Ian Brownhill, Influence, and What Actually Works in 2025
The term "influencer" gets thrown around way too easily. It has become a lazy catch-all for anyone with a following, which ignores the real strategy and amount of work it takes to make engaging content. Today’s best creators aren’t just influencing! They’re writing, producing, editing, testing, watching analytics, and constantly scrutinizing every detail to make sure their content lands with their target audience.
Influencer marketing isn't a trend anymore; it's quickly becoming the backbone of modern brand strategy. What started as a few experimental posts has evolved into entire campaigns built around creators. This shift comes from people trusting people more than they trust brands, which has helped influencer marketing become a highly effective option for brands looking to connect with their target audience.
Enter Ian Brownhill.
If you’re from New England, odds are you’ve seen him pop up on your feed clowning April snowstorms, sipping Dunkin' iced coffees, and cracking jokes about traffic that hit way too close to home. Ian is an influencer, actor, content creator, model, podcast host, and more importantly, a guy who gets his audience. He’s worked with brands like the Boston Celtics, Samuel Adams, and Dunkin’, not just because of his reach, but because he knows what makes them laugh, what makes them care, and how to keep them coming back.
We recently sat down with Ian, not just to shoot some new content for BLK MKT Studios (although we did that too), but to talk about what actually makes influencer marketing work. He broke down how he thinks about his audience, what makes a good brand partnership, and why authenticity will always win.
A Quick Sit-Down with Ian
BLK MKT Studios: You’ve been creating content for years now. How did you get started, and how have you seen the game change since you first began?
Ian Brownhill: I got started in 2019 when TikTok first hit my radar. I missed the early YouTube and Vine waves, so when TikTok popped off, I saw my shot and went for it. The landscape has changed so much in the last 5 years. Algorithms, users, and their interests are constantly changing so if you’re not evolving with them, you’re falling behind.
BLK MKT Studios: You’ve made everything from quick phone clips to full productions. What do you think actually makes content scroll-stopping in 2025?
Ian Brownhill: The shorter and more engaging you can be, the better! Attention spans are shrinking by the minute, so you need to grab people's attention immediately. But at the end of the day, good content is good content.
BLK MKT Studios: Why do you think influencer marketing has become such a must-have for brands this year?
Ian Brownhill: Influencer marketing works, and social media is FREE. Just press record, showcase your brand/business, and post it! There’s no losing in that space if you’re genuine. Once you’re ready to level up, bring an influencer on board with a larger audiences and similar creative alignments and hire companies who can help produce for you at a higher level. That’s how you scale without losing authenticity.
BLK MKT Studios: How do you make a brand partnership feel genuine and not just another ad?
Ian Brownhill: The brand should never be the main character. Influencers have their own voice, and so do the brands they work with. The magic happens when you allow those voices to align organically. You don’t need to push the product or service. Just use it, enjoy it, and let it show up in a way that feels real. People don't want to be sold to, they want to feel like they’re a part of something.
BLK MKT Studios: You’ve worked with big national brands and local businesses alike. What’s different about creating content for your community?
Ian Brownhill: People follow you because they connect with your voice, not because you're the only one making a specific style of content. When you bring in an influencer, you need to trust that they know what their audience wants. The best partnerships are the ones that feel like a natural extension of what you’re already doing.
BLK MKT Studios: You’ve done a number of shoots with BLK MKT Studios now. What stands out to you about our process or the way we collaborate?
Ian Brownhill: As an actor, I’ve been on many sets the last 10+ years. I’ve seen what the professional industry standard looks like, and that's how BLK MKT Studios operates. I’ve seen the chaos and confusion it can bring to have an influencer promoting a brand. BLK MKT is the middle man who speaks to the brand and the influencer so that both feel comfortable with their roll on a production. These guys are GOOD at what they do and produce high quality work!
The best influencer marketing doesn’t feel like marketing, it feels like content people actually want to watch. Brands aren't doubling down on influencers because it's trendy, they're making the investment because the campaigns perform. Don’t just take our word for it either, the numbers don't lie!
Numbers Don't Lie
According to Tomoson, businesses are averaging $6.50 in return for every $1 spent on influencer marketing. The top 13% are seeing $20+ for every dollar spent.
Shopify reports that 84.8% of brands say influencer marketing is effective, and 36% say influencer content outperforms the content their own team produces.
Shopify also notes that 49% of consumers overall, and a staggering 87% of Gen Z, act on product recommendations from influencers.
The data makes it clear that influencer marketing works, but only when it's done with the right creator, with the right strategy, and with content built to perform. That's exactly what we're offering!
The BLK MKT Studios x Ian Brownhill Package
This is full-service production powered by a creator who’s already earned trust from 500k+ on Instagram and 1.6 million+ on TikTok. Ian brings the voice, personality, and creative instincts, while we bring the production, rollout, and platform strategy. We collaborate on the vision from the jump, produce the content together, and make sure every piece is built to perform.
Here’s what’s included:
✔️ Content that doesn’t feel like an ad.
✔️ Distribution to a loyal, engaged following.
✔️ Professional production & marketing strategy.
✔️ Analytics tracking and performance reports.
It’s completely customizable too! Whether you need product promos, narrative brand storytelling, or ad campaign content, we'll make sure each post stands out. Forgettable content doesn't get results, and we don't do forgettable.