Kolsquare data reveals which actors, publishers, creators and fashion houses turned awards season into measurable social media impact.
In the run-up to the Oscars, Instagram doesn’t just reflect the conversation. It shapes it.
Between January 1 and March 17, a complex ecosystem of talk shows, media platforms, brands and creators turned Oscar-nominated actors into moments, memes and millions of impressions.
We used Kolsquare to analys the top actors, fashion brands and accounts on Instagram posting about Oscar nominees during this period. Here’s a breakdown of the real Oscar winners on social media.
The stakes are high, and that intensity carries through to social media. Several actors successfully converted nominations into measurable impact.
In the run-up to the Oscars, Best Actor rivals Timothée Chalamet and Michael B. Jordan dominated the conversation. Each generated more than €35M in EMV, over 500 million views, and more than 13M and 15M engagements respectively. Chalamet stands out not only for scale but for efficiency, with an engagement rate above 6%, well above most peers.
Together, they account for a significant share of the total voice among the 11 acting nominees in our dataset.
Beyond them, female actors also performed strongly. Elle Fanning, Rose Byrne and Kate Hudson all exceeded €10M EMV, driven by consistent posting and steady engagement.
Others, such as Renate Reinsve and Ethan Hawke, delivered more moderate but still meaningful visibility. Meanwhile, actors like Leonardo DiCaprio generated comparatively lower engagement despite a much larger audience.
Overall, the nominees’ accounts generated significant reach, but their impact remained uneven. Even the strongest performers relied on sustained visibility rather than breakout moments. And while they contributed to the conversation, they did not fully control it.
That role was largely taken on by a different group of accounts.
With €7.61M in EMV, some 80 million views, and just 15 pieces of content, Jimmy Fallon was not just part of the Oscars conversation. He amplified it at scale.
What stands out is how early this started.
His performance did not rely on Oscars night alone. It began in the months before, leaning into entertainment-first storytelling built around his guests.
Two standout examples:
Interview moments designed to entertain, the content is anchored in actors who were part of the awards conversation. Fallon did not report on the Oscars. He embedded nominees into viral formats weeks before the ceremony. That is what drove the scale.
If Fallon represents amplification, Variety represents consistency.
As one of the most established voices in the entertainment industry, Variety sits at the intersection of Hollywood, media and pop culture. For over a century, it has shaped how films, talent and awards seasons are covered and understood.
That role is reflected in the data.
With 41 pieces of content since January mentioning the Oscar nominees in our dataset, Variety was one of the most active and impactful accounts, generating €5.74M EMV and 3.22M engagements.
Unlike Fallon, Variety’s performance was not driven by spikes. It came from sustained editorial coverage. Every nomination, announcement and behind-the-scenes insight contributed to a continuous presence.
If Variety represents legacy media, film studio A24 represents a newer kind of cultural influence.
The studio has built a strong identity around independent cinema and distinctive storytelling, with a brand that resonates particularly with younger audiences.
That positioning was reinforced during this year’s Oscars campaign. A24 had multiple films in contention, led by Marty Supreme, nominated for Best Picture, Best Director and Best Actor. Alongside it, If I Had Legs I’d Kick You secured a Best Actress nomination for Rose Byrne, while The Smashing Machine was recognised in Makeup and Hairstyling.
This placed A24 across both headline and supporting categories, keeping it consistently visible throughout the awards conversation.
That visibility translated into strong performance on Instagram:
Rather than relying purely on volume, A24’s performance reflects a more deliberate presence aligned with the scale of its Oscars stake.
It did not just promote films. It positioned itself at the centre of the cultural moment.
One of the most compelling performances comes from Jamie Foxx, whose impact was driven by immediacy rather than volume.
As the Oscars unfolded, Foxx’s account engaged in real time with Michael B. Jordan’s win, amplifying it through a series of posts that felt both celebratory and contextual.
He shared clips of Jordan receiving his award (during which he paid tribute to great black American actors who had paved the way for his success) spliced with scenes clips of Jordan’s work in Sinners, the Creed franchise and notably his breakout role as the tragic Wallace in cult series The Wire.
The content did not just capture the win and celebrate Jordan’s success. It reinforced its meaning, connecting it to a broader cultural context. In a conversation largely driven by publishers, Foxx shows how real-time storytelling can generate strong impact without high volume.
One of the most unexpected names in the top 30 is French journalist Clémentine Abadie (@clementine.abadie).
