Influencer marketing in the marketing mix Practical example Upway shows how it works

Influencer Marketing has become an indispensable part of the marketing mix of many companies in recent years. But how do you successfully integrate influencers into your own marketing strategy? The example from Upway, Europe's leading provider of refurbished e-bikes, impressively shows how a data-driven approach in influencer marketing can become a growth engine and what importance the right strategy has for success (1).

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Two years ago, Upway faced a major challenge. The company had already invested a significant budget in TV advertising, but the hoped-for results did not materialize (1). Fabian, marketing manager at Upway, was looking for an agency that would fundamentally reorganize marketing. The growth goals were ambitious, the budget had to be used efficiently and, above all, the brand needed measurable success.

The challenge was complex. Upway had already made its first attempts at influencer marketing, especially in France with lifestyle influencers (1). However, this strategy did not work in the German market. The reason was the different expectations of the target group. While aesthetic lifestyle content was well received in France, German customers expected one thing above all: transparency and well-founded information about the product.

Before we delve deeper into the practical example, it is worth taking a look at the definition and meaning of influencer marketing in the modern marketing mix. Influencer marketing describes the collaboration between companies and multipliers on social media platforms who can authentically convey advertising messages through their reach and influence on their community. This form of communication has become established especially in e-commerce and start-ups because it builds trust and reaches the target group where they are. The numbers speak for themselves: The global influencer marketing market is expected to reach $32 billion to $34 billion in 2025 (2), underscoring the tremendous growth of this industry.

What is meant by the marketing mix?

The classic marketing mix consists of the four Ps: Product, Price, Place and Promotion (3). Influencer Marketing primarily falls into the area of ​​promotion, i.e. communication policy. But the boundaries are becoming increasingly blurred. Influencers not only influence the perception of a brand, but can also help shape product policy, for example if they pass on feedback from their community.

What are the 7 Ps of the Marketing Mix?

In expanded models of the marketing mix, which include seven Ps, people, process and physical evidence also play a role - aspects that content creators can cover perfectly thanks to their authentic nature (3)(4). This expanded view of the marketing mix shows how versatile influencers can be used as multipliers. The Seven Ps were originally developed by Booms and Bitner to better adapt the marketing mix to services and the modern economy (5).

Is influencer marketing a marketing strategy?

The question of whether Influencer Marketing is a marketing strategy or more of a marketing instrument cannot be answered in general terms. In fact, it is both. As part of the marketing mix it is a tool, but the way you as a company use influencers requires a well-thought-out strategy with clear goals and KPIs.

Upway has been in discussions with over ten agencies (1). Most presented colorful slides with glossy images and promised brand awareness and reach. But Fabian and his team were looking for something different. They didn't want nice stories, but rather hard facts, Excel sheets and a clear answer to the question: How many e-bikes will we sell through this campaign?

The crucial difference was in the pitch. While classic media agencies focused primarily on brand building and awareness KPIs, adspecialist, the specialized influencer marketing agency, presented a data-driven approach (1). From the beginning, the focus was on the customer acquisition cost. Every marketing activity should be measurable and contribute directly to the business. This approach was unusual for many agencies in the Influencer Marketing space, as this channel is often used more for branding purposes.

Another factor played a crucial role: trust. The experts at adspecialist made it clear from the start that successful collaboration means giving influencers creative freedom (1). No rigid briefings, no micromanagement of content. Instead, content creators should address their community the way they know best – authentically and in their own language.

The first big influencer campaign was an experiment. Felix von der Laden, a well-known creator with a wide reach, should introduce Upway in his content (1). The challenge: Felix was sitting in his brand new electric Porsche Taycan – a far cry from the typical lifestyle images that one would associate with e-bike marketing. He talked about e-mobility and his desire for an e-bike and organically linked the topic to his current life situation.

This raised eyebrows internally. “What is that?” many people in the company asked themselves (1). People were expecting something different, perhaps nice shots with the e-bike in nature, aesthetic images that fit the brand. But then came the numbers. The campaign performed excellently, the customer acquisition costs were within the targeted range, and above all: the target group reacted positively.

This example showed the central insight that should shape the entire further course of the influencer marketing strategy: authenticity beats perfection. German customers don't buy a pig in a poke, especially not with an investment of over 1000 euros (1). They want to understand what refurbished means, how the process works and what quality they can expect. An influencer who honestly reports their experience creates more trust than any staged advertising campaign.

Here you can see the placement in the original and you can understand how authentically Felix has integrated the topic of e-bikes into his content.

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After the first successful tests, a scalable strategy was developed. Upway's marketing mix now included multiple channels - TV, print, podcasts and most importantly influencer marketing (1). It quickly became apparent that influencers were becoming the strongest performance channel, even though no one had expected it that way at the beginning.

