Is Branding Still Relevant in the Influencer Era?

In today's digital landscape, where influencer marketing has exploded into a $24 billion industry in 2024 (up from just $1.7 billion in 2016), businesses are increasingly questioning whether traditional branding still matters. Has the era of influencers fundamentally changed the branding playbook, or is traditional brand-building still essential?

This analysis explores what the data tells us about the evolving relationship between established branding practices and influencer marketing.

The Rise of Influencer Marketing: By the Numbers

The influencer marketing boom continues to accelerate:

• The global influencer marketing market reached $24 billion in 2024, representing a 13.7% annual increase (Statista, 2024)

• Despite economic pressures, 63.8% of brands still plan to partner with influencers in 2025, though only 49.2% plan to increase budgets (down from 59.4% in 2024) (Influencer Marketing Hub, 2025)

• Influencer marketing spend rose 3.5x faster than social ad spending, growing 16% year-over-year to over $8.14 billion in 2024 (Whop, 2024)

• The average ROI for influencer marketing remains strong at $5.20 for every $1 spent (Firework, 2024)

  
  

These numbers suggest a shift in how consumers discover and engage with products. The question becomes: has this shift diminished the importance of traditional branding?

Branding Performance Metrics in the Influencer Age

Despite the rise of influencer marketing, traditional branding metrics in the influencer era demonstrate continued relevance:

• 81% of consumers need to trust a brand to consider buying from it (Wiser Notify, 2024)

• 67% of consumers will stay loyal and advocate for brands they trust (Eldman, 2025)

• Almost 9 in 10 adult consumers worldwide say that trust is an important consideration when they buy a brand (Marketing Charts, 2024)

• 10-20% of marketing budgets are spent on branding and rebranding by most companies (Wiser Notify, 2024)

  
  

The data suggests that while the channels and tactics may be evolving, the fundamental value of branding persists even as influencer marketing grows.

The Symbiotic Relationship: What Research Shows

Recent studies indicate that branding and influencer marketing work best together:

Recent Performance Data

HubSpot's 2024 data shows that partnering with influencers can deliver impressive results: brands reported 5x higher impressions and video views, 6x higher engagement, and 82% growth in followers compared to their average Instagram performance. However, this success often builds upon existing brand foundations rather than replacing them entirely.

Trust Transfer Mechanism

A Harvard Business Review study (2022) documented a "trust transfer mechanism" where 72% of consumers report that their trust in an influencer increases when they partner with established, trustworthy brands. Similarly, 68% reported increased trust in brands when recommended by influencers they follow.

Longevity vs. Immediacy

Analysis of marketing performance data by Kantar (2023) found that while influencer campaigns typically generate quick sales spikes (37% increase in short-term conversion rates), these effects diminish rapidly without brand reinforcement. In contrast, consistent branding efforts create slower but more sustainable growth curves, with 3.5x longer customer retention rates.

Case Studies: The Data Behind Success Stories

Nike: Integration Master

Nike's integration of branding and influencer marketing shows in the numbers:

• 40% of Nike's digital marketing budget now goes to influencer partnerships (Nike Annual Report, 2023)

• Their branded hashtag campaigns receive 25x more engagement when shared by influencers versus company accounts

• Yet they maintain 90% brand recognition globally (Brand Finance, 2023)

Glossier: Brand Born From Influence

Glossier began as a beauty blog before becoming a $1.8 billion brand:

• 70% of their growth comes from peer-to-peer recommendations and user-generated content

• Their distinctive packaging appears in over 500,000 unsponsored Instagram posts annually

• Despite heavy reliance on influence, they invest 30% of revenue in brand development (Glossier Investor Report, 2022)

The Data-Driven Middle Path

The most successful marketing strategies integrate both approaches:

1. Complementary Investment: Companies allocating balanced budgets (40-60% split between branding and influencer marketing) outperform those heavily skewed toward either approach by 32% on average (Marketing Evolution Report, 2023)

   
   

2. Brand-Guided Influence: Campaigns where influencers are given creative freedom within clear brand guidelines generate 49% higher engagement than those with either rigid brand control or complete influencer autonomy (Later & Fohr Study, 2023)

   
   

3. Measurement Integration: Organizations using integrated measurement frameworks that track both brand metrics and influencer performance show 28% higher marketing ROI than those measuring either in isolation (Analytic Partners, 2022)

Conclusion: What the Numbers Tell Us

The data is clear: branding hasn't become irrelevant—it's evolved. In the influencer era, strong brands provide the foundation of trust and recognition that makes influencer partnerships more effective. Meanwhile, influencers provide brands with authenticity and reach that traditional branding channels may lack.

Rather than seeing branding and influencer marketing as competing approaches, the most successful organizations treat them as complementary forces. The numbers show that brands that master this integration outperform those who neglect either component.

In a world where consumers are bombarded with more content than ever, distinctive branding remains the anchor that helps products stand out—while influencers provide the personal connection that turns recognition into action.