UAE: Why the 'human' in influencers matters while representing brands

Companies ranging from online trading platforms to makeup giants are using influencer marketing to reach their target audiences. However, marketers emphasised the importance of researching and finding the right influencer to align with their brand story.

Nikita Phulwani, CEO and Founder of the marketing agency Mumkin, highlighted that it is important for companies to engage with both mega-celebrity influencers and nano-influencers to achieve strong results. “What matters is authenticity, real connection, and human-ledness,” she said.

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She added that influencers who work in niches “win in the long term” because it helps them stand out.

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She gave the example of a nano-influencer whose work had a significant impact for a beauty conglomerate client of her agency. “We ran a micro-influencer campaign, and there was this teenage creator with fewer than 10,000 followers,” she said.

“The content she created performed so well that the beauty brand posted it on their page and collaborated with her on two additional campaigns. She has been doing a great job since. It’s important for brands to be open to those hidden gem content creators who can elevate the brand to the next level. I’m a big believer in the power of nano.”

Authentic content

For one beauty brand, influencer marketing has shifted from focusing on clicks and impressions to building trust, authenticity, and emotional connection. Olfa Messaoudi, Chief Digital and Marketing Officer of L’Oréal Middle East, explained that the company values what they call “love content” — created by people who genuinely love the brand.

“It's not paid content, so it’s truly an influencer who resonates with both the audience and the brand,” she said.

She added that even when the company runs a sponsored or paid campaign, it doesn’t track views. “Instead, we track engagement on the post — the number of mentions, likes, and comments — because that’s what truly shows the real impact of the content,” she said.

Sherry White, Director of Marketing and Communications at Waldorf Astoria DIFC, explained how they aim to build long-term relationships with their influencers to foster authenticity. “We work with an influencer currently who actually started off as a guest,” she said.

“He is a Saudi-based influencer with massive reach in the GCC, and we got to know him because he stayed with us at the hotel. We started with some barter agreements, and he gradually transitioned into an ambassador for the brand. He now recommends our property not only through his channels but also personally," she added.

For online trading platform MultiBank Group, influencer partnerships have proven effective. “We’ve seen a 10 to 15 per cent increase in conversions when influencers drive app downloads,” said Omais Waiz, Director of Performance Marketing at the brand. “But that’s just the beginning. We also look at engagement rates, average session durations, and user lifetime value.”

Nasreen Abdulla

nasreen@khaleejtimes.com

Nasreen Abdulla is a Special Correspondent covering food, tech and human interest stories. When not challenged by deadlines, you’ll find her pulling off submissions on the jiu jitsu mats.