demonstrates the scale of influencer marketing, as well as offering insight into how and why brands are engaging with influencers. Brands that succeed in 2024 will be creatively integrating influencers into wider campaigns as a full-funnel marketing channel.”
In Singapore, brands are seeing how influencer marketing can move the needle and reap real rewards. Kenny Yap, Managing Director of Havas Red Singapore, said, “Today, we see implementing influencer marketing engagements in most clients’ communication plans. But to do it well, there are many areas to look at, from the brand affinity and fit, influencer and clout, and storytelling narrative to optimal formats. At HAVAS Red, we adopt a data- driven approach leveraging tools and technology to deliver clear influencer marketing success for our clients.”
Key takeaways from the report were:
- Video formats are the most effective tactic in the influencer toolbox. With 86% of brands revealing that video content resonates more effectively with most campaigns compared to static formats, brands are harnessing the power of influencer marketing for storytelling. Creatively and visually, they are bringing campaigns to life. In Singapore, video content is now king, with brands saying this format best aligns with their target audience.
- The media landscape is converging with social media. As consumers lose trust in traditional media, they are turning to influencers who can play a crucial role in expanding the brand’s online presence. Findings show that 81% of brands have been involved in influencer campaigns, with 1 in 5 having participated in more than 20 influencer campaigns.
- Influence has been democratized. Over 97% of brands identify content creators as influencers, highlighting the shift away from traditional celebrities as influencers toward a new reality where anyone can become an influencer.
- Influencers are generating engagement through social proof. There are more opportunities for brands to utilise influencer marketing to reach a targeted and relevant demographic, delivering content that offers the potential to drive higher engagement and brand conversion. 1 in 3 brands acknowledge that influencers can effectively drive engagement for brands, and 92% of brands believe in the benefit of establishing long-term versus short-term partnerships with influencers.
- Finding the right fit for ROI in influencer campaigns. While 92% of brands believe that measuring influencer performance is crucial for understanding the return on investment, brands identified that one of the most prominent challenges is identifying the right influencers to achieve ROI. Influence is an exchange of not just value, but values, and the most powerful influencer programs will look beyond traditional KPIs of reach and engagement to form lasting relationships through shared values, experiences and storytelling.
The State of the Influencer in 2024: A Client’s Perspective whitepaper is available to download here. Named Campaign’s Global PR Network of the Year in 2023 and PRovoke Media’s EMEA Agency of the Year in 2024, HAVAS Red introduced a global end-to-end influencer marketing offering under the brand of SWAY by HAVAS Red in many of its markets around the world
