The Unique Benefits of Influencer Marketing

MARKETING EFFECTIVENESS STUDY:
The Unique Benefits of

Influencer Marketing
An understanding of the impact of how  
influencer marketing affects the marketing journey,
relative to traditional video advertising.
THE UNIQUE BENEFITS OF INFLUENCER MARKETING |

TABLE OF CONTENTS
Methodology 03
Executive Summary 07
Driving Engagement with Viewers 10
Content Quality Evaluation 14
Brand Recall and Perception 21
Key Takeaways 24
Appendix 30
THE UNIQUE BENEFITS OF INFLUENCER MARKETING | 2

METHODOLOGY

WHY WE CONDUCTED THIS RESEARCH
#paid partnered with Nielsen to better understand the

consumer impact of the branded influencer marketing
materials, specifically reviewing the creative campaign
of a major food and beverage brand.
To accomplish this, Nielsen conducted an online study to:
Evaluate the effectiveness Assess the attributes Determine the

of influencer marketing on associated with each impact of influencer
piece of content   marketing on future
key brand KPIs  
(recall, affinity, etc.) (unique, credible, cool, etc.) purchase decisions
Why compare against video advertising?
Fundamentally, influencer marketing functions Most brand marketing takes place through video
best as brand marketing—less commonly used for advertising—through both television commercials or
performance marketing (i.e. driving web traffic, online video. To understand the effects of influencer
or online conversions)—as the collaborations live marketing, our team found it important to establish
on the social media networks and subject to the benchmarks on the differences between the video
restrictions of each platform. advertising and influencer marketing.

RESEARCH DESIGN ELEMENTS
The online study was conducted from May 23 to June 7, 2017, among n=1,209 respondents
(English speaking) aged 18-45 who use Instagram, and watch video clips online.
Respondents were split into 3 cells to evaluate 3 types of stimuli:
CELL 1
Static Instagram Images
(n=403)
Eight images were tested and respondents from this cell were
asked to evaluate one of the eight images randomly assigned
CELL 2
Instagram Boomerangs
(n=405)
Four Boomerangs were tested and respondents from this cell were
asked to evaluate one of the four Boomerangs randomly assigned
CELL 3
Benchmark TVC
(n=401)
One TVC was tested and respondents from this cell were
asked to evaluate this TVC
The creative content representing video advertising are often seen as television commercials,
and will often be referred to as TVC moving forward.

METHODOLOGY
NIELSEN MEDIA LAB
The study was conducted through an online panel

and used a pre/post exposure methodology
(Nielsen Media Lab).
After taking a brief pre-survey, respondents in the STATIC

INSTAGRAM IMAGE CELL were shown 1 of 8 images, respondent in
the INSTAGRAM BOOMERANG CELL were shown 1 of 4 Boomerangs,
and respondents in the BENCHMARK TVC CELL were shown 1 TVC.  
A post-exposure survey was then used to measure lift and
engagement across key metrics.
Screener &   Post-Exposure

Pre-Exposure
Measures Measure
Exposure to Stimuli
Quotas and weights were used to ensure that all three cells were close to the natural incidence for the target population.
As influencer marketing is This analysis on influencer marketing is conducted among

respondents who are extremely/very/moderately familiar
usually targeted to people   with the social media personalities.
who are following the relevant ‣ In this analysis, Instagram Images and Instagram
Boomerangs have been combined in order to get a
social media personalities,   bigger sample size.
it would not be accurate to The base of the Benchmark TVC is all respondents who
measure its impact among   are qualified for the survey (the English-speaking
Canadians aged 18-45 who use Instagram and watch
the general population. video clips online).

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

OVERALL BRAND LIFT IMPACT
TVC and influencer marketing 

have complementary effects 
on the purchase journey and 
should be paired together for a
balanced marketing approach.
When reviewing top line Brand

Lift impact metrics, it was found
that influencer marketing
registers a Positive Impact on
Brand Affinity & Shopping Intent.

