Introduction

When a new product launches, its biggest challenge is simple: nobody knows it exists. Advertising can create awareness, but people often trust recommendations from someone they follow more than a message from a brand. That is why influencer marketing, working with social media creators to introduce products to their audiences, has become part of many launch plans.

Done well, influencer marketing can introduce a product to exactly the right people, show it being used in real life, create content the brand can reuse and generate early reviews and conversation. Done badly, it can waste budget on audiences that never buy, damage trust with undisclosed advertising and even break the law.

This article explains when influencer marketing helps a new product, how to choose and brief creators, how to stay compliant in Sri Lanka and the UAE, and how to measure results honestly.

Why creators influence buying decisions

Creators influence decisions for several reasons:

• Trust. Followers often see creators as peers rather than advertisers.
• Relevance. Good creators speak to specific interests, such as cooking, fitness, parenting, fashion, technology or business.
• Demonstration. Short videos show how a product looks, tastes, feels or works.
• Discovery. Social feeds are where many people now discover new products.
• Conversation. Comments and shares spread awareness beyond the original audience.

For a new product without a reputation, borrowing a creator’s credibility can speed up the journey from “never heard of it” to “I’d like to try that”.

When influencer marketing makes sense

Influencer marketing works best when:

• The product is visual or easy to demonstrate, such as food, beverages, beauty, fashion, home products and gadgets.
• The target audience spends time on social platforms and follows creators in the category.
• The product is available where followers can easily buy it, online or in nearby stores.
• The product is genuinely good, because honest creators will say if it is not.
• The brand has realistic expectations about what creators can achieve.

It may be less effective for complex B2B products, highly regulated categories or products with very limited availability. In B2B, industry experts, trade media and LinkedIn thought leaders may play a similar role.

Types of creators

Creators are often grouped by audience size:

• Nano creators, with small but close-knit audiences. They often have high engagement and are affordable.
• Micro creators, with tens of thousands of followers in a specific niche. They balance reach and relevance.
• Macro creators, with large audiences across broader interests. They offer reach but at higher cost and often lower engagement.
• Celebrities, with very large audiences. They create attention but are expensive and less targeted.

For many new products in Sri Lanka and the UAE, a group of relevant nano and micro creators delivers better value than a single famous name. Their audiences are more specific, their recommendations feel more personal and the brand can test what works.

Choosing the right platforms

Each social platform suits different products, audiences and formats.

• Short-video platforms suit food, beauty, fashion and lifestyle products that are easy to demonstrate quickly.
• Image and video platforms with strong creator communities suit visual products and aspirational content.
• Video platforms with longer formats suit detailed reviews, tutorials and comparisons, especially for technology and higher-value products.
• Professional networks suit B2B products, where industry experts and business leaders shape opinions.
• Messaging apps, widely used in both Sri Lanka and the UAE, help content spread between friends and family groups.

The right platform depends on where the target audience spends time and what kind of content best shows the product. Many launches use two platforms, adapting content to each rather than posting the same video everywhere.

Choosing the right creators

Audience size is the least important factor. The key questions are:

• Audience match. Do the creator’s followers match the target customer by location, age, interests and language?
• Authenticity. Is engagement genuine, or are there signs of purchased followers and automated comments?
• Content quality. Does the creator produce content that fits the brand’s standards?
• Values. Does the creator’s previous content align with the brand’s values and personality?
• Experience. Has the creator worked with brands before, and how did that content perform?
• Compliance. Does the creator follow disclosure rules and hold any required permits?

We review creators’ recent content, audience data where available and comment quality before recommending them.

Rules and compliance

UAE

The UAE regulates influencer advertising closely. Under federal media rules, individuals who publish promotional content on social media, whether paid in money, gifts or other benefits, are required to hold an Advertiser Permit. After a grace period that ended on 31 January 2026, the permit became mandatory, and creators who advertise without one may face fines. Visiting creators working on UAE campaigns can apply for a visiting permit through an accredited agency.

Brands working with creators in the UAE should check that each creator holds a valid permit and that content follows the national media content standards.

Sri Lanka

Sri Lanka does not currently have a specific influencer licensing scheme comparable to the UAE’s. However, general consumer protection and advertising rules apply, and misleading claims can breach them. Food labelling and advertising regulations also restrict certain claims. Clear disclosure of paid partnerships is good practice and protects both the brand and the creator’s credibility.

