The #ad posts on your feed may look relaxed, personal and spontaneous but behind many of them is a carefully planned campaign, a detailed contract and, in some cases, a seven-figure fee. Charlie Bowes-Lyon, co-founder of Wild, the refillable natural deodorant bought by Unilever last year, calls influencer marketing his “secret sauce”. And the sums are eye-watering: Wild has spent millions on its partnership with British tennis player Emma Raducanu, the brand’s current ambassador, and hundreds of thousands on campaigns with Stacey Solomon and Molly-Mae Hague. “When I tell people influencers make £2,000 for a single post, they are shocked, never mind the fact some are making £50,000 for one post,” Bowes-Lyon said. The company’s yearly influencer marketing budget is just under £10m, “but next year that may double as we look for larger brand ambassadors”, he added.
Wild employs a team of more than 20 solely dedicated to influencer marketing. Bowes-Lyon explained that fees “can vary from £100,000 through to millions if you want a top-tier celebrity”. A lot depends on the depth of the campaign: “If you want them to do a one-off post you wouldn’t pay too much but typically what they and you want is to develop is a bit more of a relationship.” Raducanu’s deal has involved “full day shoots in New York, lots of posts and stories on Instagram and she even came in to create her own deodorant scent”. Bowes-Lyon said the celebrities “aren’t strapped for cash so it’s not really about the money for them, it’s more about whether the brand is a right fit”.
“Wild co-founder reveals seven-figure fees paid to influencers like Raducanu, with annual budget nearing £10m and set to double.”
Hannah Campbell, founder of influencer marketing agency One Twelve Agency, says brands are using influencers over traditional adverts because “they do actually influence”. “They have built audiences and communities that trust them, and the old adage ‘people buy from people’ is true. Consumers, especially younger audiences, aren’t engaging with traditional media but they do follow and engage with their favourite influencers daily.” Katy Howell, director at marketing agency Rethink Social, said paid ads “don’t necessarily corrupt a recommendation”, though the full quote was not provided in the source.
Wild’s success story shows how influencer marketing has become a central pillar of modern brand strategy. As Bowes-Lyon prepares to double his budget next year, the question is which celebrity will be the next to sign a seven-figure deal to make an armpit look aspirational.