SCORECARD
INFLUENCER MARKETING*
BENCHMARK TVC
ENGAGEMENT
CONTENT ENJOYMENT VIEWING INTENT ENGAGEMENT INTENT
67% 68% 69%

56% +24% 53%
+11% +41%
28%
Respondents generally liked influencer marketing, would consider viewing

more posts, and were likely to comment, like or subscribe.
EXECUTION
UNIQUE COOL APPEALING  INTERESTING 

(CONTENT) (CONTENT) (LOOK AND FEEL) (INTEGRATION)
75% 73% 83% 79% 76%

+20% 53% +4% +19% 57%
+31% 44%
Respondents generally perceived influencer marketing to be cool, authentic, unique

and for people like them. The creators of posts are seen as being likeable.
BRAND RECALL AND PERCEPTION

REPRESENTS
IS A REFRESHING ENERGY, BRINGS A HEALTHY
BRAND RECALL  BEVERAGE 
(UNAIDED) REFRESHMENT & JOY LIFESTYLE
(BRAND IMAGE) (BRAND IMAGE)
53% 76% 75% 62%

+21% 55% +28% 47% +28%
22% -31% 34%
On average, influencer marketing resulted in a 60% greater shift in Brand Perception Metrics.
* Results based on respondents who are extremely / very / moderately familiar with the social media personalities

DRIVING ENGAGEMENT
WITH VIEWERS

ENGAGEMENT INTENT
INFLUENCER MARKETING CONTENT IS OVER 2X MORE LIKELY
THAN TVC TO ENGAGE ITS VIEWERS
QCE3.
How likely are you to “comment” or “like" this video clip/
Instagram post or “follow”/”subscribe” to this account?
68% Very/Somewhat Likely 29%

INFLUENCER MARKETING BENCHMARK TVC
8%
Very Likely
24% Somewhat Likely
21%
Neither Likely nor Unlikely

Somewhat Likely
27%
44%
Somewhat Unlikely
15%
16%
Very Unlikely
30%
7%
8%
Base: Influencer Marketing (respondents who are extremely/very/moderately familiar with the social media personalities), n=146
Base: Benchmark TVC Cell (all respondents), n=401

VIEWING INTENT
RESPONDENTS ARE MORE LIKELY TO CHOOSE TO VIEW MORE
INFLUENCER MARKETING CONTENT
QCE2.
How likely are you to choose to view more video clips or
Instagram posts like the one you just saw?
68% Very/Somewhat Likely 45%

Very Likely
Very Likely
15%
21%
Somewhat Likely
30%
Somewhat Likely
47%

30%

Somewhat Unlikely
19%
14%
10% Very Unlikely
12%

ENGAGEMENT
67% Influencer marketing

is loved/liked
by two-thirds of respondents familiar
with the social media personalities
68% Two-thirds of respondents familiar with the

social media personalities report that they
would consider viewing more

Instagram posts similar to the ones shown to them
69% Nearly seven-in-ten respondents familiar with the

social media personalities indicate they are
likely to comment, like,

follow or subscribe
to the post or its creator

CONTENT QUALITY
EVALUATION

CONTENT ENJOYMENT
RESPONDENTS ENJOY INFLUENCER MARKETING CONTENT
MORE THAN TRADITIONAL TVC CREATIVE
QCE1.
To what extent did you enjoy the content you just saw?
67% Loved/Liked It 56%

Loved It
9%
21%
Liked It
47%
Liked It
46%
Neutral
Neutral 39%
31%

CONTENT ATTRIBUTES
INFLUENCER CONTENT IS PERCEIVED AS AUTHENTIC,
UNIQUE, AND FOR PEOPLE LIKE THEM
QCE4.
What words or phrases would you use to describe the video clip/
Instagram post you just saw?
INFLUENCER MARKETING
BENCHMARK TVC
TOP 2 BOX RESULTS:
Strongly/Somewhat Agree
Authentic
67%
49%
Credible
61%
56%
Unique
75%
44%
Cool
73%
53%
Exciting
65%
38%
For People Like Me

