The news: Almost one year after announcing that it would spend half of its ad budget on social media in an “influencer first” strategy, Unilever CEO Fernando Fernandez is doubling-down.

Fernandez told investors at the Consumer Analyst Group of New York conference that “the times of big corporate big brand messages are gone,” highlighting Unilever’s shift to a “social-first demand model.”

In FY2025, the company allocated approximately 16% of revenues—about $9 billion out of $60 billion—to brand and marketing investment.