With fewer than 10K followers, she appears alongside major media and entertainment accounts. Her inclusion in the top 30 KOLs is driven largely by a single Reel that mentions Timothée Chalamet, and which reached 6.07 million views.
The post captures a moment where Chalamet, a native French speaker, casually drops a crude street slang phrase during an appearance on France’s national 8pm news. Framed as a POV and tapping into the French OKLM trend, meaning “calmly” or “effortlessly”, the clip hits on the Hollywood A-lister’s appeal to young French audiences.
The clip highlights the unexpectedness of the moment, its relatability and cultural relevance. The humour comes naturally.
Placed alongside accounts publishing dozens of posts, this example highlights a different kind of performance. A single, well-framed cultural moment can generate reach far beyond its original audience.
For luxury fashion houses, the Oscars red carpet is more than a showcase. It is one of the most powerful global stages to translate cultural relevance into visibility, influence and measurable impact.
Kolsquare data shows that the top fashion brands generated more than €400M in EMV during the period, with billions of views and reach. Which one was the standout performer?
Chanel.
The iconic brand generated the highest EMV on Instagram at €67.69M€, the most content pieces at 17.15K, and the largest reach at 738.48M, turning its celebrity dressing into measurable digital power. With 6.63K KOL activations, Chanel achieved the widest amplification across creators.
Worn by talents including Teyana Taylor, Jessie Buckley and Nicole Kidman, Chanel translated red carpet presence into digital visibility. Its looks quickly circulated through Reels and carousels focused on details, textures and styling.
On the ground, this translated into multiple standout Chanel moments on the carpet, from sculptural black gowns to modern takes on tweed and pearls, which were quickly dissected in Reels and carousels zooming in on embroidery details, chain hardware, and pearl accessories.
The feedback loop is clear: high-impact looks create instantly recognisable images, which then drive shareability and save-worthiness on Instagram. Chanel’s engagement rate of 3.28% is solid but trades off against massive scale for volume and visibility. A strategy that in this case clearly worked.
If Chanel was the night’s blockbuster, Dior and Louis Vuitton were the strong co-leads.
Dior ranked second in EMV (€59.12M), with 6.61K KOL activations (just shy of Chanel) and one of the strongest engagement rates among the mega-brands at 4.97%. Its content did not just reach audiences, it engaged them.
On the carpet, Dior’s presence was anchored by high-stakes couture moments like Rose Byrne’s gown.
Louis Vuitton, meanwhile, leveraged a clever mix of A-list womenswear and carefully styled menswear. The brand dressed Emma Stone, Wunmi Mosaku, Chase Infiniti, Michael B. Jordan, and others ensuring its logo and silhouettes turned up across almost every major best-dressed round-up.
In the data, Louis Vuitton lands third behind Chanel and Dior in EMV (57.46M€), reach (707.67M), and KOL activations (6.25K), but with especially strong view numbers (820.44M). The brand effectively turned its red-carpet placements into a series of mini-campaigns, amplified by creators in Reels and carousels.
Just below the top three sits a powerful cluster of brands: Saint Laurent, Gucci, and Prada. On the carpet, Saint Laurent dressed actors like Zoe Saldaña and Felix Kammerer in sharp tailoring and long, clean lines, exactly the kind of outfits that get reposted with captions like “simple but perfect” and “this is how you do classic black”.
Gucci and Prada also turned in strong Oscars performances, though with slightly lower overall digital impact than the very top players. Gucci’s standout came via Demi Moore’s gown and other high-profile appearances, which were widely discussed in relation to the brand’s evolving creative direction.
The Oscars may be won on stage, but on Instagram, they are shaped by a broader ecosystem.
Actors, media, creators and brands all play a role. But the real winners are those who understand how to turn art and culture into content that resonates with both creators and audiences.
Kolsquare is Europe’s leading Influencer Marketing platform, offering a data-driven solution that empowers brands to scale their KOL (Key Opinion Leader) marketing strategies through authentic partnerships with top creators.
Kolsquare’s advanced technology helps marketing professionals seamlessly identify the best content creators by filtering their content and audience, while also enabling them to build, manage, and optimize campaigns from start to finish. This includes measuring results and benchmarking performance against competitors.