Disclosure everywhere

Whatever the market, paid or gifted content should be clearly labelled, for example with platform tools for paid partnerships or clear words such as “ad” or “sponsored”. Audiences increasingly expect transparency, and hidden advertising can damage trust when it is discovered.

Building an influencer campaign for a launch

1. Set clear goals

Typical launch goals include:

• Awareness among a specific audience.
• Traffic to a product page or online store.
• Trial, measured through discount codes or store sales.
• Content that can be reused in advertising and on the website.
• Early reviews and social proof.

2. Choose the right format

Formats include:

• Sponsored posts and short videos.
• Unboxing and first-impression videos.
• Recipes, tutorials and how-to content.
• Live sessions with questions from followers.
• Competitions and giveaways, which must follow platform rules.
• Long-term ambassador relationships.

For new products, demonstration content works particularly well because it shows the product in real use.

3. Write a clear brief

A good brief gives creators what they need without removing their personality. It includes:

• The product, its main benefit and key facts.
• The target audience and the campaign goal.
• Mandatory messages and claims that must not be made.
• Disclosure requirements and permit checks.
• Content format, number of posts and timing.
• Approval process before publishing.
• Usage rights: whether the brand can reuse the content, and for how long.

Creators know their audiences best. The brief should guide them, not script them.

4. Agree terms in writing

A written agreement should cover deliverables, deadlines, payment, disclosure, approvals, content rights, exclusivity and what happens if content is not delivered or must be removed.

5. Coordinate with the wider launch

Influencer content works best when it is part of an integrated launch. When followers see a creator’s post, then see the same product in advertising, in stores and on the brand’s website, each exposure reinforces the others. The product must also be available to buy when the content goes live. Our article on product launch campaigns explains integrated launches in detail.

Measuring influencer marketing

Influencer campaigns should be measured against their goals, not only by likes. Useful measures include:

• Reach and impressions among the target audience.
• Engagement quality: comments, saves, shares and questions, not just likes.
• Clicks to the product page, tracked with unique links.
• Sales or sign-ups, tracked with unique discount codes.
• Growth in brand searches during the campaign.
• Cost per engagement, click and sale.
• Performance of reused content in paid advertising.
• Sales in stores near the creator’s audience, where retail data allows a comparison with other areas.

We compare creators against each other, so the brand learns which partnerships deliver results and can invest more in them over time.

Language and culture

Sri Lanka and the UAE are both multilingual markets, and language choices affect who a creator reaches. In Sri Lanka, creators who speak Sinhala or Tamil may reach audiences that English-language content misses. In the UAE, Arabic-language creators reach different communities from English-language creators, and South Asian community creators can be valuable for Sri Lankan products.

Cultural sensitivity matters too. Content should respect local values, religious occasions and community norms. In the UAE, national media content standards apply to promotional content. Seasonal moments such as the Sinhala and Tamil New Year, Ramadan and Eid, Deepavali and Christmas can be strong opportunities when content is handled thoughtfully.

Reusing creator content

Creator content is often more natural and relatable than polished studio advertising. With the right usage rights, it can be reused:

• In paid social media advertising.
• On product pages and online stores.
• In email marketing.
• On in-store screens and point-of-sale materials.

Usage rights should be agreed before content is created, and creators should be paid fairly for wider use.

Budgeting

Influencer budgets vary widely depending on the creators, formats and usage rights. Many brands start with a test phase using several smaller creators, then invest more in those who perform best. Product gifting, where creators receive products without payment, can work for some creators, but in the UAE gifting in exchange for promotion still counts as advertising under permit rules.

As a reference point, Gartner’s 2025 CMO Spend Survey found that paid media accounts for around 31% of marketing budgets on average. Influencer activity is usually one part of that mix rather than the whole of it.

Building long-term creator relationships

One-off posts can create a spike of attention, but long-term relationships usually work better. When a creator mentions a product repeatedly over months, followers see that the recommendation is genuine, and the creator learns to present the product more naturally.

Long-term partnerships can include:

• Regular content tied to seasons, recipes or new products.
• Early access to new products and behind-the-scenes visits.
• Co-created products or limited editions for established partners.
• Ambassador roles at events, store openings and trade exhibitions.

Treat creators as partners: pay fairly and on time, share results with them and listen to their feedback about what their audiences want.

