As digital media consumption in India grows rapidly, the trust gap between influencer recommendations and traditional advertising continues to widen. According to a recent report by Kantar, a leading data and consulting company, over two-thirds of Indian consumers now trust influencer content more than traditional advertisements—a clear sign that marketing strategies in India are evolving in line with consumer behaviour.

Consumer Trust is Shifting

The report highlights a significant shift in consumer preference. More than 66% of Indian consumers now trust influencer recommendations, demonstrating the persuasive power of influencers who offer relatable and engaging content over commercial messaging.

Meanwhile, over 25% of consumers remain cautiously optimistic, acknowledging the value of influencer content but still evaluating its authenticity. This segment represents an opportunity for brands to build trust through transparent and well-curated collaborations with credible creators.

Influencer Marketing: A High-Impact Medium

The findings reveal that influencer content, e-commerce, and online display ads are now considered the most equitable online media channels in India. But among these, influencer marketing stands out for its unique ability to deliver both emotional and action-driven impact.

Here's how influencer ads perform in comparison to other digital ad formats:

• Brand favourability: 15% (vs 12% for traditional digital ads)

• Positive brand attributes: 11% (vs 9%)

• Purchase intent: 10% (vs 9%)

These numbers suggest that influencer marketing excels in driving lower and mid-funnel metrics, such as purchase intent and emotional brand connection, more effectively than conventional digital ads.

Additionally, 57% of influencer campaigns result in immediate impact, which makes influencer content a powerful tool for short-term conversion strategies, such as new product launches or flash sales. However, Kantar cautions that its strength lies primarily in immediate engagement, and it may not be as effective in building long-term brand equity without a cohesive content strategy.

Creative Execution is Key

A crucial takeaway from Kantar’s analysis is the importance of creative quality. Influencer content that lacks authenticity, coherence, or storytelling can fail to resonate, regardless of the platform or the influencer's popularity.

Ms. Soumya Mohanty, Managing Director and Chief Client Officer – South Asia, Insights Division, Kantar, stressed that understanding what makes influencer content successful is critical. To that end, Kantar has introduced the Influencer Playbook, a structured framework that helps brands evaluate, benchmark, and refine influencer campaigns.

This playbook is designed to:

• Measure content performance across formats and platforms

• Identify high-performing influencer traits

• Enable better decision-making with data-backed insights

Direct and Relatable Messaging Drives Success

Mr. Prasanna Kumar, Regional Creative Lead, Insights Division, Kantar, shared that influencer marketing works well because it makes the brand personally relevant to the audience. Unlike traditional marketing which may rely heavily on over-engineered or scripted communication, influencers tend to keep it simple, direct, and personal.

This form of peer-to-peer connection creates a feeling of relatability and familiarity, which is essential in a diverse and culturally nuanced market like India.

Strategic Implications for Brands

Given the findings, brands need to take a multi-pronged approach to influencer marketing in 2025:

1. Invest in credible influencer partnerships: Choose influencers who genuinely align with your brand values rather than just follower count.

2. Prioritise storytelling over hard selling: Influencer campaigns should focus on storytelling that blends the product organically into the narrative.

3. Use data-backed tools like the Influencer Playbook: Evaluate content effectiveness using defined metrics to ensure campaign impact.

The Road Ahead for Influencer Marketing in India

India's influencer economy is estimated to grow significantly in the coming years. With millions of content creators spanning languages, regions, and niches, brands are expected to increase their influencer marketing budgets. Kantar’s report serves as a guidepost, helping marketers identify what works and what doesn’t in this dynamic and often unpredictable space.

The changing dynamics between consumers and digital media necessitate a more authentic, impact-driven marketing approach, which influencer marketing is uniquely positioned to provide.

Final Thoughts

The findings from Kantar confirm what many brands have already begun to realise—influencer marketing is no longer optional, but essential in the digital marketing mix. By combining trust, relatability, and performance, influencers have the ability to deliver not just reach but resonance.

However, as competition for consumer attention increases, the real winners will be brands that focus on quality over quantity, authenticity over buzz, and long-term relationship-building over one-time endorsements.

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