The slow burn power of influence 

Traditional media was built on control. One message, tightly managed, broadcast to many. But that control has dissolved. Today’s media landscape is decentralised and dynamic. Every Tiktok, video, comment or review becomes part of the brand conversation.  

Brand messages and communication are no longer linear; they’re mediated through armies of influencers, curators and communities. This is something that wears in, not out. When done well, it compounds over time. The more often people encounter authentic, trusted recommendations – think from creators, customers, communities – the stronger their relationship with a brand becomes. What starts as awareness deepens into loyalty and advocacy. 

But the unfortunate reality of the world is that a lot of advertising wears out. Familiarity dulls its edge, media frequency blunts its impact, and the people scroll ever on, look away or ignore it. However, this is exactly where influencer marketing thrives. It works within that messiness – the distributed, contextual, human. 

Unlike static media, which fades the longer it runs, influencer marketing gains momentum. Each creator post, each authentic review, each shared story adds another layer to how people understand and feel about a brand. It’s why long-term influencer programs outperform short-term bursts. Repetition from trusted voices builds credibility instead of fatigue. 

One of our longest-standing client partnerships shows the power of consistency and authentic alignment. What began as a single brand activation eight years ago has evolved into a multi-product, always-on program with creators embedded in live experiences and community storytelling.

Many of the same creators have been part of the journey from the start, continuing to share real, relatable moments that connect deeply with their audiences. While some might expect fatigue, the opposite has happened. Tracking engagement across past five years we saw engagement triple, from 3% to 9%, proving that genuine, long-term relationships between brands and creators drive better content alignment, authentic integration and stronger audience engagement delivering greater impact for the program.  

There’s also a psychological truth behind all this. People remember what feels familiar, not what’s forced. When creators consistently integrate brands into everyday contexts like a dinner, a playlist or a weekend moment, it feels natural, not sponsored (when done right, most of the time!). The frequency and relatability form the foundation of long-term trust, the kind that can’t be bought with a single ad campaign. 

Meanwhile, linear TV viewership is fragmented and digital CPMs are rising as attention shrinks. A recent report from the IPA in the UK showed that influencer marketing is now more effective for brand building than traditional broadcast advertising, but only when brands embrace authentic collaboration. Influencer marketing isn’t a tactic nor should it be tacked on to a media plan. Influence is an ecosystem.  

Of course, that doesn’t mean letting go completely. Smart influencer strategies require frameworks: the right creator selection, data-driven measurement and a consistent narrative that can be adapted across voices and contexts.  

But it also means allowing room for authenticity: the unpredictable, human element that makes creators powerful in the first place. As we’ve seen it in brands like Kmart who have cultivated their community over time without reliance on heavy-handed scripted content. Instead, they’ve built a community where creators and everyday Australians want to share their finds whether it’s a $4 vase, a clever storage hack or a full room makeover. The result is a self-sustaining wave of advocacy that feels genuine, because it is genuine, and it taps into real community moments.

The best results often come when brands don’t force control but trust their creators to translate the message through their own voice. It’s the difference between being part of the conversation and trying to script it. 

In the old world, repetition caused wear-out. In this new one, repetition through authenticity causes wear-in. The brands that invest in creators as a long-term relationship are the ones that will endure here and, more often than not, see the results compound over time. 

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