The strategy was based on several pillars. First: diversify influencer types. From mega influencers like Felix von der Laden to micro influencers with a smaller but highly committed community, Upway relied on different formats. Second: Continuous testing and optimization. Not every collaboration worked, but by systematically evaluating the KPIs, the team was able to learn what type of content and which influencers really performed. Third: Long-term cooperation instead of one-off actions. Successful influencers were rebooked, which not only reduced costs but also increased credibility.

A particularly impressive example was the cooperation with Simplicissimus. The placement cost over 30,000 euros - a sum where all eyes were on the performance (1). But here too, the trust in creative freedom paid off. The content fit the target group perfectly, the numbers exceeded expectations, and internal trust in the channel continued to grow.

The question “Is influencer marketing performance marketing?” cannot be answered in general. At Upway it became exactly that (1). While many companies use Influencer Marketing primarily for branding and brand awareness, Upway relied on hard performance KPIs from the start. Performance marketing is characterized by its measurability and its focus on concrete, result-oriented goals (6). The customer acquisition cost was the central measurement, supplemented by other key figures such as cost per session and organic search volume development.

This approach required a different form of collaboration with influencers. Tracking links, discount codes and detailed attribution were standard. Every post, every video was analyzed, not to limit creative freedom, but to understand what works and what doesn't. The budget was continuously reallocated to the most successful channels and influencers.

The results were impressive. Within two years, Upway was able to reduce customer acquisition costs by 40 to 50 percent - an achievement that surprised even the internal team (1). The goal for the second year was even more ambitious, but here too it became clear that continuous optimization and the right testing bring measurable success. The experts from adspecialist accompanied this process with detailed reporting and data-based recommendations. The return on investment (ROI) is the central key figure that makes the success of marketing measures transparent (7).

A key learning from the Upway story concerns the importance of market knowledge. What worked in France – aesthetic lifestyle content with social media influencers integrating the product into beautiful images – failed in Germany (1). The reason lies in the mentality and expectations of the target group.

German consumers, especially in the e-commerce sector, are informed and critical. They don't want advertising messages that make them believe something, but rather authentic recommendations from people they trust. An influencer who unpacks an e-bike, checks the quality, talks about the refurbishment process and honestly shares their experience creates more trust than a hundred beautiful Instagram posts.

This insight has far-reaching consequences for your marketing mix. Influencer Marketing works best in Germany when it is informative, transparent and authentic. The influencer community doesn't expect perfectly staged advertising videos, but rather real opinions and well-founded information. This also means that as a company you have to have the courage to give up control and trust the content creators.

From the collaboration between adspecialist and Upway, several concrete marketing strategies for influencers can be derived that are also relevant for you as a company or start-up.

The creator-first approach

The first strategy is the creator-first approach. Instead of rigid briefings that dictate every sentence, the influencers at Upway only received the most important key facts about the product and the brand (1). The rest was in her hands. This creative freedom resulted in content that felt organic and didn't strike the community as advertising. The role of companies is shifting from controller to partner.

Here, Simplicissimus shows you what an effective influencer briefing in practice looks like and which elements are really important.

Diversification of influencer types

The second strategy is diversification. Upway didn't just rely on one type of influencer, but tested different formats and reach. Mega influencers with several hundred thousand followers brought great reach and awareness, while micro influencers with 10,000 to 50,000 followers often delivered higher engagement and better conversion rates. The art lies in finding the right mix and continuously optimizing it. adspecialist as a specialized agency for influencer marketing helped identify the right creators and track performance.

Budget strategy: Start small, scale big

The third strategy concerns the issue of budget. Upway didn't start with huge amounts of money, but with manageable tests (1). The learnings from these tests were incorporated into the next campaigns, and only what worked was scaled. This iterative approach minimizes risk and maximizes the learning curve. This approach is particularly recommended for companies that are new to Influencer Marketing.

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An often underestimated aspect of influencer marketing is the role of the agency. At Upway, the collaboration with adspecialist was based on partnership from the start (1). Communication was uncomplicated, informal and quick. No long emails, just direct WhatsApp messages when there was a fire. This efficiency was crucial to success.

The experts from adspecialist not only brought contacts to influencers, but above all know-how and experience. They knew the numbers, knew which content creators worked for which target group, and were able to use the data to see where there was potential for optimization (1). For Upway, this meant they could focus on their core business while the agency took over operational campaign management.

The reporting was particularly valuable. Each campaign was analyzed in detail, the KPIs were presented transparently, and recommendations for the next steps were derived based on data (1). This transparency built trust and allowed Upway to convince internal stakeholders of the channel's importance. The special thing about adspecialist: The agency does not see itself as a classic media agency, but as a performance partner that pursues the same goals as the company itself.

