Kolsquare has published research arguing that brands that treat influencer marketing as optional risk falling behind, as the practice is now embedded in mainstream marketing activity.

The findings point to growing use of influencer marketing within broader communications and advertising work in the UK and across Europe. In the UK, 52% of marketers already integrate influencer marketing into PR and communications strategies, while 46% link it to wider brand campaigns. The same share use paid media to amplify creator content.

Across Europe, 49% of brands now include influencer marketing in PR and communications activity. The report argues that marketers are moving away from treating creator work as a separate or experimental channel and are instead tying it to wider commercial targets.

That change is also affecting how campaigns are assessed. Likes, reach and impressions have long been standard measures in influencer marketing, but brands are increasingly looking for campaigns to deliver clicks, web traffic and sales.

Rather than relying on isolated sponsored posts, marketers are using influencer activity across several stages of the customer journey. The research points to rising investment in longer-term creator partnerships, user-generated content and affiliate activity as part of that shift.

Budget shift

Spending plans in the report suggest the trend is likely to continue. Across Europe, 82% of marketers plan to increase spending on paid amplification of creator content, 59% expect to invest more in long-term creator partnerships and 55% plan to raise spending on user-generated content.

The report also points to broader integration of influencer work into internal business systems. Brands are increasingly connecting influencer activity to eCommerce tools, customer relationship management systems and affiliate tracking, making it easier to identify which content is linked to sales and customer growth.

As a result, influencer marketing is being measured alongside other channels rather than in isolation. This marks a shift in how marketing teams justify spending and evaluate returns from creator-led campaigns.

Trust factor

Kolsquare’s research also says campaign performance is closely tied to trust between creators and their audiences. It argues that content seen as authentic and grounded in a genuine relationship can perform better, and adds that clear disclosure of paid partnerships does not harm results.

That suggests marketers should focus less on hiding sponsorship and more on choosing creators whose audiences see them as credible. The emphasis, the report says, is on fit and trust rather than pure scale.

Quentin Bordage, Chief Executive Officer and Founder of Kolsquare, said: “Influencer marketing has changed rapidly. It’s no longer about reach alone; it’s about achieving tangible results. Brands already using it properly are building it into their wider marketing campaigns, while those treating it as an add-on risk falling behind.”

Kolsquare provides influencer marketing software and describes itself as focused on compliance standards in the UK. It says it works with brands including Coca-Cola, Sony Music, Publicis, Sephora, Clarins, Nissan and Lush, and is part of team.blue, a European digital services group with more than 3.3 million customers in 22 countries.

The report’s central message is that many brands no longer treat influencer marketing as a stand-alone branding exercise, but as a measurable part of the wider marketing mix tied to traffic, sales and customer growth.

NSSLGlobal is supplying satellite communications equipment for a 1,000-mile rowing expedition by four graduating Royal Norwegian Naval Academy officers. The voyage will raise funds for the Norwegian aid group Fritt Ukraina.

Under the banner Row for Ukraine, the crew plans to row from Bergen to London. NSSLGlobal will provide satellite phones for welfare, support and emergency communications, as well as mobile satellite systems for email and short video updates during the crossing.

It will also install the equipment, train the crew to use it, and provide support before, during and after the voyage. The company is also contributing funds to the charity effort.

The four officers are Frikk Ekeberg, Erik Gulbrandsen, Aleksander Skogly-Jensen and Henrik Listhaug. By the time they depart, they will have graduated from cadets to officers at the Royal Norwegian Naval Academy.

They are due to cross one of the most demanding stretches of sea in a 7.4-metre D12 ocean rowing boat with two open rowing positions and two small cabins. The setup allows two crew members to row while the other two rest, maintaining a continuous 24-hour watch.

Safety focus

The communications package reflects the risks of a North Sea crossing in a small craft. The onboard systems are intended to help the crew stay connected in an emergency and maintain contact with supporters during the expedition.

Sally-anne Ray, group CEO of NSSLGlobal, outlined the company’s role in the voyage.

“At NSSLGlobal we are very proud to support these intrepid graduating officers of the Royal Norwegian Naval Academy for a cause that means so much to us all. Safety at sea is all-important, and having satellite phones and data devices onboard gives the crew the connectivity they need for emergencies and to stay in touch with their supporters,” Ray said.

NSSLGlobal has backed the project from an early stage. Its support included introducing the Norwegian team to the leader of the Royal Navy’s HMS Oardacious team, who brought experience from two trans-Atlantic rows.

