The Insightful Leader

The Authentic Appeal of Influencer Marketing

Jan 26, 2026
Tim Calkins, marketing professor at Kellogg and strategy expert, breaks down influencer marketing’s rise and why social-media testimonials feel real. He explores TikTok’s algorithm and niche creator communities. He explains how brands find the right creators, trade control for authenticity, and test and boost creator-driven campaigns.
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INSIGHT

From Ridley Scott To Platform-Driven Ads

  • Advertising shifted from big, polished campaigns to platform-driven, lower-budget content over decades.
  • Tim Calkins highlights that the Apple “1984” era gave way to coordinated, tightly controlled narratives now challenged by new platforms.
INSIGHT

Trust Shift Fuels Influencer Credibility

  • Trust in traditional institutions declined after the pandemic, reducing credibility of engineered messaging.
  • Tim Calkins connects that trust gap to the rise of influencer credibility on platforms like TikTok.
INSIGHT

Algorithm Creates Niche Micro-Communities

  • TikTok's algorithm rapidly creates niche sub-communities by learning preferences through simple interactions.
  • Tim Calkins says that precise algorithmic curation produced highly specific influencers with powerful reach.
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