The top paid partnerships on Instagram in 2023

April 12, 2023

Written by Kimberly Monitto

It’s hard to log onto social media platforms these days and not see “#ad” in the caption of one of your favorite celebrities’ posts. These posts are especially prevalent on Instagram — and chances are, whether you like it or not, they’re on your feed at least some of the time. 

Nowadays, Instagram is so much more than the photo sharing app as which it started life. There is an opportunity to profit from that content, and brands and influencers take full advantage of the fact. 

The phenomenon known as the paid partnership can be one of the best win/win situations there is in media. Influencers are paid to advertise products to their followers, and in turn, brands can see record numbers flocking to them as a majority of social media users can be easily influenced. 

In an oversaturated social world, which influencers have seen the most engagement on their posts? And which brands are profiting because of it? Let’s take a look. 

Food and beverage brands stay hot

Food and beverage brands take advantage of social media coverage whenever they can, and when it comes to Instagram paid partnerships, there have been some big names in the mix of promotions. 

Since we started our search in January 2023, Stranger Things star Millie Bobby Brown has had the post with the most engagements. On March 7th, the actress accrued 5.32M likes on her post that promoted her partnership with Essentia Water. “I love that @essentiawater is committed to keeping you hydrated so you can do what matters most to YOU… and inspiring people to relentlessly be themselves,” said Bobby Brown in her caption. Even though the post saw mixed reviews, like some comments claiming, “it’s literally just water…,” Bobby Brown’s post had almost 2M more engagements than the next paid partnership on the charts. 

Another actor partnering with a brand in the food and beverage sphere is Aaron Paul. Paul made waves after both he and fellow Breaking Bad star Bryan Cranston partnered up with Popcorners ahead of the Super Bowl. The partnership post, which amassed 1.03M likes, was a teaser for the duo’s commercial which aired during halftime of the game. 

Rounding out the food and beverage category is supermodel Gigi Hadid. The model, who has over 77M followers on Instagram, posted her partnership with Coca Cola at the end of March. The post had 941k likes and 2.8k comments, a little lower than some of the other charting food and beverage ads we’ve seen. 

Fashion and jewelry brands find continued success 

Fashion brands have helped build the paid partnership game, and they continue to work with some of the most followed influencers on Instagram’s platform. 

Hailey Bieber, the newly controversial spouse of Canadian singer Justin Bieber, came in at number four on our search list. Her post, a paid partnership with Tiffany, shows Bieber modeling a diamond Tiffany necklace in a photo carousel (2.88M). 

FC Barcelona and Poland national team superstar Robert Lewandowski can also be seen in his partnership with 4f Clothing. The simple post from March 30th of Lewandowski doing lunges in a pair of shorts garnered 2.23M likes and 5.1k comments. 

Following right behind, Madelyn Cline from the hit Netflix show Outer Banks, is a Tommy Hilfiger partner. In her paid post, she can be seen at an event with Tommy Hilfiger himself (1.31M). This is a great example of paid partnerships going beyond just influence, but showing that influencers do often have real relationships with these brands. 

Big stars partner with automotive brands

Even the NBA’s biggest stars take advantage of paid partnerships. Steph Curry, the famed point guard of the Golden State Warriors, most recently added CarMax to his list of ad partners. In it, Curry poses with WNBA legends Sue Bird and Candance Parker in front of a CarMax sign (722k). 

Another star teaming up with a car brand is Euphoria actress Sydney Sweeney. Sweeney’s partnership with Ford is a bit more sentimental than most. “If you know me, you know it’s always been my dream to restore a vintage Ford Bronco. Now I’m working with Ford to show off all the work I put into it!,” says the actress as a video of a young Sweeney in an old Bronco plays. The post amassed 543k likes with many supportive comments below. 

Tech partnerships on the rise

On the tail end of every other category comes tech partnerships. Take the third most engaged post on the charts, for example. With 2.91M likes and 13.6k comments, Robert Downey Jr. has partnered with Aura Protects, a digital identity protection plan. As recently as March 9th, Downey Jr. expressed that the product was new to him as well, and encouraged his followers to follow along his journey of educating both himself and others. 

At the intersection of technology and music, Spotify has also found themselves in the paid partnership conversation. This time, with (once again) world-class soccer striker Robert Lewandowski. The FC Barcelona player (the team also has their own partnership with Spotify), can be seen talking about his favorite pre-game music (588.7k). This partnership is a part of the “Player Playlists” initiative the two started back in January. 

Paid partnerships are a great way for brands to draw interest, build an audience, and gain public trust. Creating relationships with trusted media personalities will only further brand success and is one of the many media tools that brands should prioritize.

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Kimberly Monitto

Kim began her journey at NewsWhip as an intern and still hasn’t found a reason to leave. She enjoys using NewsWhip’s technology to explore brand insights, spot advertising trends on the rise, and monitor public engagement in an ever-changing digital world. She is especially passionate about sports, specifically her favorite soccer team who tend to always find their way onto NewsWhip’s leaderboards, F.C. Barcelona.

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