The influencer space has moved on from glossy feeds and generic paid posts. In 2024, influence is deeper, more distributed, and more human—sometimes even AI-generated. From sonic branding to internal employee advocacy, the real power lies in influence that feels embedded, not imposed.

Here’s what’s changing—and how smart brands are keeping pace.

1. Employee Advocacy Is the Most Underused Influence Channel in the Room

Forget followers for a moment. The combined network of your employees is, on average, 10x larger than your brand’s official channels. But beyond reach, they offer something far more valuable: trust.

Employees bring insider access, shared purpose, and believable advocacy. They aren’t just repeating brand messages—they’re living them.
👉 And yet, most companies don’t have an employee advocacy program at all. That’s a missed opportunity—and a relatively low-lift fix.

2. Influence Has a Soundtrack

Sonic branding isn’t background—it’s front and centre.
🎧 Sound contributes 8x more to brand affinity than visuals alone, and 82% of consumers actively want brands to have a recognisable sonic identity.

Think of Netflix’s ta-dum, McDonald’s ba-da-ba-ba-ba, or even Bacardi’s signature beat drops. Brands that want to be remembered need to be heard as well as seen.

3. Sport Is the New Lifestyle Channel

2024 is a milestone year for sports influence—but not just in the expected way.
Athletes are now equally influential for their off-field persona, values, and interests.
From activism to fashion to food, the audience is tuned in 24/7—not just on match day.
The takeaway? If you’re a lifestyle, F&B, or spirits brand, aligning with athletes now means aligning with culture.

4. Live Streaming Is the New Flagship Format

As audiences get fatigued by short-form tricks and TikTok tropes, live streaming has become the trust-building alternative.
📈 66% of brands report that creator-led content performs better than traditional ads, and 31% of people say live shopping helps them make smarter purchase decisions.

The magic of livestreams? Authenticity and depth.
Creators show the product, answer questions, engage on the spot—and turn passive audiences into active buyers.

5. Sustainable Influence Is Under Scrutiny

The rise of de-influencing has pulled the curtain back on gimmicky gifting and performative greenwashing.
🟢 78% of consumers say they’ve been inspired by influencers to adopt more sustainable habits. But they’re also getting smarter—and louder—about what’s real.

Influencers (and the brands behind them) are being held to higher standards. Expect gifting, packaging, and content to face greater scrutiny and expectation. The solution? Do less, but do it better.

6. AI Is Rewriting Personalisation in Influence

AI isn’t just changing content production—it’s shifting how influence is delivered and experienced.
🤖 63% of marketers plan to integrate AI tools into influencer campaigns in 2024. From hyper-personalised content to AI-generated characters that evolve with viewer interaction, the goal is no longer scale—it’s specificity.

Ipsos research even shows that investing in character-driven storytelling yields the strongest brand salience uplift. In the future, your brand’s most loved advocate might not be a person—but a custom-trained, AI persona built to reflect your values.

M&E Perspective: Influence in 2024 Is About Intimacy, Not Just Reach

This year’s shifts prove that real influence happens in the margins—not just in the metrics.
It’s the barback who posts their shift rituals.
It’s the bartender DJ with a local following.
It’s the co-branded livestream cocktail class that gets passed around in group chats.

Whether human, hybrid, or AI-generated—influence today is measured by closeness, credibility, and creativity. We don’t just believe in partnerships. We believe in the power of contextual collaboration—and we’re ready to build what’s next.