Local creators drive 3.5x higher engagement in Brazil

A study titled ‘Entre Brasis 2026’ reveals that local creators can generate up to 3.5 times more engagement than influencers from different cultural contexts. Developed by the Hub de Brasilidades—an initiative by Grupo Farol in partnership with Waví and supported by BR Data Lab—the research analyzed campaign performance, consumer behavior, and responses from over 2,300 creators across Brazil.

According to the findings, campaigns featuring local creators achieved an engagement rate of 5.45%, compared to just 1.57% for influencers outside the target region. Cultural proximity also improved brand favorability by 7.83 percentage points. Raphael Vignola, president of Grupo Farol, noted that regionalization has transitioned from a creative choice to a strategic business decision in a diverse country like Brazil.

Despite these benefits, the study highlights a disconnect in representation. Only 31% of interviewed creators believe that brands from outside their region adequately understand local culture, and 55% feel their regions are poorly represented in social media content.