Upway shows an example of how Influencer Marketing can be integrated into the expanded marketing mix. The seven Ps – Product, Price, Place, Promotion, People, Process and Physical Evidence – are influenced by influencers in different ways.

In the product area, influencers provided valuable feedback from their community. Which features are important? What questions keep coming up? These insights were incorporated into product development and communication. Influencers played a role in the price through discount codes and special promotions that made it easier for new customers to get started.

Place, i.e. distribution, was indirectly influenced by Influencer Marketing. The increased online presence led to more traffic to the website and increased the brand's visibility on social media channels. Promotion is the core area anyway, but here too it became clear that influencers are much more than just advertising media - they are brand ambassadors who authentically convey the company's values.

The people, i.e. the people behind the brand, became more approachable through influencers. Fabian and his team were not just marketing managers, but also partners on an equal level who sought to exchange ideas with the content creators (1). The process, i.e. the way marketing is carried out, has been continuously optimized through collaboration. And Physical Evidence, which is often neglected in the digital world, emerged from influencers’ authentic product tests and unboxing videos.

As successful as Upway's story is, there were certainly challenges. Not every campaign worked, and not every channel produced the expected results (1). Podcasts, for example, have been intensively tested, but the perfect match has not yet been found. Even individual influencers from whom a lot was expected did not deliver the expected performance.

These setbacks are normal and part of the process. The art lies in learning from mistakes and continually adapting the strategy. Upway used every campaign as a learning opportunity. What didn't work? Why not? What are some ways to do it better next time? adspecialist accompanied this learning process with detailed analyzes and helped to draw the right conclusions.

Another issue is increasing saturation. The longer you as a company work with certain influencers, the more the community gets used to your brand. The challenge is to continually find new multipliers and at the same time maintain relationships with successful partners. This shows the importance of continuous scouting and testing of new content creators.

A frequently asked question is: How much does influencer marketing cost? The answer is complex because the costs vary greatly depending on the reach, engagement rate and exclusivity of the influencer. At Upway, the costs ranged from low four-digit amounts for micro influencers to over 30,000 euros for established mega influencers (1). In Germany, a sponsored post from micro influencers costs on average between 10 and 60 euros, while mega influencers with over 1 million followers can charge 15,000 euros or more per post (8).

But the costs alone are not decisive. The return on investment is much more important. A post that costs 1000 euros but sells 50 e-bikes is more profitable than a placement for 500 euros that only generates five sales. That's why Upway relied on detailed tracking and attribution right from the start - supported by adspecialist's expertise in performance measurement. Studies show that on average, companies receive back $5.78 for every dollar invested in Influencer Marketing (9), highlighting the effectiveness of this marketing strategy.

The importance of the correct budget distribution can also be seen when comparing the different media and channels. TV advertising on Upway was significantly more expensive and less measurable than influencer marketing (1). Print had similar problems. Influencer marketing, on the other hand, made it possible to track every euro and dynamically reallocate budgets to the most successful campaigns.

For you as a company that wants to start with influencer marketing, we recommend a phased approach. Initial tests can be carried out with a budget of 5,000 to 10,000 euros. These provide valuable data about your own target group and the performance of different influencer types. You can then scale based on these learnings. In Germany, the market for influencer advertising reached a volume of around 622 million euros in 2024 (8), and growth is continuing.

Would you like to know how profitable your influencer campaigns are? Then visit our site and have your ROI calculated with our ROI Calculator.

The story of Upway offers numerous learnings that can be transferred to your company, especially in e-commerce and start-ups with ambitious growth goals.

First: trust is the foundation. You must be willing to give the influencers and the agency creative freedom (1). Micromanagement and rigid guidelines lead to uninspired content that doesn't reach the target group. Instead, you should communicate clear goals and key facts while leaving the implementation to the professionals.

Second: data is crucial. Influencer Marketing without measurability is a waste of money. You should define KPIs from the start and continuously monitor them (1). Customer acquisition cost is a key metric, but brand awareness, engagement rates and organic search development should also be taken into account.

Third: Start small, scale big. It is not necessary to start with huge budgets right away. Manageable tests provide valuable insights with manageable risk (1). Only what works is then scaled with more budget. This iterative approach minimizes losses and maximizes learning.

Fourth: The German market is special. What works in other countries does not necessarily have to be successful in Germany (1). Authenticity, transparency and well-founded information are more important here than beautiful pictures and lifestyle aesthetics. You should take this special feature into account in your influencer marketing strategy.

Upway's success story is not an isolated case, but part of a larger development. The influencer marketing market is continuously growing and is expected to reach a volume of over $32 billion by 2025 (2). But how will the channel develop in the coming years? What trends are emerging that you as a company should have on your radar?

