Brands are looking up to celebrity and influencer endorsements to boost their engagement with diverse and digital-first audiences. Social media has reshaped the way consumers connect with public figures and brands.
As such, the endorsement landscape is rapidly evolving. This is being driven by new brands, influencers’ massive follower growth, and generational shift reshaping market strategies, as well as competition for impactful celebrity and influencer partnerships.
According to the Sponsor United report, the top 100 celebrities and influencers gained more than 825 million followers across social media over the past 12 months. Over 70 percent of the follower growth came from influencers owning to their increased impact on YouTube, and the remaining 30 percent came from traditional celebrities.
It highlighted that the most endorsed individuals showcase a mix of partnerships, such as:
Charli D’Amelio – focusing on food and beverage distribution, retail, and consumer products, leads with 31 brand deals, including collaboration with major brands like 7-Eleven, Walmart and L’Oreal
Gordon Ramsay – locked in 28 deals across diverse sectors like food and beverage, hospitality, and media, and he partners with brands like Walmart, Hulu, and Caesars Palace
Raffi Ahmad – his 27 deals highlight the influence of Southeast Asian brands such as Lazada and Shopee in e-commerce and consumer goods
Ryan Reynolds – continues to merge his brand with a variety of sectors like alcohol (Heineken), telecommunications (Mint Mobile), and retail (Target).
Notably, Kendall Jenner has been the driving force behind L’Oreal’s social engagement success. Sponsor United report stated that L’Oreal’s most successful partnership has been with model and influencer Kendall Jenner, who leads all of L’Oreal’s branded social media engagement deals. “With just four branded posts, Jenner generated over 13 million in total engagement.” Partnerships with high-profile beauty influencers bolstered L’Oreal as the most active cosmetics and skincare brand.
Some of the unique activations included the Khaby Lame x Proctor & Gamble partnership. As per the report, Proctor & Gamble launched an unscripted series on Tubi called Khaby is Coming to America starring TikTok sensation Khaby Lame. It follows Lame as he explores US culture while promoting P&G brands like Tide, Crest, and Febreze.
It should be noted that while brands are turning towards influencers, top brands still prefer traditional celebrities.
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