In a digital world saturated with marketing messages, it turns out that trust still holds the key — and for Indian consumers, that trust increasingly lies with influencers, not traditional ads — 67% of Indians now trust influencer recommendations over traditional advertisements. An additional 26% say they prefer influencer content but remain cautious about who they follow. The numbers underscore a major turning point in how brands need to communicate in the digital age.
As spending on influencer campaigns grows, the pressure to deliver measurable impact has risen in tandem. The report evaluates influencer performance against other digital ad formats and identifies the creative and strategic elements that lead to high-performing campaigns.
“Influencer marketing has become a dominant force — but reach alone isn’t enough anymore,” Soumya Mohanty, Managing Director and Chief Client Officer – South Asia, Insights Division, Kantar, said. “The quality of content and creative execution is crucial to campaign ROI. This playbook is designed to give brands the tools to benchmark and optimise their influencer efforts.”
The report shows that influencer content outperforms traditional digital ads in several key areas. It drives stronger brand favourability (15% vs 12%), more effective brand association (11% vs 9%), and higher purchase intent (10% vs 9%). Notably, influencer content also boasts a 57% probability of delivering short-term sales impact, making it an especially valuable tool for lower- and mid-funnel marketing efforts.
However, the study also points to limitations. While influencer content is highly effective at sparking immediate action, it is slightly less successful at building long-term brand equity compared to other digital formats. This calls for a more nuanced, balanced approach to campaign planning — using influencers strategically without relying on them exclusively.
Influencer marketing’s rising credibility is also reflected in Kantar’s latest India rankings. Among online media channels, influencer content saw a 5-point increase in ad equity from 2023, just behind ecommerce ads (+7 points) and online display ads (+6 points), putting it firmly in the top tier of trusted digital formats.
“Influencer content has a distinct strength — it makes brands feel personally relevant without the heavy-handedness of traditional advertising,” noted Prasanna Kumar, Regional Creative Lead, Insights Division, Kantar. “There’s a sense of authenticity and relatability that consumers respond to, which makes the message stick.”
In a market like India, where word-of-mouth and personal recommendation still carry immense weight, the path forward is clear. Brands that want to win hearts, and wallets, need to stop talking at their audiences, and start influencing them in meaningful, authentic ways.