The Creator Economy has gone global—and we’ve got the stats to prove it.
While the influencer marketing industry got its start in the United States, creators are capturing hearts and attention all across the world, and savvy brands are following suit. Whether it’s Beauty brands bringing together international creator squads for product launches and campaigns, European Luxury Fashion houses making inroads with K-Pop entertainers, or Food & Beverage brands pushing boldly into new markets, the world’s leading companies are truly embracing the ‘world’ part of that statement.
In that same globetrotting spirit, CreatorIQ recently investigated the European Creator Economy: which industries are surging, which brands are winning, and what the future holds for the market as a whole. From March 2023 to February 2024, we averaged key metrics for the Top 25 Brands by Earned Media Value (EMV) in eight notable industries across both CreatorIQ’s European and United States Creator Panels—our databases of prominent creators that provide a cross-section of the social media landscape in each market. The resulting report provides a deep-dive into the state of the European Creator Economy.
We’ve provided some key learnings below, but they only scratch the surface of everything covered in the full report. Read on for three important takeaways, but be sure to check out our latest report, The European Creator Economy Is Heating Up, for a complete rundown of insights, data, and actionable strategies for your brand’s creator program.
Influencer Marketing Is Surging In Europe
We expected some differences to emerge between the European and American markets. But we didn’t expect those differences to paint such a clear picture.
In seven of the eight industries we analyzed, top European brands averaged higher YoY EMV growth than top American brands. The lone exception was Beauty, where top U.S. brands narrowly outpaced European brands, averaging a 41% YoY growth versus a 38% average. But everywhere else, top brands in Europe were growing at a faster rate than top brands in the U.S.
While key European industries aren’t on par with the U.S. in terms of raw metrics totals—brands in the U.S. still drive more total EMV, Engagements, and Impressions, and garner larger creator communities—the starkness of Europe’s growth is hard to ignore. The Creator Economy in Europe is where the Creator Economy in America recently was, signaling that impressive growth lies ahead.
Old Brands Learn New Tricks
As we looked across the spectrum of industries, we found brands with decades (Space NK) or even centuries (Guinness) of experience taking to influencer marketing like a fish to water—or, say, a toucan to a nice pint of stout.
Space NK, for example, tied its wagon to one of the hottest Beauty brands in the world. When Rare Beauty continued its world tour/global domination, Space NK rolled out the red carpet, hosting brand events ranging from product labs to creator meet-ups. As a result of these close collaborative ties, #RareBeauty ranked as Space NK’s No. 2 hashtag with $9.9M EMV—only narrowly trailing #SpaceNK, which pulled in $10.5M EMV.
Though it ranked at No. 13 in the European Retailer Top 25, Space NK secured a Top 25-leading 126% YoY EMV surge—over 100% better than the Top 25’s average 20% YoY growth.
Meanwhile, Guinness enjoyed a boost thanks to savvy partnerships within the worlds of sports and ~magic~. Two of the brand’s highest EMV-driving advocates—the Six Nations Rugby League, which Guinness officially sponsors, and the Irish Rugby team, which Guinness proudly supports—were sports-affiliated, proving that at all levels, beer and sports are a perfect match. Additionally, magician Ryan Tricks drove engagement for Guinness at various bars by cleverly flipping an upturned glass of Guinness without spilling anything, thus earning a pint for free.
Thanks to these productive partnerships, Guinness came in at No. 3 on the European Alcohol Top 25 with $16.8M EMV, enjoying an 82% YoY EMV growth.
Winning Brands View Influencer Marketing as Community-Building
There’s more than one way to secure EMV growth, and the brands that we spotlighted in the report took many paths to success. But no matter whether these brands were billion-dollar or up-and-coming, one thing they all had in common was framing their influencer marketing initiatives as a chance to build and reward their respective communities—not to meet a bottom line, or culminate in a particular post.
For example, when Gymshark armed its passionate community of fitness creators with affiliate codes, it’s not just because that’s a lucrative model for selling products—it’s also because these codes are a point of pride for fitness creators whom Gymshark has supported through a long, grueling process.
Similarly, when PRIME mobilized its community around Fight Night content, it’s because the brand’s founders—creators and boxers themselves—understand the importance of meeting consumers where they are: in tight-knit groups designed for like-minded hobbyists and fans.
From just these three takeaways, it’s clear that creator marketing in Europe is already booming, and poised for even further growth. By downloading our full report, The European Economy Is Heating Up, you’ll find all the keys to understanding that growth:
- Data-driven spotlights on Europe’s hottest brands
- Qualitative analyses of how these brands used creator marketing to grow
- Actionable insights to help your brand build a winning creator marketing strategy
Ready to become an expert on the European Creator Economy?