64%
46%

LOOK AND FEEL
INFLUENCER MARKETING IS PERCEIVED AS JUST AS GOOD
—IF NOT BETTER THAN TRADITIONAL VIDEO CREATIVE
QCE5.
What words or phrases would you use to describe the look and
feel of the video clip/Instagram post you just saw?
BENCHMARK TVC
TOP 2 BOX RESULTS:
83%
Visually Appealing
79%
82%
High Quality
74%
76%
Professional
76%
81%
Tasteful
75%

HOST ATTRIBUTES
INFLUENCERS ARE SEEN AS BEING MORE LIKEABLE
AND CREDIBLE BY THEIR FOLLOWERS THAN TVC
QCE6.
What words or phrases would you use to describe the creator of
video clip/Instagram post you just saw?
BENCHMARK TVC
TOP 2 BOX RESULTS:
79%
Likeable
65%
69%
Relatable
50%
70%
Credible
60%
68%
An Expert
48%

BRAND INTEGRATION INTO STIMULI
INTEGRATION OF THE BRAND THROUGH INFLUENCER
MARKETING IS SEEN AS MORE INTERESTING, ENTICING,
AND NATURAL THAN TRADITIONAL TVC
QPOST6.
What attributes would you use to describe the integration of  
[the beverage brand] in the video clip/Instagram post you saw?
BENCHMARK TVC
TOP 2 BOX RESULTS:
76%
Interesting
57%
69%
Enticing
52%
67%
Natural
58%

EXECUTION
Influencer marketing is The creators of the

perceived as being more Instagram posts are  
unique, cool, authentic,   most seen as being likeable
and for people like them
Influencer marketing is Three-quarters of the respondents

perceived as higher familiar with the social media
quality, more tasteful, personalities describe the
and appealing in the look integration of the beverage  
and feel of the creative brand in the post as interesting
What this means for marketers
Top quality creative can be developed in a A strength in influencer marketing

cost-effective, scalable manner through stems from its ability for brands 
influencer-generated content as an to partner with influencers that
alternative to costly commercial shoots. develop content perceived 
to be authentic and relatable 
Its content is perceived as equivalent quality
to their audience.
to—or in certain attributes, exceeding—TVC

BRAND RECALL AND
PERCEPTION

BRAND RECALL
WHILE BOTH METHODS LED TO BRAND AWARENESS INCREASES,
TRADITIONAL VIDEO ADVERTISING LED TO GREATER SHIFTS  
IN BRAND RECALL
Aided
93%
Aided
62% Unaided
53%
Unaided
22%
TVC is effective at driving both unaided and aided brand recall
QREC1. What brands do you recall from your experience watching the video clip/viewing the Instagram post? Please list as many as
you can think of.
QREC2. You may have mentioned this already, but did you notice any of the following products or brands in the video clip/
Instagram post you just saw?
Base: Influencer Marketing (respondents who are extremely/very/moderately familiar with the social media personalities), n=146  

BRAND PERCEPTION
INFLUENCER MARKETING IS 60% MORE EFFECTIVE AT
BRAND PERCEPTION SHIFTS THAN THE BENCHMARK TVC
QPOST5.
To what extent do you agree or disagree with the following
statements about [the beverage brand]?
BENCHMARK TVC
TOP 2 BOX RESULTS:
Is a refreshing beverage   76%

that I'd like to try 55%
Represents energy,   75%

refreshment and joy 47%
Pairs well with some   68%

of my favorite dishes 41%
Is fresh and natural

68%
46%
Brings a healthy lifestyle

62%
34%

KEY TAKEAWAYS

KEY STRENGTHS  
OF INFLUENCER MARKETING
Brand perception shifts  

are more effective through
influencer marketing
Respondents of influencer marketing content
reacted much more positively to the beverage
brand perception indicators than those
exposed to the Benchmark TVC stimuli
Content enjoyment and

