InfluenceMe 2025 – Navigating the new era of Influencer Marketing

“Successful campaigns no longer rely solely on influencer fame – they thrive on the value of their content: useful ideas, clear explanations, inspirational storytelling, and genuine community involvement. InfluenceMe 2025 confirms a belief I’ve held for 13 years, even when many in the communication industry were skeptical: people crave meaning, substance, inspiration, and education. In exchange for these, they offer their time and loyalty.

After years of explosive – and often artificial – growth in the INFLUENCE market, the moment of truth has arrived. In a sea of noise, where the average person is exposed to around 360 brand messages per day from influencers, only those who bring real value to this exchange space called Social Media truly stand out.

MIND THE SPACE! – this was the call to action that opened my presentation at the Influencer Marketing Conference. It’s a message for everyone in the influence ecosystem: agencies, brands, and influencers alike. At its core, it’s a reminder that beyond briefs focused on awareness, consideration, and purchase intent, we operate within a collective social fabric – a vibrant space overwhelmed by endless stimuli that people can no longer fully process.

So before asking whether five nano-influencers or two celebrities best fit a brief, we’d be wiser to move away from easy formulas and toward individuals with real expertise, strategic thinking, and a willingness to ask the right questions before offering well-documented solutions.” Andreea Lupu, Strategy & Innovation Director Starcom România

As influencer marketing continues to evolve, the 13th edition of InfluenceMe study offers a comprehensive look into how Romanian consumers perceive and engage with influencer campaigns: 81% of adults still follow influencers, a steady figure compared to last year.
This plateau signals a mature market: the audience is still there, but attention is harder to earn, and differentiation is the new challenge.

The state of influence in 2025

The research shows that influencer marketing has reached a high-penetration plateau: the same audiences are being exposed to more and more campaigns. As a result, campaign clutter is growing, and many executions are starting to look and feel the same.

Still, there’s a silver lining: fewer people perceive influencer content as “pure advertising.” In 2025, only 54% see it as an ad (down from 62% last year), while more consider it part of the influencer’s natural content. This fusion between branded and organic content is both an opportunity and a creative challenge.

Consumer behavior: moving down the funnel

Between 2022 and 2025, top- and mid-funnel metrics — awareness, research, and consideration — have slightly declined, while lower-funnel indicators (buy, loyalty, relevancy, brand love) have remained stable.

This shows a shift from exploration to consolidation: consumers are loyal, but selective. They’re exposed to many products, yet engage deeply with only a few that feel authentic, useful, and emotionally relevant.

What drives influence in 2025

Awareness: more than fame
Celebrity status alone no longer guarantees visibility. The most successful campaigns are those offering useful, participatory, or inspiring content — recipes, product demos, brand activations — rather than just star power.

Research: clarity wins
To move consumers into action, campaigns must clearly highlight product benefits and differentiate from competition. Educational angles, comparisons, and transparency make the biggest impact.

Consideration: inspiration + expertise
People consider a brand when it feels aspirational but credible. Serial content, authentic lifestyle integration, or expert explanations (especially in finance and health) help translate attention into intent.

Loyalty: built over time
There’s no shortcut to loyalty. The key is consistency and long-term collaboration with influencers who embody brand values and maintain trust with their communities.

Relevancy: context is everything
Brands that connect through heritage, humor, or educational storytelling increase relevance — even with modest awareness. These campaigns simplify decisions rather than overload consumers.

Brand Love: co-creation matters
Luxury, aspiration, and creativity remain strong emotional levers. Campaigns that involve influencers in co-creating content or offering unique experiences (like exclusive trips or collaborations with designers) build stronger affection and memorability.

What consumers want next

People are asking influencers to go deeper – into travel, health, and technology, areas where audiences seek trusted guidance to navigate complexity. The desire for authentic, educational, and relatable content is replacing the appetite for purely aspirational posts.

Influence with intention

“Influence is no longer about visibility, but about relevance. In a saturated market, audiences are looking for content that brings them value and genuine connections. InfluenceMe 2025 shows that the future of influencer marketing is built on co-creation, consistency, and trust,” said Mirela Mirică, Media Research Specialist at Starcom Romania.

As the market matures, brands that treat influencer marketing as a strategic partnership rather than a media channel will stand out. The future belongs to those who inspire trust, educate with clarity, and create stories that feel both personal and purposeful.

The short version of InfluenceMe 2025 is available below.
For more insights, contact consumer@starcomww.com. The study offers a closer look at how consumers engage with influencer content – from the platforms where campaigns are most visible to the creators, emotions, and formats that drive lasting impact. It also explores podcast listening habits, preferred content types, and key audience profiles shaping today’s influence landscape. 

Methodology
The study was conducted by the media agency Starcom Romania using the online Ad Impact methodology, based on a sample of 1,600 individuals, both female and male, aged 18 and over, internet users from urban areas, during August 2025.

About HumanGraphExperience
HumanGraphExperience is a monthly infographic series based on quantitative research that analyzes the characteristics of target groups in relation to specific product categories (such as sweets, beer, or luxury goods), particular occasions (like Easter, Christmas, or Black Friday), or emerging communication phenomena (for example, influencer marketing or technology adoption).

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