The six influencer marketing shifts that will define 2026 – and how CMOs can stay ahead

This post is sponsored by Kobe.

The influencer marketing playbook has officially changed. Follower counts no longer guarantee impact, and polished content is losing to raw and relatable moments.

Across Singapore and APAC, brands that will be successful in 2026 will be those who move fast, build communities, and collaborate with creators who can shape culture, and not just follow it.

Drawing on the insights from Kobe’s decade-long experience leading more than 1,000 campaigns across Asia, these six shifts reveal how the most forward-thinking CMOs should evolve their playbooks for the year ahead.

Authenticity beats size

Follower counts don’t tell you if people care. What matters today is content that feels real, useful or funny. And it is created by people who actually live what they post about.

Niche creators with tight-knit communities consistently outperform larger personalities. In CASETiFY’s collab-driven drops (Disney, BLACKPINK), a blend of anchor creators and micro voices embedded within specific fandoms drove engagement and sales.

The anchors sparked reach; the smaller creators built relevance and loyalty.

Tip: Collaborate with purpose. Choose creators whose persona, audience, and values genuinely align with your brand.

From audiences to communities: Superfans drive outcomes

The next era of influence will be powered by superfans, not spectators. These are audiences who comment, remix and rally others, in turn, driving advocacy, not just impressions. Today’s tech and AI tools can help identify “superfan signals” such as saves, stitches, and repeat interactions before campaigns scale.

In one financial campaign, a genuine long-time customer transformed “boring” finance talk into everyday storytelling. Because her credibility was lived, not scripted, the content turned passive viewers into a community around practical money habits.

Tip: Prioritise community engagement by partnering with creators who actively build and nurture their tribes.

Create at the speed of culture

You can’t plan virality, but you can prepare for it.

The brands that win empower creators to move fast within smart guardrails. Before a major F&B launch in Singapore, superfans were given early access to behind-the-scenes moments – interiors, staff vibes, even the opening countdown. The results? Overnight buzz, and queues starting at 3am.

Tip: Build agile approval systems so your creators can capitalise on cultural moments in real time.

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Let creative be the targeting

Creative is no longer just an output. It’s a targeting strategy.

During a regional campaign, 75 creators produced more than 140 pieces of content, each with a unique lens: travel storytelling, product hacks, and aesthetic reels. Every creative angle hit a different touch-point of the customer journey.

Travel dreamers saw inspiration. Families saw convenience. Conversions rose without traditional audience segmentation.

Tip: Brief for multiple creative lenses (POV, trend, hack, aesthetic) to speak to different mindsets within your target market.

Engineer the “double bump”

Smart marketers don’t just chase one content peak. They plan for two. First comes the awareness wave from creators. The second builds momentum through retargeting, creator revisits, and user-generated content.

A humour-led QSR campaign that drew 30 million views in its first week sustained visibility through follow-up content such as street interviews and skits. This kept the brand’s message fresh and entertaining.

Tip: Always build a second act, a sustained wave that turns attention into loyalty.

Relatability > perfection

What captures attention isn’t polish, it’s personality.

Everyday moments such as a chat at a coffee shop or a quick win during a commute connects far deeper than overproduced content. One tech brand reimagined a utility product through a gaming metaphor, turning “health points” into a playful visual that instantly clicked with audiences and boosted engagement.

Tip: Focus on human, relatable stories, that feel spontaneous, not staged.

The new rules of influence

In 2026, creative will become the new targeting. Communities will replace audiences. Agility will outperform perfection.

These insights come from analysing more than 1,000 campaigns across Asia’s evolving creator economy.

With nearly a decade in the space, and multiple wins at the Agency of the Year Awards, Kobe’s perspective is clear: “Success in influencer marketing isn’t about being louder. It’s about smarter creator chemistry,” says Evangeline Leong, founder and CEO of Kobe. “When brands and creators share a purpose, they don’t just sell. They shape culture.”