As millions of children across the UK prepare to head back to school, brands are relying on mums or mum influencers to boost sales. But despite being at the forefront of the campaigns, new data from Kolsquare’s latest report shows that female creators earn significantly less than their male counterparts.
This summer alone, over 118,000 influencers have posted with the hashtag #BacktoSchool2025 and the majority are women. They’ve generated hundreds of thousands of videos and posts across TikTok, Instagram, and YouTube. Retail giants such as Tesco, George at Asda, Marks & Spencer, and Clarks are leading the charge, alongside lifestyle brands like Smiggle UK, Kickers, and Hunter Boots.
Engagement across the back-to-school campaigns peaked on July 29th, and Marks & Spencer had the biggest share of voice, followed by George at Asda and Clarks Shoes. From July 1st to now:
Marks & Spencer partnered with 1.38K influencers, achieving an EMV (Earned Media Value) of £5M.
George at Asda worked with 488 influencers, reaching £975,000 EMV.
Clarks collaborated with 104 influencers, generating £107,000 EMV.
Celebrity mums fronting campaigns
Famous mums fronting back-to-school campaigns this year include:
- Josie Gibson (750K Instagram followers) is partnering with Clarks Shoes for its new BTS range.
- Helen Skelton (538K Instagram followers) is collaborating with Hunter Boots on its children’s line.
- Christine Lampard (644K Instagram followers) has teamed up with Marks & Spencer.
- Brooke Vincent (907K Instagram followers) is an ambassador for George at Asda, reaching her 917K Instagram followers and over 100K video views for one BTS campaign, generating an estimated media value of £3K.
Influencers with impact
Beyond celebrities, a wave of digital-first mum creators is building loyal followings and shaping purchasing decisions. TikTok stars like Sophiena (Tesco), who has 2.7m followers, Instagram’s Shannon Tomkins (George at Asda), and Kelsey Parker (Kickers Kids UK) are among those featured in recent campaigns, reaching audiences of hundreds of thousands between them.
What Kolsquare’s new data shows
The celebrity and mumfluencer boom coincides with the release of Kolsquare’s Voices of the Creator Economy 2025 report, which is based on insights from nearly 800 creators across Europe. Key findings include:
- UK creators are multi-platform hustlers and more likely to monetise via TikTok and affiliate marketing than their European peers.
- Authenticity matters in the UK; 47% of creators say shared values and ethical alignment outweigh compensation when choosing brand partners.
- The gender pay gap persists as 38% of women earn under €500/month from content compared to just 23% of men.
- Stress is high, with two-thirds of creators reporting being stressed by content creation, with UK creators also more likely to face online abuse (30% report race-based insults).
A growing industry
“The back-to-school moment is one of the biggest annual opportunities for brands to connect with parents,” says Kolsquare’s CEO Quentin Bordage. “Our research shows that UK mumfluencers and celebrity parents are shaping household purchasing choices. As the creator economy grows, long-term, values-led partnerships are the winning formula for the parent/families market.”
