What We Took From Influencer360

Influencer360 was, as ever, a hub for brands, platforms and agencies to talk all things creator. It’s an event built on connection, and in that sense, it did its job. A packed schedule of panels and presentations gave a top-line steer on where influencer marketing is at – and more importantly, where it’s going. And no… AI isn’t coming for all of our jobs (probably just some of them! 😅)

What’s working

Some of the biggest wins from the day came from brands building meaningful frameworks around their influencer efforts. Ice cream favourite, Ben & Jerry’s, spoke powerfully about using influencers to drive purposeful messaging – a refreshing reminder that influencer marketing isn’t just about reach, it’s about impact.  
 
The TikTok Shop panel also drew attention to how creator content is now driving conversion, not just awareness. The rise of live shopping, and the shift toward creators as sellers, isn’t just a trend – it’s a new form of e-commerce. Although, try telling that to my mum who was in her QVC era in the early 00’s… 
 
And of course, AI was the star of more than one session – from virtual influencers to AI talent agents, apparently if your manager’s human, you’re already behind. (Kidding. Sort of.) One clear takeaway from the room, though, is that UK audiences still crave authenticity and relatability – the kind you can’t deepfake. So, while the tech is impressive, hyper-curated, slim, beautiful virtual influencers still feel like a cultural miss. 

Influencer marketing doesn’t stay still – that’s part of what makes it exciting. But it does mean that conversations can start to feel behind the curve unless they’re pushing forward and forecasting based on emerging consumer behaviours.
 
We’d love to see more sessions grounded in exactly this – consumer behaviour – how creator content is shaping how people actually think, feel and buy. And a deeper dive into measuring ROI and brand impact, would help steer the conversation from awareness to outcomes. That includes longer term thinking too, not just quick wins with CPE.
 
DE&I was touched on in the first panel and came up again during the AI discussion – particularly around the lack of diversity in AI-generated influencers. It’s a vital conversation, and one that belongs at the centre of future events, not tacked on at the edges. At PrettyGreen, we aim to lead by example – recently consulting ISBA on behalf of the IMTB for the Influencer Marketing Code of Conduct, with a focus on accountable activation.

Inclusivity, representation, accessibility – they all matter, and we have a responsibility to keep pushing from a position of privilege.

Influencer360’s strength is in convening the people who care about this space. It’s a place for partnerships to begin, ideas to collide, and if you’re lucky, a couple of really amazing cookies (seriously, what was that gooey chocolate filling?) to get eaten in the process.

Next year, we’d love to see the content evolve at the pace of the industry. This space is bold, ever-changing and creatively rich – and it deserves programming that reflects that.

Photo Credit: PR Week