Unilever has significantly expanded its influencer-led marketing ecosystem, growing its global network of brand advocates from 10,000 to nearly 300,000 over the past two years. The development has underscored the company’s shift towards peer-driven recommendations and social-first engagement.
Speaking at a Barclays fireside chat, CEO Fernando Fernandez has highlighted the scale of this transformation, noting the rapid growth of the company’s creator ecosystem. “We now have close to 300,000 people recommending our brands. Two years ago, we had around 10,000,” he has said. He has also pointed out that India, a key emerging market for Unilever, has had around 17,000 influencers within this network.
Fernandez has explained that influencers have been one part of a broader ecosystem of “other people’s recommendations,” which has included professionals, creators, and everyday consumers advocating for products within their own circles.
“Broadcasting messages from big brands now can become suspicious,” he has noted, adding that credibility today has increasingly stemmed from individuals rather than corporate messaging.
The strategy has reflected a wider shift in how brands have been building trust in a fragmented media landscape, where audiences have relied more on peer validation than traditional advertising.
In parallel, Unilever has strengthened its presence in physical retail and global cultural events, viewing these as key touchpoints to connect with consumers.
Taken together, these efforts have pointed to a marketing approach that has leaned less on one-way communication and more on participation, recommendations, and community-led influence.
The company has also recently appointed SAMY to develop and execute a global influencer strategy for its foods business, signalling a deeper push into creator collaborations across markets and categories.
