Even as influencer marketing continues to dominate digital budgets, new data from Kantar reveals a critical gap:only 7% of influencer-led campaigns make it to the top 30% of ads that build long-term brand equity. This figure is significantly lower than the 32% benchmark observed across general digital advertising, raising questions about the sustainability of influencer-first strategies.
According to the Kantar report, influencer ads tend to outperform on short-term metrics but lag in driving durable brand associations. A striking 73% of influencer campaigns sit in the ‘amber zone’—the middle percentile for short-term sales likelihood (STSL). This is far above the normative 40%, suggesting that while influencers drive quick conversions, their content may not contribute meaningfully to long-term brand building.
"Influencer marketing is delivering short-term spikes, but not always brand longevity," the report notes. The average STSL score for influencer ads is 57, marginally higher than 53 for celebrity-led campaigns. But when it comes to brand power—a composite of salience, meaningfulness, and differentiation—celebrity campaigns score 54, while influencer-led content drops to 38.
The performance gap is also visible across the marketing funnel. Influencer content delivers just 3% lift in aided brand awareness and 2% in message association, compared to 8% each for all-digital ad formats. However, the advantage flips in the mid and lower funnel: brand attribute perception rises 10% with influencer content (versus 7% for digital ads), and purchase intent grows by 7% (compared to 6%).
Attention retention is where influencers shine. Influencer content has an average skip time of 17.8 seconds, compared to just 7.9 seconds for branded content—a 2.2X improvement. Visibility duration is also 1.4 times higher, making influencers a powerful tool for engagement-based marketing goals.
Trust also continues to be a defining differentiator. According to a Kantar global influencer study, 67% of people say they trust influencer recommendations more than traditional advertisements. An additional 26% say they prefer influencer-led messaging but approach it cautiously. Just 4% say they trust traditional ads more than influencers.
The report’s findings suggest a dual reality for marketers: while influencers are instrumental in building familiarity and driving conversions, they may not yet be delivering the long-term brand impact associated with more traditional media investments.
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