A recent report from Kolsquare shows a clear shift in the UK influencer landscape, as more than a quarter of brands plan to increase the number of key opinion leaders they work with next year.

But importantly this growth isn’t being driven by celebrities or mega‑influencers. Instead, brands are focusing on micro‑ and nano‑creators - people with smaller, close‑knit communities and far higher engagement.

This shift makes perfect sense when you look at how the industry has evolved. Influencer marketing was once dominated by the race to sign the biggest celebrity names.

And while the Kim Kardashians of the world still have enormous cultural pull, can spark trends and generate headlines instantly, their lifestyles are miles away from the everyday reality of most consumers.

As one senior brand manager told The Times last week: “Consumers’ trust in influencers, especially mega-influencers, is decreasing.”

Celebrity ambassadors may bring reach and glamour, but they often lack the relatability that drives genuine influence.

That’s exactly where smaller creators excel. As the report by influencer marketing platform Kolsquare highlights, brands are increasingly prioritising authenticity over fame - choosing voices that feel real, raw, trustworthy and grounded in everyday life.

The influencer landscape is now so crowded that there’s practically a creator for every niche, hobby and interest.

Whilst this is amazing that there is a creator for everything, this oversaturation means audiences are constantly overwhelmed - and becoming increasingly selective about who they trust.

Cutting through all that noise requires something simple but powerful: genuine, credible voices. And that’s exactly where Democracy come in.

At Democracy, we’re here to supercharge challenger brands. With more than a decade of hands‑on experience in influencer marketing, we know that the voices people trust most aren’t always the biggest ones - they’re the real ones.

That’s why we tap into micro‑influencers who already talk about our brands in an honest, natural way. When someone genuinely likes a product, you can feel it instantly, and that’s the kind of influence that actually lands.

Eisberg – Dry January Campaign

Dry January is a huge moment for Eisberg, so instead of going after generic volume, we leaned into the people who were already fans. We sent thoughtful gifting to creators, with followings between 4,000 and 68,000, to invite them to enjoy an Eisberg cheese‑and‑wine date night at home. Because we utilised people who genuinely enjoy Eisberg’s range of wines, the content that came back felt exactly as it should: real people sharing real moments with a product they actually enjoy.

Five Farms – St Patrick’s Day Campaign

With Five Farms, we wanted someone who didn’t just fit the brief but felt like the brand. Irish creator Anna Duke, now living in London, was the perfect match.

Her St Patrick’s Day content felt personal and rooted in her own connection to home, which made it resonate so much more. We also gave the campaign a moment everyone could get involved in - sending one lucky winner to Dublin.

It added that extra layer of excitement and authenticity that showcase why brands shouldn’t just focus on celebrity ambassadors.

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