Summer shots: Micro, regional creators make a splash in BFSI, beauty & travel

This summer, brands are chasing attention in real-time using deeply integrated influencer activations, UGC content formats, and unconventional reward mechanisms aimed at widening reach and onboarding new consumers across Tier 2, Tier 3, and aspirational urban pockets.

Blinkit, in collaboration with Kwality Wall’s, has launched a scream-activated discount campaign that lets users unlock offers by literally screaming on the app screen, alongside a Rs 20 ice cream giveaway linked to select mango twister sticks that come with printed codes. But all these campaigns rely on UGC moments and snackable content formats to create demand through mass sharing.

VietJet Air has gone viral on Instagram for its Rs 11 Vietnam flight deal from India, a limited-period Friday-only booking initiative valid till December 31, 2025. The campaign is designed not just to boost direct conversions but to spark reaction reels, creator vlogs, and how-to-win booking hacks from India’s growing travel influencer economy.

What’s emerging is a clear shift—brands are no longer relying on conventional ads or flat celebrity campaigns. Instead, they are designing trigger-led engagements, community hacks, and “you-had-to-be-there” experiences meant to be captured, reacted to, and shared by users in the moment.

Rs 450 Crore Summer Push

According to Nitin Jain, Founder & Director – La Pink, India is estimated to cross ₹400–₹450 crore in influencer marketing spend this summer, with over 65% allocated toward beauty, fashion, personal care, travel, and F&B categories.

“Mid-sized D2C brands like La Pink are allocating ₹1–₹2 crore this summer alone, with a strong focus on UGC, regional creator collaborations, and conversion-driven ad integrations. What’s interesting is that performance marketing budgets are increasingly tied to creator collaborations, blurring the lines between influencer content and paid media,” Jain said.

The latest report from Qoruz stated that close to 6,000 to 7,000 creators are estimated to be working with brands specifically for Summer 2025 campaigns, with projected engagements touching 35 million. This is driven largely by micro and regional influencers whose content is designed for local resonance and higher relatability.

According to experts, Tier 2 and Tier 3 creators, regional influencers, and micro-to-nano creators with 5,000 to 50,000 followers are seeing the highest traction. These creators deliver stronger engagement rates, enjoy higher audience trust, and are helping brands localise messaging more effectively, while keeping campaigns cost-efficient.

Carousels, Relatable Routines & UGC Demos 

The content formats gaining the most momentum this season include 3-panel Instagram carousels with hook-led storytelling like “Why your facewash might be doing more harm this summer,” along with relatable Reels featuring everyday routines such as summer skincare or hygiene essentials packed for travel.

UGC-style product demos focusing on texture shots, seasonal skin hacks, and quick myth-busting snippets are also trending well, while testimonial-led “Why I switched” narratives are performing strongly—especially in retargeting campaigns where authenticity drives conversion.

Jain also claimed that this season marks a strategic peak for influencer marketing in India—especially for beauty, skincare, and personal care categories. A 20-30% increase in influencer-driven campaign volumes is expected compared to Q1, driven by seasonal product relevance (e.g., sunscreen, face washes, body mists), vacation content, and higher content consumption across platforms like Instagram, YouTube Shorts, and Moj.

From La Pink’s lens, they have planned 30-35% of their annual influencer budget during the April-June quarter, capitalizing on the seasonal spike in skincare concerns such as tanning, dullness, and breakouts—making it the most impactful window for performance-led influencer marketing.

For example, they collaborated with Prerna Gupta, a body-positive lifestyle influencer. She created a “What Are Microplastics Doing to Your Skin?” video featuring La Pink’s Vitamin C Face Wash, casually unpacking how microplastics harm the skin over time and why she made the switch to La Pink.

The reel blended science-backed insights with real-life relatability. It not only went viral in their paid campaigns but also led to a 32% uplift in click-through rates and significantly improved engagement in North India markets like Punjab and Delhi NCR.

FMCG, BFSI & Travel 

Apart from fashion, some of the campaigns that worked well last year, according to experts, include Lay’s India’s “Flavours of Summer” UGC drive. Creators were asked to pair favourite flavours with real-life travel or day-out moments. Tata AIG activated its “Why I never travel without insurance” vertical, with creators building quick story-based integrations on the value of being insured mid-trip.

Zomato also did summer-specific content themes, including iced beverage hacks and easy-cooler food options, while boAt dropped its playlist with “summer beach party” tie-ins — often seen plugged into creator vlogs and summer cabin shots.

Libas, the fast fashion brand, has partnered with quick commerce platform Zepto this summer to deliver its apparel — such as suits — online within just 10 minutes. The brand is allocating nearly 25–30% of its digital marketing spend toward influencer marketing this summer.

“We are doing a lot of cord sets, jacket-style kurtas and kurta sets,” said Sidhant Keshwani, Founder and CEO of Libas. “There’s also a lot of draping happening with dupattas in a more modern, fun way. We’re working on an Indian or fusion resort line as well — so a lot of exciting things are happening this summer, for sure.”

The brand has also launched its platform internationally and is leveraging NRI influencers on social media to showcase a lifestyle where both western and Indian wear can coexist seamlessly.

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As someone who works closely with brands across verticals, Glad U Came Founder Maddie Amrutkar noted the surprising rise of BFSI campaigns. Insurance, credit card, and investment platforms are now building lifestyle narratives around their offerings, collaborating with lifestyle influencers and finance creators to demystify financial products in easy, relatable formats.

“These aren’t your typical ‘financial advice’ videos,” he said. “They’re stories tied into travel plans, summer spends, and family security.”

“For instance, one of our FMCG clients ran a campaign featuring creators doing ‘What’s in my travel bag?’ videos, organically plugging in their summer drink. Another example from a skincare client involved creators documenting their ‘summer AM routine’ featuring sunscreens and vitamin C serums,” he added.

Barter Campaigns, Vernacular Reels & Nano Creators

Vaishal Dalal, Co-founder and Director of Excellent Publicity, noted that, “After a ₹550-crore advertising surge during the IPL season, there were chances of a potential lull in demand. However, with a strong rebound in travel and seasonal spikes in FMCG consumption, influencer marketing spending is showing no signs of slowing down this summer.”

In fact, he emphasised that demand is set to rise. Interestingly, it’s no longer just about marquee influencers—micro and nano creators now account for over 60% of campaign budgets. There is also a significant rise in demand for vernacular Reels.

Barter deals are also in high demand. For instance, a brand posted on HashFame that they need an influencer with a following of 25K and strong engagement for a travel-focused barter campaign. The barter value is pegged at Rs 30,000, offering a fully sponsored trip to Spiti Valley. Scheduled for a week, the collaboration includes all essential benefits—round-trip travel from Delhi, accommodation, and meals.

This model allows brands to tap into authentic, experience-driven content while keeping campaign costs efficient.