As consumers’ relationships with technology and personal tastes change, brands must be ready to pivot their marketing strategies accordingly. While that’s always been true, these switch-ups are now more frequent due to a rapid, ever-shifting trend cycle and constantly evolving algorithms.

Each year, ambassador marketing company Fohr releases an “Almanac of Influence,” its survey-based trend report that highlights power players and “game-changing strategies transforming the entire ecosystem” of creator marketing. For its third edition, released in September, Fohr Director of Strategy Sophie Wood surveyed nearly 200 women across the U.S. to find out who and what influences their consumer behavior. The results surprised even the Fohr experts who have had their fingers on the pulse of all things influencer for years.

“Initially, [we] expected to find generational differences in taste and shopping behavior. Instead, what emerged were distinct regional archetypes that were far more predictive than age,” James Nord, founder and CEO of Fohr, tells Fashionista. “Geography shaped identity, taste and even style preferences in ways that cut across generational lines.”

The report outlined four distinct “personas” for a section of the report titled “The State I’m In.” There’s the Northeast’s “Creative Commuter,” whom Nord describes as “trend-aware but nonchalant, always moving between cultural touchpoints.” In the West, there is the “Indie Earth Angel,” who is “sustainably minded and naturally stylish,” per Nord. The South is defined by the “Girl’s Girl Socialite,” who is polished, social and trend-forward; while the Midwest is embodied by the “Cozy Intellectual,” who values comfort, authenticity and “depth over flash,” as Nord puts it. “These aren’t just shopping preferences — they represent fundamentally different approaches to self-expression and cultural participation,” explains the founder.

As far as what this data means for brands looking to market to these consumers, Nord emphasizes that they can’t rely on age alone. Moreover, he adds, they “should stop thinking nationally, and start thinking regionally.”

“Our survey revealed that geography — not generation — was far more predictive of taste and shopping habits. A campaign that works for West Coast ‘Earth Angels’ — emphasizing sustainability and natural beauty — will fall flat with Southern ‘Socialites’ who want polish and social proof,” he explains. “As consumers of all ages continue to turn to social media for inspiration, brands that tailor messaging and creative to resonate with regional values and aesthetics will cut through more effectively than those that rely on broad, age-based assumptions. The data suggests regional targeting isn’t just smart, it’s essential. Brands waste money assuming American women are a monolith.”

Related: Beauty Brands May Want to Rethink These Common Marketing Tactics

Another interesting finding from the survey was a notable disconnect between consumers’ values and spending behavior. Take, for example, fast fashion: “Despite criticizing [it], our respondents still shop it — revealing [that]… money, instant gratification and trend cycles drive purchases more than principles,” explains Nord. 

Fohr also uncovered a noteworthy evolution in influencer marketing. The 200 respondents surveyed named 291 different creators when asked about who drives their style inspiration. “This signals complete fragmentation. The era of mega-influencers isn’t over, but it’s no longer sufficient,” says Nord. “We’re seeing true democratization — audiences are finding inspiration from hyper-specific creators who match their exact identity, body type, or niche interest. Brands can’t rely on one big partnership anymore; they need distributed strategies across multiple micro-communities.”

Even more impactful than niche creators and microinfluencers, though? The respondents’ own friends. Friendship recommendations consistently outperformed influencer endorsements, according to the Fohr report. “The most powerful purchase driver? A friend saying ‘this made me think of you,'” says Nord.

Related: ShopMy’s New Consumer Shopping Platform Prioritizes Human Recommendations Over Algorithms

As far as he’s concerned, none of those qualify as the single most surprising finding of the report, though. Having worked in the field of social media influencer marketing basically since its inception, Nord was most shocked by the report’s indication that Pinterest is the go-to inspiration platform for shoppers. “Spotting stylish strangers IRL” was also widely cited as an inspiration source. “This suggests people crave authenticity over algorithmic perfection,” he says. “For brands, this means street style and real-world visibility matter more than ever, even in our digital-first world.”

To read the full report, head to Fohr.co.

Fashionista’s audience includes 1 million site visitors, 110,000 newsletter subscribers and 4.74 million social media followers. Want to know how to reach them? Learn more.

#Influencer #Marketing #Experts #Geography #Predictor #Purchasing #Behavior #Age