The company has longstanding operations in maritime and government communications, as well as a workforce in Norway through its Oslo office. Its Norwegian presence includes technical work and research and development, and its main shareholder is Norwegian investment company Arendals Fossekompani.

Ukraine fundraising

Money raised above the costs of the expedition will go to Fritt Ukraina’s work supporting the Ukrainian 36th Marine Brigade. The organisation provides equipment and other aid to Ukrainians defending the country.

Fritt Ukraina said the voyage carries both a fundraising purpose and broader symbolic weight.

“As a maritime nation, Norway has an important role in working closely with Ukraine and the United Kingdom to develop defense capabilities in the Black Sea. It is highly inspiring to see that NSSLGlobal is now supporting Row 4 Ukraine’s important voyage across the sea to London-a strong symbol of the resilience we must demonstrate together in the Nordic region. At the same time, it highlights the expertise Norway possesses and can contribute to this shared defense effort. This work also helps strengthen the long-term ties between Norway and Ukraine,” said Natalia Golis, managing director of Fritt Ukraina.

The four officers specialise in marine engineering, weapons technology and logistics. According to the organisers, their training at the academy is expected to be central to operating under sustained pressure during the crossing.

The expedition also comes against a backdrop of close naval ties between Norway and the UK. Both countries are founding members of NATO and have strengthened cooperation through joint naval activity and defence agreements, with regular training by British forces in Norway and growing attention on security in the High North.

For NSSLGlobal, the project also aligns with the part of its business focused on shipboard communications and support systems used by vessels ranging from patrol ships to aircraft carriers. In this case, that work is being applied on a much smaller platform, where reliable contact with shore may prove critical.

All funds raised above expedition costs will support Fritt Ukraina’s deliveries of equipment and assistance to the Ukrainian 36th Marine Brigade.

Poland has expanded its SENT transport monitoring system to cover clothing and footwear, bringing fashion and retail shipments moving into, out of, or through the country under tighter reporting rules.

The revised scope applies to goods classified under CN codes 61 for knitted or crocheted apparel, 62 for non-knitted apparel, 6309 for worn clothing and 64 for footwear. Shipments in those categories must now be reported through the PUESC platform, including either weight or number of items, the value of the goods and a product description.

SENT, short for System Elektronicznego Nadzoru Transportu, is Poland’s electronic tracking system for selected goods transported by road and rail. It has previously focused on products considered vulnerable to illegal trade and tax evasion, such as fuel, food, alcohol and tobacco.

The extension to clothing and footwear increases the compliance burden for a sector that often moves large volumes across multiple borders on tight delivery schedules. It also affects businesses using Poland as a transit route to other markets in Central and Eastern Europe, even when the goods are not destined for the Polish market.

Chris Roome, associate director of customs and compliance at Baxter Freight, warned that many fashion businesses could be caught unprepared.

He said SENT requires shippers, carriers and drivers to report cargo movements via the PUESC platform, primarily to combat illegal trade and counterfeit goods.

Until now, the system has focused on higher-risk goods linked to tax evasion, such as fuel, food products, alcohol and tobacco. Its scope is now widening into the fashion and textiles sector.

Roome said this marks a notable shift because it brings a high-volume, fast-moving sector into a system previously focused on excise goods. Many retailers and importers will not have had to deal with SENT before, creating a real risk of early non-compliance.

He added that penalties can be significant and may in some cases be calculated as a percentage of the value of the goods. A bigger concern for retailers, however, may be disruption, as non-compliant shipments can be stopped at inspection points, affecting stock availability and delivery timelines.

Roome also noted that responsibility does not rest solely with importers. Suppliers, carriers and drivers all have roles to play in avoiding delays or penalties.

For businesses that rely on Poland as a logistics hub, he said adapting to the new requirements will require supply chain coordination, clear communication between partners and robust internal checks before goods move.

Registration steps

Businesses covered by the rules must also complete administrative steps before moving affected goods. These include registering on the PUESC system, appointing a named contact and obtaining a Polish identification number through a vetting process with the Polish authorities.

Roome said businesses may need support from an approved third party during that process, and those providers can be found on the PUESC website.

He added that companies using a freight provider will need to sign a power of attorney to allow the provider to act on their behalf in customs matters.

The change adds a new layer of scrutiny to a trade route widely used by apparel and footwear companies serving Europe, with penalties and shipment stoppages among the immediate risks for operators that fail to meet the reporting requirements.