AI and automation are changing creator choice

Selecting the right influencers is increasingly data-driven. Artificial intelligence analyzes not only follower numbers and engagement rates, but also community quality, sentiment analysis and fraud detection patterns. Tools are becoming more and more precise in predicting which creator will perform best for which brand and product. For you this means: less trial and error, faster scaling and more efficient budget allocation. Machine learning recognizes patterns in successful campaigns and can automatically suggest the most promising influencers for your next campaign.

Social Commerce: From the influencer directly to the purchase

The integration of shopping functions directly into social media platforms fundamentally changes the game. TikTok Shop, Instagram Shopping and YouTube Shopping allow users to buy products directly in the content without leaving the platform. For your influencer marketing strategy, this means: Shorter customer journeys, better conversion rates and even more precise attribution. The content not only becomes an awareness tool, but also a direct sales channel. Experts expect purchases via social media and influencer accounts to increase significantly by 2025 (8). This development makes influencer marketing even more measurable and attractive for e-commerce companies.

Video-first is becoming the standard

Short video formats already dominate social media channels today. TikTok, Instagram Reels and YouTube Shorts have shown that users prefer authentic, fast-paced video content. For your influencer marketing, this means: moving images will become the standard format. Static posts become less important. Creators who can produce good video content are becoming even more in demand – and correspondingly more expensive. Attention spans continue to shrink, which is why influencers must learn to place their message in the first three seconds. For you as a brand, this means investing in creators who have mastered video storytelling.

Regulation and transparency are increasing

The legal requirements for influencer marketing are becoming stricter. Labeling requirements, data protection requirements and advertising guidelines are evolving. Compliance is particularly crucial in Germany with its strict regulations. For you as a company, this means: Professional campaign management is becoming more important in order to minimize legal risks. The platforms themselves are increasingly introducing their own labeling tools, and violations are being punished more consistently. Agencies with relevant expertise, like adspecialist, become even more valuable as they can navigate the complex legal landscape and protect you from costly mistakes.

Upway's success story impressively shows what importance influencer marketing can have in the modern marketing mix. Used correctly, it is much more than just a branding tool. It becomes a measurable performance channel that directly contributes to increasing sales while strengthening the brand image.

The central success factors are clear: authenticity over perfection, trust in the creative freedom of the content creators, data-driven decisions and continuous optimization. If you're willing to implement these principles and take unconventional approaches, you can turn influencer marketing into a growth engine - just like Upway did with the support of adspecialist (1).

The marketing mix of the future will be increasingly digital and personalized. Influencers play a central role in this because they connect brands with people in a way that traditional advertising cannot achieve. They create trust, build communities and convey advertising messages in such a way that they are not perceived as such.

What this means for your company: Influencer Marketing should not be viewed as an isolated channel, but as an integral part of a holistic marketing strategy. Integration into the entire marketing mix, coordination with other channels and continuous development are crucial for long-term success.

The message is clear: just do it. Test, learn, optimize and have the courage to take unconventional paths. An influencer in a Porsche can be exactly the right solution, even if no one would have expected it at first glance (1). Anyone who is willing to take risks, trust data and give creators creative freedom will be successful in influencer marketing.

As a specialized agency for data-driven influencer marketing, adspecialist supports you in achieving your goals. With transparent reporting, in-depth expertise in creator selection and a clear focus on performance KPIs, the experts at adspecialist will accompany you on the path to measurable success in Influencer Marketing.

(1) adspecialist (2025): Interview with Fabian from Upway about influencer marketing strategy. YouTube Video: “How Upway Scales with Influencer Marketing,” available at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fo1thCRRu_0

(2) Thunderbit (2025): Influencer Marketing Statistics for 2025, available at: https://thunderbit.com/de/blog/influencer-marketing-stats

(3) Smart Insights (2023): How to use the 7Ps Marketing Mix strategy model, available at: https://www.smartinsights.com/marketing-planning/marketing-models/how-to-use-the-7ps-marketing-mix/

(4) CIM (n.d.): The 7 Ps of marketing, available at: https://www.cim.co.uk/content-hub/quick-read/the-7ps-of-marketing/

(5) Oxford College of Marketing (2024): The 7Ps of The Marketing Mix, available at: https://blog.oxfordcollegeofmarketing.com/2020/10/08/understanding-the-7ps-of-the-marketing-mix/

(6) Flin Agency (2025): Performance Marketing explained: central terms & disciplines, available at: https://flin.agency/performance-marketing-erklaerung/

(7) Amazon Ads (2025): ROI Marketing: Definition, Calculation and Tips, available at: https://advertising.amazon.com/de-de/library/guides/marketing-roi

(8) Lookfamed (2024): Influencer Marketing Statistics: Numbers You Need to Know in 2024, available at: https://lookfamed.de/news/influencer-marketing-statistik/

(9) Meltwater (2024): The most important influencer marketing statistics for 2024, available at: https://www.meltwater.com/de/blog/influencer-marketing-statistiken