viewing intent are higher
than traditional TVC MARKETING
Influencer marketing is loved or liked by IMPACT
two-thirds of respondents familiar with the
social media personalities; close to seven-
in-ten indicate they are likely to view more
posts similar to the influencer marketing The beverage brand aimed
piece they viewed
to be perceived more as a
refreshing beverage that
The content is viewed as respondents would like to try
and a product representing
high quality and engaging energy, refreshment, and joy.
The content of the influencer marketing
pieces is perceived as being unique, cool,
visually appealing, of high quality, and
Influencer marketing
professional; the integration of the brand in content was shown to
the post is perceived as being interesting produce a 60% greater shift
in brand perception metrics.

KEY STRENGTHS  
OF VIDEO MARKETING
Driving broad, large-

scale brand awareness,
and brand recall
Campaigns that focus on increasing
brand familiarity and is targeted to
produce a high brand recall
Credibility is the primary

attribute of importance
If the creative needs credibility to be MARKETING
the lead factor of importance in the IMPACT
purchase decision over other elements
(i.e. being relatable, authentic, and
exciting to be effective)
The Benchmark TVC was
effective at driving 93% of
respondents to successfully
recall the brand, exceeding
over six-in-ten respondents
familiar with the social
media personalities
successfully recall the
beverage brand after
seeing the Instagram post.

HOW DOES INFLUENCER MARKETING
FIT WITH TV AND OTHER DIGITAL VIDEO?
THE PATH TO PURCHASE
Awareness Video advertising

We found that TV’s broad reach, and the nature
of its creative allowed for efficient means to
Interest build initial awareness and interest.
Consideration Influencer marketing

The true power of influencer marketing
stems from its ability to win over the hearts
Intent of consumers and shift perceptions of
brands to boost its affinity.
Evaluation
Purchase
Loyalty
Together, they can be
employed effectively to create
consumer touchpoints across
the purchase journey.

A BALANCED APPROACH
Traditional video should be paired with

influencer marketing for a balanced approach
across the purchase journey
Influencer marketing   TVC  

is effective at driving effectively drives
consideration and brand awareness
purchase intent at scale
Social media is often thought to Unsurprisingly TVC was effective
drive “top-of-funnel” activity, but at producing strong brand recall
not known for its ability to drive results, but the direct-nature of
brand impact towards purchase. the brand messages in the TVC
It’s quite clear that influencer led to a relatively lower lift in
marketing has an impact towards brand perception and affinity
Brand Affinity and Purchase Intent. towards the brand’s creative.
Influencer marketing is effective at driving impact on

engagement and consideration metrics, whereas the
benchmark TVC was found to be more effective at
driving brand recall and familiarity.

WHAT OUR PARTNERS SAY
“ Faced with a tight deadline, we turned to

#paid to help us execute on a cross country
influencer campaign.
Their hybrid solution of tech and managed

services made the cross-border influencer
selection and management of our program
completely turn-key.
Their expertise in the space gave us peace

of mind as we explored working with
”
influencers outside of our market.
—Amin Todai, Founder of OneMethod

MARKETING EFFECTIVENESS STUDY
THE UNIQUE BENEFITS OF INFLUENCER MARKETING
#paid partners with marketers and

creators to find the best matches and
manage influencer marketing programs
for brand collaborations that are rooted
in fostering authentic matches.
To get started on your own influencer marketing
program with #paid—or to get a more comprehensive
deep-dive into this research report—introduce yourself
to the team by visiting:
www.hashtagpaid.com/brands/new
Or contact your #paid representative.
About #paid
#paid is the world's leading influencer marketing platform for authentic brand
collaborations. Top brands like Coca-Cola, Microsoft, Budweiser, Audi, and Airbnb trust
our proprietary technology and influencer expertise to find the right influencers, deliver
engaging content, and measure ROI. We facilitate collaborations between the most
organically followed social media creators and the smartest marketers in the world.
#paid is the leading voice and shaper of influencer marketing with the power to impact
how marketers and creators view and actively engage in social collaborations.
THE UNIQUE BENEFITS OF INFLUENCER MARKETING |