With a thriving global community of influencer marketing experts, Kolsquare serves hundreds of customers—including Coca-Cola, Netflix, Sony Music, Publicis, Sézane, Sephora, Lush, and Hermès—by leveraging the latest Big Data, AI, and Machine Learning technologies. Our platform taps into an extensive network of KOLs with more than 5,000 followers across 180 countries on Instagram, TikTok, X (Twitter), Facebook, YouTube, and Snapchat.
As a Certified B Corporation, Kolsquare leads the way in promoting Responsible Influence, championing transparency, ethical practices, and meaningful collaborations that inspire positive change.
Since October 2024, Kolsquare has become part of the Team.Blue group, one of the largest private tech companies in Europe, and a leading digital enabler for businesses and entrepreneurs across Europe. Team.Blue brings together over 60 successful brands in web hosting, domains, e-commerce, online compliance, lead generation, application solutions, and social media.
An influencer is someone who creates and shares content — photos, videos, blogs, or livestreams — for audiences on social media. But it’s more than just online posting. Influencers build relationships with followers. They earn trust by creating interesting and engaging content.
Unlike traditional celebrities, many influencers gain popularity thanks to vulnerable and authentic content. They may open up about experiences or common challenges that resonate with their audience. In short, if celebrities are aspirational figures, influencers are, at their core, relatable ones.
Influencer's promotional roles are closer to word-of-mouth recommendations. They feel similar when a foodie friend recommends a restaurant. Trust is built through the follower-influencer relationship. After all, the creator's audience likely sees them on their feed weekly or even daily.
Some influencers turn this into a full-time career, partnering with brands to promote products or services. Others do it for fun or to be part of a community.
These creators often reflect their audiences. For example, an outdoors influencer who shares their adventures climbing mountains and campaign will build an audience who enjoy the same activities.
In addition, demographics tend to be similar. A Gen Z influencer will most likely have a Gen Z audience. This allows brands to run targeted marketing campaigns with people who match their ideal customer profile.
An influencer is someone who posts on social media platforms like Instagram, TikTok, YouTube, or X and has over 5,000 followers. The content can cover any topic. But often, influencers share authentic product recommendations, post niche content, or hop on trends like lipsyncs and dances.
Today, being an influencer is a valid career path. Many influencers earn a good living by creating sponsored content, monetising their content, and launching businesses. Glassdoor even suggests that the average salary is £32,000 per year.
Some influencers create content full-time, treating influencing like a business. They focus intently on growing their audiences, getting brand deals, and upping engagement.
Others are hobbyists who post content because they enjoy it. These creators tend to have smaller audiences and often have no intention of becoming full-time influencers. However, their content is highly authentic.
There's no barrier to posting content on social media now that smartphones have adequate cameras. As a result, there’s an influencer for almost every niche, from fashion to deep-sea diving. There is so much choice that social media users only need to follow people they resonate with.
For brands, influencers present a fantastic opportunity. Influencers are experts at creating content for their followers, and their recommendations can have a huge impact. In the last few years, products like the Dyson Airwrap have sold out due to influencer campaigns.
An influencer can be loosely defined as someone who shapes other people's perceptions and opinions. This could be due to their credibility, expertise, or popularity.
However, the term "influencer" today typically refers to people who post content on social media platforms. These creators share regularly and often develop larger audiences over time.
The influencer marketing sector is still growing. Statista reports that its value has tripled since 2020. In 2025, the market is estimated to reach $33 billion,
Let's look closer at why influencer marketing is so popular today:
Social media platforms like TikTok, Instagram, and YouTube are making shopping on-platform easy. Features like shoppable posts, in-app checkout, and live shopping events are booming. As the experience streamlines, social commerce is becoming normalised. And influencers have more ways to push for conversions.
Traditional ads interrupt your day. But following an influencer is a conscious decision. Consumers choose to engage with influencers whose values, interests, and lifestyles resonate.
Here, audiences are more receptive to recommendations because influencers are trusted peers rather than salespeople. These creators are experts in posting content that interests their audiences, providing a unique opportunity.
Some influencers only post product reviews, meaning that followers check in to learn about products in the niche.
When influencers genuinely recommend a product or service, it creates strong social proof. A reputable influencer's endorsement carries weight because it's seen as an honest recommendation, not a sales pitch.
Influencers are trusted by their followers for their entertainment value, expertise, and reliability. This can make their recommendations really impact the audience.
Below are a few key reasons why brands choose influencer marketing:
Influencer marketing is a type of social media marketing where companies collaborate with people who have significant (typically above 5,000 followers) accounts.
