How 5WPR Positioned Influential as the World’s Leading Influencer Marketing Company

Overview

Influential is the world’s largest influencer marketing company by revenue and a pioneering OpenAI-powered Social Intelligence™ platform. With a user base of over three million influencers, Influential connects talent with major social platforms like TikTok, Snap, and Instagram, as well as Fortune 1000 brand partners including McDonald’s, the NBA, the NFL, and Pepsi. In 2018, Influential partnered with 5WPR to lead the public relations strategy around its $12 million Series B funding announcement. Following a successful launch that captured significant media attention, 5WPR was entrusted with an expanded mission: to elevate Influential’s profile, position CEO and Co-Founder Ryan Detert as a thought leader, and build momentum toward an eventual acquisition, all during a pivotal moment in the growth of the creator economy.

Challenge

While Influential already had a strong foundation, the brand faced several challenges typical for companies at a major growth inflection point. The task was to solidify Influential’s position not just as a player, but as the leader in influencer marketing at a time when the creator economy was becoming increasingly crowded and competitive. The PR approach needed to be highly strategic, consistently innovative, and forward-looking, all while maintaining sustained media interest over a six-year period in a rapidly evolving digital landscape.

Strategy

5WPR built a long-term communications strategy rooted in a dynamic combination of high- impact announcements, thought leadership, strategic partnerships, and newsjacking major cultural moments. The campaign began in 2018 with the successful launch of Influential’s $12 million Series B funding round, earning nearly one billion media impressions across major outlets.

In 2019, the agency expanded the narrative by developing a thought leadership program focused on Influential’s early and innovative application of AI in the influencer marketing space.

5WPR supported the launch of the Bot Fraud Prevention Council to further differentiate Influential from competitors and underscore its commitment to transparency and authenticity in the creator economy.

Throughout 2020, 5WPR amplified Influential’s partnerships with major organizations like the World Health Organization and Rock the Vote, ensuring the brand stayed culturally relevant during an intense election year and pandemic environment.

In 2021, the agency leaned heavily into real-time newsjacking around the NCAA’s historic NIL rule changes, highlighting Influential’s partnerships with athletes like Shareef O'Neal and further positioning the company at the intersection of sports, social media, and brand digital marketing.

5WPR continued building momentum into 2022 by showcasing Influential’s innovations in live shopping, leveraging partnerships with platforms like Snap and Instagram to establish Influential’s presence in emerging e-commerce trends.

In 2023, 5WPR supported Influential’s major investment in brand experience with the launch of “Influential Beach” at Cannes Lions, taking over Twitter’s former space and making a high- profile splash among marketing’s global elite.

Throughout 2024, the agency continued to drive Influential’s thought leadership around shoppable content, interactive advertising, and AI-driven marketing during tentpole events such as the Super Bowl.

Across every year, the team maintained a flexible, agile PR approach, ensuring that Influential stayed top of mind with key reporters, media outlets, investors, and brand partners alike.

Results

From 2018 to 2024, 5WPR secured 324 total media placements for Influential, generating more than 4.2 billion media impressions. Influential was featured in top-tier outlets including The Wall Street Journal, Axios, US Weekly, Forbes, Digiday, Adweek, Social Media Today, MediaPost, Marketing Dive, MarTech, and TVRev.

The consistent and strategic digital PR support helped Influential solidify its leadership position within the influencer marketing ecosystem, positioning the brand and its CEO for future growth, partnership opportunities, and acquisition discussions.

Today, Influential stands not just as a major player but as a defining force within the creator economy - a success story driven by innovation, agility, and a powerhouse PR strategy that kept the brand at the forefront of every major conversation shaping the future of marketing.

Key Takeaways

Long-term PR success demands more than just initial buzz; it requires an evolving, multi-year strategy rooted in innovation, strategic partnerships, cultural relevance, and expert thought leadership. Influential’s growth story demonstrates how a technology and influencer marketing company can build lasting brand authority through consistent storytelling, newsjacking, and high-profile media engagement. With a vision aligned to the future of the creator economy and a willingness to invest in brand elevation, Influential’s partnership with 5WPR is a blueprint for companies seeking to transform market leadership into long-term business success.