Managing risk

Working with creators means linking the brand to another person’s reputation. Sensible risk management includes:

• Reviewing a creator’s past content and public behaviour before working together.
• Agreeing content standards and approval steps in the contract.
• Including the right to remove content if it breaches the agreement.
• Preparing a simple response plan if a creator becomes involved in controversy.
• Monitoring comments during campaigns, and responding quickly to questions or complaints.

Most partnerships run smoothly, but preparation protects the brand if something goes wrong.

Common mistakes

• Choosing creators by follower count instead of audience fit.
• Ignoring signs of fake followers and engagement.
• Scripting creators so tightly that content feels like an advertisement.
• Forgetting disclosure or permit requirements.
• Launching influencer content before products are available to buy.
• Measuring only likes rather than clicks, codes and sales.
• Treating one campaign as a final verdict instead of a learning exercise.
• Working with too many creators at once, so no single message builds momentum.
• Paying for content without agreeing usage rights, then being unable to reuse the best videos.
• Ignoring negative comments instead of answering them openly and helpfully.

Influencer marketing for the group’s own brands

Dsigngo Group manages its own consumer brands, including Raiden Tea, Raiden Coffee, Udari Nuts & Spices and the clothing brand Duiker. These categories, food, beverages and fashion, are among those where creator content is most natural. Working on our own brands helps us understand which formats and creators connect with real customers.

An illustrative example

Here is an illustrative example. It does not describe a specific client.

A Sri Lankan brand launches a range of ready-to-cook curry kits in Colombo supermarkets and online, with plans for the UAE.

• Goals. Awareness among young urban households, trial through a discount code and recipe content for the brand’s website.
• Creators. Eight food creators in Sri Lanka with engaged audiences of home cooks, plus two UAE-based creators with valid Advertiser Permits who reach Sri Lankan communities.
• Format. Each creator cooks one recipe using a kit and shares a short video, with clear paid partnership labels.
• Coordination. Content goes live in the same week as in-store sampling and social media advertising, and the kits are already in stores.
• Measurement. Unique discount codes, website visits from each creator and comparison of engagement quality.
• Learning. Three creators drive most of the sales, so the brand develops longer partnerships with them for the UAE launch.

An influencer campaign checklist

Before content goes live, confirm that:

1. Campaign goals and measures are agreed.
2. Each creator’s audience matches the target customer.
3. Engagement has been checked for authenticity.
4. UAE creators hold valid Advertiser Permits.
5. The brief lists key facts, mandatory messages and claims to avoid.
6. Disclosure is clear on every paid or gifted post.
7. Written agreements cover deliverables, payment, approvals and usage rights.
8. Unique links and codes are set up for tracking.
9. The product is in stock and available where followers can buy it.

Frequently asked questions

How much do creators charge?

Fees vary by audience size, engagement, format, usage rights and market. Smaller creators may accept product or modest fees, while larger creators charge significantly more.

Do we need creators with large followings?

Not usually. Relevant smaller creators often deliver better engagement and value for new products.

Can creators say anything they like about our product?

Creators should express honest opinions, but they must not make false or unlawful claims. The brief should list mandatory facts and claims to avoid, and content should be reviewed before publishing.

Should we send free products to creators without a contract?

Gifting can introduce a product to creators, but there is no guarantee of coverage. In the UAE, creators who promote gifted products are still advertising and need a permit. A simple written agreement is usually better for both sides.

What if a creator’s content performs poorly?

Poor performance is useful information. It may reflect audience fit, format or timing. Testing several creators reduces the risk of relying on one.

Can you manage influencer campaigns for us?

Yes. We can plan campaigns, identify and vet creators, prepare briefs, coordinate content and measure results as part of a launch.

Conclusion

Influencer marketing can give a new product something money alone struggles to buy: credible introductions to the right audience. Its success depends on choosing creators for audience fit and authenticity, briefing them clearly, staying within the rules, coordinating with the wider launch and measuring real outcomes.

Dsigngo Group plans influencer activity as part of integrated launches, so creator content, packaging, advertising, retail and online channels all work together.

Launching a new product? Ask us how creators could help.

Plan a Creator Campaign

Sources

• Reporting on the UAE Advertiser Permit requirements and enforcement date (Gulf News, Gulf Business, Communicate Online, Khaleej Times).
• Gartner, 2025 CMO Spend Survey.

Check each requirement and figure against the original source before publishing.