Tariffs? In THIS economy?! Here’s how U.S. tariffs might affect and reshape influencer campaigns.

Fact: The last time the US imposed tariffs similar to those issued by Trump was at the start of the Great Depression AND against the advice of economists.

Well…

In the year 2025, we’re seeing it happen again. 

Except it’s feeling a little bit like a will they / won’t they situation, given that last week, Trump announced he would pause said “reciprocal” tariffs for 90 days – to everyone but China (who now has tariffs on its exports raised to 145% instead)

Tying this back to our regular programming…

Whether you’re in the US or not, these global pricing shifts affect everyone. Tariffs don’t just apply to “finished products” when we refer to import and export – everything that goes into making something gets taxed too. 

Constituent materials, ingredients, components and all. 

Meaning this ripple effect is making its way into how brands across the APAC region budget their marketing strategies (incl. influencer marketing campaigns).

So, here’s what we know about how changes to tax and duties are reshaping our content industry. Plus what brands and creators in APAC need to know.

Brands are getting far more selective. 

Which makes sense given impending budget constraints, but this doesn’t necessarily need to be a bad thing. Influencer marketing (in 2025 and beyond) will just become even more contingent on performance – not just what’s pretty.

Profit margins are getting squeezed, consumers are spending less.

Brands become laser-focused on creators who can actually move product. Influencers who actually influence. 

Strategy will also extend beyond the content itself, honing in on measurable solutions like trackable links, shoppable content, and partnerships with a heaven-sent brand and creator fit. If you’re scrolling on your FYP over the next few months, expect to see:

• Longer-term creator collabs that build real trust, and less one-off moments.
  
• Continuing the mixed approach of macro and micro creators (which many brands already do now), to deliver both reach and engagement – mitigating risks associated with putting all your eggs in one basket.
  
• Data-led briefs and fixed KPIs, even for the fun stuff.
  
  

More budget flexibility, to make for more agile campaigns.

Gone are the days of locking in six-figure spends before the brief’s even finalised.

With global costs in flux, marketers are likely to shift to modular campaign budgets (i.e. testing small, measuring fast, optimising often, and scaling smart).

You could interpret this as a whirlwind or spanners thrown in the works.

Or you could see this as opening new doors to:

• A/B testing of different creator tiers to balance cost and reach
• Experimenting with new content formats and extra getting creative with it
• Relying more on valuable, live performance data to allocate budget.

In a sense, influencer marketing will get even smarter and more strategic. Especially if you’re a brand juggling international supply chains and local market shifts.

Negotiating will become the new normal.

If it isn’t already, that is.

As the economic landscape changes, the way brands and creators collaborate will too. We’re already seeing tougher negotiations between creators, talent managers and brands of late — but also more transparency and mutual respect. Especially as both parties understand the value and impact of each other.

Brands want results. Creators want longevity.

So, both sides are:

• Offering added value through bundles, exclusivity, or built-in usage rights.
• Asking for clearer deliverables, briefs and performance metrics.
• Leaning into relationships that feel less transactional and more like true partnerships, giving each side free rein to explore what works for them.
  
  

For the influencers in the room, this means that if you’ve got a pitch that proves your content drives conversions and you’re easy to work with? You’re gold.

And here’s a little somethin’ something for the marketers.

Specifically, a campaign checklist.

To stay agile (and profitable) in this economic climate, smart influencer marketing might now look like:

• List building with high-impact and ROI-driving creator rosters, which means measuring this to begin with. 
• Be familiar with testing content formats quickly, creatively and strategically.
• In briefs, equip creators with messaging that educates, not just entertains.
• Spend time understanding and negotiating deals that benefit both sides.
• Mixing big campaign and brand moments with always-on UGC.

From the creator’s side of things?

Influencers can expect to start hearing more talk about "value adds" or brands asking for bundles, which is increasingly popular in the US regions.

Which isn’t a red flag, but a sign of the times rather.

With costs rising on the brand side, there’s a push to:

• Get more bang for buck via cross-channel usage,
• Lock in creator packages that include Reels, stills, stories and TikTok Spark Ads
• Focus on messaging that helps justify price (e.g. quality, longevity, guarantees)

One bonus tip? If you can speak to your impact (aka. engagement rate, conversion stats, audience behaviour), you’re already ahead of the game.

Tariffs might be a U.S. headline, but the impact is global. 

For brands and creators, it’s already time to tighten up your influencer marketing strategy, focus on performance-driven content, and build partnerships that last.

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Source: The Guardian, with statistics from The White House, Krows Digital.

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