Consumer goods major Unilever is ramping up its influencer marketing playbook with the help of artificial intelligence. The company is aiming to expand its influencer network up to 20 times in FY26.
The company is integrating artificial intelligence to streamline content creation and distribution, according to Steve McCrystal, Chief Enterprise and Technology Officer. (Source: individual)
Unilever is significantly expanding its influencer marketing efforts, aiming to increase the number of influencers it works with by up to 20 times over the next year. The company is also integrating artificial intelligence to streamline content creation and distribution, according to Steve McCrystal, Chief Enterprise and Technology Officer.
“In our view, influencer marketing is a strong channel for growth and can also support brand credibility,” McCrystal said, citing research from Sprout Social which found that about half of consumers make purchases at least once a month based on influencer content.
The company said it is now producing thousands of digital assets weekly through its AI-based Gen AI Content Studios, launched in 2023. This internal tool generates still images and copy, which are distributed to influencers for use across platforms like Instagram and TikTok.
According to Unilever, the use of generative AI has allowed it to scale content creation significantly. In one example, over 100 pieces of influencer content—images and videos—were repurposed into various formats and lengths to fit different social platforms and audience segments.
Ryu Yokoi, Chief Media and Marketing Capability Officer for Unilever North America, said AI played a central role in optimizing content reach and tailoring it to specific audiences. While the company continues to work primarily with human influencers, it is also exploring the potential future use of AI-generated personas.
“The role of AI in this space will likely evolve depending on the brand and its specific needs,” Yokoi said.
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