The first step is selecting influencers with audiences that align with your target demographic and campaign goals. Then, you encourage or pay the creator to post content featuring your brand.
Influencers promote products or services in many ways, including:
Put simply, influencer marketing is a form of social media marketing where brands collaborate with popular individuals to promote products or services.
Brands find these influencers appealing because they have established credibility and a loyal following within specific niches, such as fashion, beauty, fitness, or gaming.
The influencers you think are key will depend on the niches and content styles you like. However, you could say that the best influencers are those who win the biggest audiences.
In that case, some of the key influencers are:
These creators all have successful careers spanning multiple social media channels. But, perhaps surprisingly, they aren't necessarily the best choices for brands running influencer marketing campaigns.
Each sector has its own influential figures shaping trends and consumer behaviour. Many smaller creators, such as micro and nano-influencers, have niche audiences and high engagement rates. This can sway purchase decisions more directly.
For example, dermatologist influencers will have more authority when recommending skincare products. Their expertise, credibility, and targeted followings appeal to brands wanting to get heard in the online world.
There are many – very many – popular influencers in the UK. Let's explore a few of the most prominent creators.
Molly-Mae Hague (@mollymae, 8.9m followers, Instagram) is one of the biggest influencers in the UK. She first became a public name on Love Island. After leaving the villa, her attention-grabbing relationship with co-contestant Tommy Fury and clever approach to content kept her in the public eye. Now, she shares minimalist fashion looks and lifestyle content with her millions of followers. She has also started a business and created a TV show.
Liana Jade Brooker (@lianajadee, 10.3m followers, TikTok) is a parenting blogger who posts lifestyle content.
A huge UK YouTube group is The Sidemen (@sidemen, 22.2 million subscribers, YouTube), which includes seven influencers: KSI, Miniminter, Zerkaa, TBJZL, Behzinga, Vikkstar123, and W2S. They are all popular influencers in the UK, but KSI is perhaps the most well-known. Overall, their content is varied, ranging from gaming to charity football matches.
Cristiano Ronaldo (@cristiano, 651m followers, Instagram) is the most popular celebrity influencer in the world. An amazing 7.9% of the global population follows the Portuguese footballer on Instagram, making him the top influencer in the world.
James Stephen "Jimmy" Donaldson (@MrBeast, 374m subscribers, YouTube) is another top influencer. However, unlike Ronaldo, Donaldson became famous because of his social media content, which often features elaborate stunts and giveaways. One of his most famous challenges recreated the TV Squid Game in real life.
Other notable examples of influencers who became popular via social media are:
Generally, influencers are people with over 5,000 followers on social media platforms.
"Influencer" is a loose term. In the 1990s and 2000s, bloggers developed articles that defined what was "in." Today, the term mostly applies to social media content creators.
If you have an Instagram, TikTok, or YouTube account, you probably follow influencers. When you see Reels, videos, and posts that weren't created by someone you know, they were likely created by an influencer.
Here are a few examples of global influencers:
Popular influencers in the UK include:
Social media platforms are now so prominent that many popular influencers win the status of celebrities. They may appear on reality TV shows, create documentaries, and become household names.
In addition, many traditional celebrities have social media audiences and act similarly to influencers.
Here are some examples:
We might end up sounding like your Mum here, but if you’re going to do something, you might as well do it properly, right?
When it comes to influencer marketing, there are no half-measures. (Well, not unless you want to go viral for all the wrong reasons, that is.) You have to commit to doing it all. That means understanding KOL metrics beyond follower counts, running audience analysis, communicating with influencers effectively, sharing a strong brief and content approval system, planning the right type of campaign, and having the tools to accurately report on performance.
Kolsquare is a comprehensive platform, which gives you the in-depth data you need for influencer discovery, including:
On a single dashboard, Kolsquare also serves as an influencer relationship management tool, enabling you and your team to contact and keep in touch with influencers. All you have to do is import your existing KOL database and use the Gmail integration, which has a fully-equipped influencer address book with notes and favourites. This makes it easy to track all information and communications related to your favourite KOLs.
Kolsquare also handles reporting. You can instantly download campaign reports, personalised with your company logo, for impressive presentations to superiors and clients.
The reporting features provide the following metrics:
This data helps you understand what works and what doesn't, meaning your strategy keeps improving.
To see how the platform works and try out the benefits for yourself, book a demo with one of our influence experts today!
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