Market leaders
Instagram was the social media channel that paid celebrity influencers the most in Italy, with an average remuneration of between 15 and 16 thousand euros per post. Given Italy’s penchant for all things style and beauty, it comes as no surprise that fashion influencer Chiara Ferragni has been raking in over 50 thousand euros per Instagram post. Fashion companies working with Ferragni have seen their stocks surge as soon as their connection with the 34-year-old was made public, as was the case with eyewear brand Safilo and luxury footwear firm Tod’s, who saw a respective 14 and 12 percent rise in shares thanks to the so-called “Ferragni effect.” As far as sheer number of followers is concerned, Senegalese-born Khabane “Khaby” Lame is the undisputed Italian leader of influencers, with almost 25 million fans on Instagram alone. The 21-year-old is also the leading Italian influencer on TikTok, with more than 75 million followers as of June 2021 – the second highest in the world after U.S. influencer Charli D’Amelio. Lame’s not being an Italian citizen despite growing up near Turin has also sparked conversations about Italy’s citizenship and immigration laws. This occurred as posts made by Italian influencers on diversity and social inclusion increased by 35 percent between 2019 and 2020.
Consumer perspective and transparency
The Italian audience is becoming increasingly receptive to the role of influencers in their purchasing choices, with more than one in three surveyed consumers checking influencer profiles on social media every day. One in three Italians also stated they hold influencer purchasing advice in great consideration. Fashion was found to be the most transparent industry regarding sponsored social media content in Italy, amid increased global scrutiny on the disclosure of paid content.