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MARKETING EFFECTIVENESS STUDY:

The Unique Benefits of

THE UNIQUE BENEFITS OF INFLUENCER MARKETING |

Driving Engagement with Viewers 10

Content Quality Evaluation 14

Brand Recall and Perception 21

THE UNIQUE BENEFITS OF INFLUENCER MARKETING | 2

THE UNIQUE BENEFITS OF INFLUENCER MARKETING | 3

#paid partnered with Nielsen to better understand the

To accomplish this, Nielsen conducted an online study to:

Evaluate the effectiveness Assess the attributes Determine the

Why compare against video advertising?

THE UNIQUE BENEFITS OF INFLUENCER MARKETING | 4

Respondents were split into 3 cells to evaluate 3 types of stimuli:

THE UNIQUE BENEFITS OF INFLUENCER MARKETING | 5

The study was conducted through an online panel

After taking a brief pre-survey, respondents in the STATIC

Screener & Post-Exposure

As influencer marketing is This analysis on influencer marketing is conducted among

THE UNIQUE BENEFITS OF INFLUENCER MARKETING | 6

THE UNIQUE BENEFITS OF INFLUENCER MARKETING | 7

TVC and influencer marketing

When reviewing top line Brand

THE UNIQUE BENEFITS OF INFLUENCER MARKETING | 8

CONTENT ENJOYMENT VIEWING INTENT ENGAGEMENT INTENT

67% 68% 69%

Respondents generally liked influencer marketing, would consider viewing

UNIQUE COOL APPEALING INTERESTING

75% 73% 83% 79% 76%

Respondents generally perceived influencer marketing to be cool, authentic, unique

BRAND RECALL AND PERCEPTION

53% 76% 75% 62%

THE UNIQUE BENEFITS OF INFLUENCER MARKETING | 9

THE UNIQUE BENEFITS OF INFLUENCER MARKETING | 10

68% Very/Somewhat Likely 29%

Neither Likely nor Unlikely

THE UNIQUE BENEFITS OF INFLUENCER MARKETING | 11

68% Very/Somewhat Likely 45%

Neither Likely nor Unlikely

Neither Likely nor Unlikely

THE UNIQUE BENEFITS OF INFLUENCER MARKETING | 12

67% Influencer marketing

68% Two-thirds of respondents familiar with the

would consider viewing more

69% Nearly seven-in-ten respondents familiar with the

likely to comment, like,

THE UNIQUE BENEFITS OF INFLUENCER MARKETING | 13

THE UNIQUE BENEFITS OF INFLUENCER MARKETING | 14

67% Loved/Liked It 56%

THE UNIQUE BENEFITS OF INFLUENCER MARKETING | 15

For People Like Me

THE UNIQUE BENEFITS OF INFLUENCER MARKETING | 16

THE UNIQUE BENEFITS OF INFLUENCER MARKETING | 17

THE UNIQUE BENEFITS OF INFLUENCER MARKETING | 18

THE UNIQUE BENEFITS OF INFLUENCER MARKETING | 19

Influencer marketing is The creators of the

Influencer marketing is Three-quarters of the respondents

What this means for marketers

Top quality creative can be developed in a A strength in influencer marketing

THE UNIQUE BENEFITS OF INFLUENCER MARKETING | 20

THE UNIQUE BENEFITS OF INFLUENCER MARKETING | 21

INFLUENCER MARKETING BENCHMARK TVC

TVC is effective at driving both unaided and aided brand recall

Screener &   Post-Exposure

TVC and influencer marketing 

UNIQUE COOL APPEALING  INTERESTING 

Is a refreshing beverage   76%

Represents energy,   75%

Pairs well with some   68%

Brand perception shifts  

Influencer marketing   TVC  