Multinational brands are increasingly partnering with specialized agencies as influencer marketing budgets continue to rise, according to new research from the World Federation of Advertisers (WFA).
The study, based on 73 responses from 59 companies with a cumulative global marketing communications spend exceeding $120 billion, reveals that 54% of multinational brand marketers plan to increase their influencer marketing budgets in 2025, while 61% believe the channel will become more important in the future.
Agency Partnerships Expanding
According to WFA research, to navigate the growing complexity of the creator ecosystem, brands are turning to specialized partners for expertise. The use of influencer agencies for identifying potential collaborators has jumped from 54% in 2019 to nearly 74% today—a 20% increase in just five years.
Brands are deploying a multi-agency approach to manage influencer relationships:
- 79% work with dedicated influencer agencies
- 54% utilize social media agencies
- 51% engage PR agencies
Different solutions are being applied in various regions, with brands adopting market-specific approaches.
Some agencies report even larger budget increases, with digital marketing agency Wpromote seeing clients boost influencer spending between 33% to 54% from 2024 to 2025, according to Ana Arnet, the agency’s Head of Influencer and Affiliate.
Enhanced Brand Safeguards
The research highlights the rise of risk management protocols as brands seek to mitigate potential reputational issues:
- 66% of brands now have formal policies for influencer partnerships (up from 60% in 2019)
- 70% always establish contracts with influencers (up from 63% in 2019)
- 62% actively encourage disclosure of commercial relationships (up from 60% in 2019)
- 42% monitor influencer compliance with existing standards or rules
Strategic Shift in Influencer Selection
As budgets grow, brands are becoming more sophisticated in their approach. According to Sarah Gerrish, Senior Director of Influencer and Creator Marketing at Movers+Shakers, “Most brands are now focused on maximizing their investment by working with more mid-tier and micro-influencers vs. just a few macro-influencers.”
Eva Wasko, SVP of Public Relations and Influencer at Allen & Gerritsen, notes that brands increasingly favor long-term partnerships and ambassador programs. Research from Billion Dollar Boy found that 73% of marketers planned to invest more in ambassador programs within a 12-month period.
New Industry Guidance
In response to these findings, the WFA is launching Global Guidance on Influencer Marketing, which focuses on five key principles: transparency, authenticity, responsibility, tailored, and compliance.
Developed in collaboration with advertising self-regulatory organizations from 14 countries, the guidance addresses:
- Disclosure and transparency requirements
- Content accuracy and truthfulness standards
- Ethical considerations to avoid offensive or discriminatory content
- Compliance with local laws across different markets
- Best practices for contracts, training, and ongoing monitoring
“While many brands are striving to set best practice, there is still work to do to raise the bar in terms of where the industry needs to be,” Stephan Loerke, WFA CEO, said in a statement.
Multinational brands are increasingly partnering with specialized agencies as influencer marketing budgets continue to rise, according to new research from the World Federation of Advertisers (WFA).
The study, based on 73 responses from 59 companies with a cumulative global marketing communications spend exceeding $120 billion, reveals that 54% of multinational brand marketers plan to increase their influencer marketing budgets in 2025, while 61% believe the channel will become more important in the future.
Agency Partnerships Expanding
According to WFA research, to navigate the growing complexity of the creator ecosystem, brands are turning to specialized partners for expertise. The use of influencer agencies for identifying potential collaborators has jumped from 54% in 2019 to nearly 74% today—a 20% increase in just five years.
Brands are deploying a multi-agency approach to manage influencer relationships:
Different solutions are being applied in various regions, with brands adopting market-specific approaches.
Some agencies report even larger budget increases, with digital marketing agency Wpromote seeing clients boost influencer spending between 33% to 54% from 2024 to 2025, according to Ana Arnet, the agency’s Head of Influencer and Affiliate.
Enhanced Brand Safeguards
The research highlights the rise of risk management protocols as brands seek to mitigate potential reputational issues:
Strategic Shift in Influencer Selection
As budgets grow, brands are becoming more sophisticated in their approach. According to Sarah Gerrish, Senior Director of Influencer and Creator Marketing at Movers+Shakers, “Most brands are now focused on maximizing their investment by working with more mid-tier and micro-influencers vs. just a few macro-influencers.”
Eva Wasko, SVP of Public Relations and Influencer at Allen & Gerritsen, notes that brands increasingly favor long-term partnerships and ambassador programs. Research from Billion Dollar Boy found that 73% of marketers planned to invest more in ambassador programs within a 12-month period.
New Industry Guidance
In response to these findings, the WFA is launching Global Guidance on Influencer Marketing, which focuses on five key principles: transparency, authenticity, responsibility, tailored, and compliance.
Developed in collaboration with advertising self-regulatory organizations from 14 countries, the guidance addresses:
“While many brands are striving to set best practice, there is still work to do to raise the bar in terms of where the industry needs to be,” Stephan Loerke, WFA CEO, said in a statement.