How Ireland’s Untapped Influencer Boom Is Quietly Reshaping Its Entire Market—and What It Means for Your Next Big Move

Ever wonder why Irish brands are suddenly throwing millions at social media influencers like it’s the new black gold? Well, it turns out this isn’t just a fad — it’s a burgeoning strategy that’s reshaping how messages from giant corporations all the way down to niche markets get delivered. I mean, think about it: from Garron Noone’s multi-million follower mix of Irish-flavored comedy and food reviews to Caoimhe Byrne’s sharp, hilarious Irish Mammy sketches with a more modest but equally engaged crowd, influencers are becoming the conduits for everything from mainstream to micro-communities. But here’s a twist — while influencer marketing is booming, it’s also wrestling with trust issues. Authenticity? Transparency? Sometimes, those lines get blurred, muddying the waters between genuine content and sponsored chatter. And as the spotlight shines brighter, regulators are stepping in to clean up some questionable practices — finally addressing the sneaky side of “stealth marketing” that Hollywood dramatized in The Joneses. So, how exactly are these digital voices being woven into Ireland’s marketing fabric, and can brands truly turn those impressions into profit without losing their soul? Let’s unpack the evolving influencer game—the good, the bad, and the lucrative—and see where Irish businesses stand in the global race to crack the code on influencer ROI. LEARN MORE

Irish brands have been leveraging influencers as part of their marketing strategy for several years, and the practice is on the rise, writes Chris Cashen.

Noise, the digital agency, has estimated that businesses spent €32m hiring influencers to promote them on social media in 2023.

That figure is expected to have increased since then.

Influencers serve as a prominent voice that can carry messages from the biggest brands down to niche interests.

Garron Noone, an influencer with millions of followers across Instagram and TikTok, covers categories including singing, food reviews and comedy about all things Irish.

Equally, there is room for smaller influencers who cover singular topics such as Caoimhe Byrne, who broadcasts Irish Mammy skits to her 17,000 followers on Instagram.

Despite this becoming an increasingly professionalised and structured convention, there are still issues around a lack of authenticity and transparency, leading to a disconnect between the influencer’s sponsored content and genuine consumer trust.

In the last year, the Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) has upheld complaints about Julie Haynes (Twins and Me), who featured advert disclosures in white fonts on white backgrounds and “obscured” ad labels behind her profile picture.

Pippa O’Connor, Siobhan O’Hagan and others have also fallen foul of complaints submitted to the advertising watchdog.

This increased scrutiny will go a long way to dispel some of the suspicion around the work influencers do, which still has a reputation as a form of ‘stealth marketing’.

This is a strategy where people are hired to promote a product without disclosing that they are working for the company.

This was the basis for the 2009 Hollywood film The Joneses, starring Demi Moore and David Duchovny, which portrays a family who pose as typical but are tasked with selling the latest toys to their newly acquired friends and neighbours.

The Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity, also known as Cannes Lions, is a global event celebrating and awarding excellence in the advertising and creative communications industry.

One key theme for attendees this year was influencer marketing.

The speakers included Amelia Dimoldenberg of Chicken Shop Dates, Alix Earle, who rose to popularity posting ‘Get Ready With Me’ videos and Jake Shane, a famed influencer and comedian.

In the past, influencers were added to lineups to boost interest outside of traditional media activity.

However, this is no longer the best use of influencers.

They are not an ‘add-on’ or a lastminute tactical execution.

Instead, they are part of the initial creative brief and strategic planning process for major campaigns.

This strategic shift is there for all to see with the likes of Bord Gáis Energy, which is using The 2 Johnnies in its latest TV advert featuring Wexford hurling star Lee Chin.

The campaign aptly combined their GAA association with personalities appropriate for that community.

In WPP Media, there have been a range of studies on campaigns through 2024 and 2025.

That research, across several CPG categories, revealed nuanced insights into the power of influencer marketing.

While broad media coverage — including influencer collaborations — drives high campaign recall, translating that awareness into purchase behaviour requires continued validation.

For one brand, a campaign promoting a new wash product saw strong recall among families, with influencers playing a significant role.

Younger people were more likely to recall seeing ads that had appeared on YouTube, social media and via influencer posts.

That outlines how the use of influencers alongside digital channels creates a strong halo effect, where audiences perceive the influencer positively, making the wider campaigns more noticeable and thus enhancing their appeal.

While influencers can be powerful drivers of brand awareness, this type of activity needs to be coupled with a deep understanding of consumer needs and motivations.

Without it, we will struggle to convert that awareness into sales.

Furthermore, the data suggests that recall doesn’t always translate to revenue.

More work is needed to understand the role of influencers in the sales funnel.

The central indication is that despite influencers being used more often by Irish brands, we still have work to do to match our UK and US counterparts.

According to research by Hypefy, the European AI-powered influencer agency, for every £1 a brand spends on influencer marketing in the UK, it gets an average return of £6.

By contrast, in Ireland we still do not fully understand the direct relationship between influencer advertising and actual purchases.

Chris Cashen is group head of strategy at WPP Media Ireland

Photo: “The Joneses” Cast – Actress Amber Heard attends, actor David Duchovny, actress Demi Moore, actress Glenne Headly, director Derrick Borte and actor Ben Hollingsworth. (Photo by George Pimentel/WireImage)