• by Tanya Gazdik , Yesterday

Earlier this year, Unilever announced plans to increase the number of influencers it works with by 20 times and to spend half of its ad budget on social media, up from 30%.

“Influencer marketing insiders say it led to a gold rush for some areas of the creator economy,” according to Business Insider. “The big Unilever creator marketing mandate also encouraged other brands to up their influencer game.”

The moves seem to have paid off for the CPG behemoth, owner of brands such as Dove, Hellmann's and Vaseline.

“We’re outperforming in practically every single category,” says Unilever CEO Fernando Fernandez in an interview with Celine Pannuti, JP Morgan’s Head of Consumer Staples. 

This is driven by Unilever’s SASSY framework -- Science, Aesthetics, Sensorials, Said by others and Young-spirited brands -- which defines how the company approaches product development and models of reach, engagement and validation.

“We’re putting in place a revolution in social-first marketing,” Fernandez says. “We’re already close to 300,000 influencers. This is about ‘Said by others’ – our brand offering being validated and recommended by consumers.”

Unilever's commitment to expanding its influencer roster by 20X encouraged other companies to reassess their spending on influencer marketing.

“Elsewhere, some influencers reacted by proactively pitching to Unilever in the hope of landing projects and expanding their scopes of work,” according to Business Insider. “In certain markets and verticals, the dynamic has enabled top-tier influencers to increase their fees, insiders said.”

Other companies, including General Mills, Gap, Victoria’s Secret, and Bath & Body Work took notice, as indicated in their earnings calls. 

“Consultants, agencies, and creators describe the decision as a market-moving event that reset industry expectations around scale, fees and speed,” according to DesignRush. “For an industry already growing fast, Unilever’s announcement functioned as a catalyst, and its status as a top global advertiser accelerated the ripple effects.”

Fernandez, who took over as CEO in March, announced adjustments to marketing executive duties last week. 

“Esi Eggleston Bracey, the chief growth and marketing officer who has led the company’s marketing for the past eight years, is departing,” according to Marketing Daily. “Leandro Barreto, currently CMO for Unilever’s beauty and wellbeing division, will add responsibility for the company’s entire marketing efforts.”

Fernandez says  Barreto will be tasked with turning Unilever “into a true marketing and sales machine.”