Socialfolk
Why smart UK Brands Are Pivoting to Influencer Gifting Ahead of 2026
If there’s one thing that’s become painfully clear in the last couple of years, it’s this: people don’t trust ads anymore, but they do trust people. Real people. Real creators. Real opinions.
A recent study in 2025, by Amra & Elma’s Consumer Trust research found that 61% of consumers trust influencer recommendations MORE than traditional advertising.
That’s exactly why influencer gifting has become one of the smartest, most reliable ways for UK brands to grow their audience in 2025 going into 2026. Not by throwing cash at huge creators or forcing scripted lines… but by putting your product in the hands of creators whose followers genuinely care what they think.
And honestly? It works. It works because it feels human.
It’s Not Just Awareness, It’s Audience Growth
Most brands think gifting is “nice for awareness.” And it is.
But the real power is in audience discovery, finding the people who are already primed to love what you do, and letting them naturally spread the word.
We know this because the numbers haven’t changed: 90% of consumers say authenticity matters in influencer content. Which is wild, but also makes complete sense. Nobody wants to watch an ad masquerading as a recommendation.
Gifting solves that. You’re giving creators full creative freedom, zero pressure, zero scripting. And because they’re not obligated to post, the content that does go live is coming from a place of genuine excitement.
That’s why it outperforms.
A Real World Example: CANS
When CANS launched in the UK earlier this year, they had zero local awareness and were entering one of the most competitive FMCG categories out there. Gifting became one of the smartest levers we pulled to build early visibility, trust, and cultural relevance.
Social Folk seeded 180 creators across lifestyle, fitness, wellness, and family audiences, all carefully chosen through data and insight to ensure perfect brand fit.
Inside each PR box, creators received handwritten notes and playful props that encouraged natural storytelling. And it worked:
180 creators gifted
65.5% organic post rate (over double the UK industry average of 20–30%)
High-engagement content across TikTok & IG
Strong advocacy and repeated organic mentions
Meaningful retail impact, helping CANS secure listings in Harrods and WHSmith
These weren’t one-off mentions. This was genuine community building — creators trying the product, posting because they wanted to, and audiences responding in real-time.
Gifting helped CANS show up everywhere within weeks, and the knock-on effect was huge: more awareness, more trial, and a much stronger story for retail buyers.
Why It Works: Gifting Helps You Find Your Fans
This is the bit brands often overlook. Gifting isn’t about sending boxes into the void, it’s a discovery tool.
It helps you:
Spot natural brand advocates
See how real people use and talk about your product
Uncover new angles, hooks, and story ideas
Build an engaged creator community, not a one-off campaign
Generate content that feels trustworthy (and performs better on TikTok & Instagram)
Hannah Saycell, head of Social Folk, summed it up perfectly:
“Influencer gifting works because it removes pressure, gives creators full creative control, and sparks the kind of natural recommendations people actually pay attention to. When creators share something because they want to, not because they’re paid to, the trust, reach, and results are completely different.”
A Scalable Way to Grow With Trust
And here’s the thing: influencer gifting is not a “cheap version” of influencer marketing. It’s strategic. It’s scalable. And it taps directly into how people actually make decisions now.
We all get influenced by our feeds. We all save things to try. We all ask, “Where did you get that?”
In a world where people are more skeptical, more selective, and more spoilt for choice than ever, gifting is still one of the few channels that feels organic and trustworthy.
So if you’re a brand looking to grow your audience in 2026, not just reach more people, but reach the right people, influencer gifting might genuinely be the smartest move you can make.
