67% Indians trust influencer recommendations over traditional advertisements: Kantar

Kantar has launched The Influencer Playbook to help brands evaluate and improve the effectiveness of influencer marketing campaigns. The report benchmarks influencer content against other digital ad formats and peer campaigns. It also outlines key strategies based on consumer preferences and campaign performance to maximise ROI.

The report shows 67% of Indians trust influencer recommendations more than traditional ads, while 26% prefer them but stay cautious. Influencer content performs better than digital ads in driving mid-funnel metrics like brand favourability (15% vs 12%), brand attributes (11% vs 9%), and purchase intent (10% vs 9%). Influencer ads also have a 57% chance of driving short-term sales but are less effective in building long-term brand equity.

Commenting on the report, Soumya Mohanty, managing director and chief client officer- South Asia, insights division, Kantar, said “In today's dynamic digital landscape, influencer marketing stands out as a powerful force as more than two-third of Indians trust influencer recommendations over traditional advertisements. Hence, understanding the elements that drive its success is paramount. The Influencer Playbook provides a framework to evaluate and benchmark influencer content, providing brands with the tools to craft high-impact content that drives both immediate action and long-term brand affinity.”

Prasanna Kumar, regional creative lead, insights division, Kantar added, “Understanding the differences and similarities between impactful digital advertisements and influencer content has been a fascinating experience. Influencer content works in a surprisingly direct manner, making the brand personally relevant to consumers without the overengineered marketing speak.”