As a small business owner in Nairobi, you’ve likely seen the chaos when IShowSpeed was here in Kenya.
Crowds swarmed his convoy in the streets. He needed police escorts just to move. He was vibing in a flashy matatu, learning Swahili, hugging fans, and even got his safari vehicle stuck near lions in Maasai Mara.
His stream peaked with over 200,000 live viewers, and he gained hundreds of thousands of subscribers in just hours.
Around 360,000 new ones from the Kenya leg alone,pushed his channel past 48 million.
Kenya went viral worldwide, and tourism officials called it a huge win for “Magical Kenya,” with massive impressions online and real boosts to our image as a destination.
You may have watched those clips and thought, “That energy is wild… but what does it have to do with my agency, legal firm, or boutique?”
Honestly, it’s a lot.
Speed’s visit is a clear example of influencer marketing that small brands like yours can use, even with a tight budget. Influencer marketing like this shows how powerful real connections can be.
What Makes People Stick Around in Influencer Marketing?
Speed wasn’t doing a polished ad.
He was connecting with locals and sharing genuine moments. That’s the heart of good influencer marketing. It’s why people kept watching and why it spread so quickly.
Influencer marketing thrives on authenticity.
For your business, you can think of influencer marketing in simple ways:
- A young Nairobi professional creating a quick Reel walking into your legal firm for real advice, without scripts, just honest talk. This is influencer marketing at its most natural.
- Or a lifestyle creator visiting your shop and showing how your service helps someone’s daily hustle. Another perfect example of influencer marketing that feels real.
People in 2026 are tired of sales pitches. They want to see real value and real people, whether it’s through influencer marketing or any other marketing communications.
Speed highlighted matatus, streets, culture, and wildlife in a fun, proud way. You can borrow that locally too.
Feature your spot on Thika Road or in Westlands. Work with a creator who talks about the business grind and demonstrates how you solve real problems. Short TikToks or Reels work best for influencer marketing.
One good video built on influencer marketing tactics can get passed around on WhatsApp status or Instagram stories and reach people who might never find your business otherwise.
We’ve all seen brands like Muthokinju Paints become impossible to ignore by using these same marketing techniques.
Speed’s Kenya moment shows the same principle in influencer marketing: genuine connection + local flavour + the right amplification = attention that lasts.
What have you learnt about influencer marketing from Speed’s Kenya tour? Share in the comments below.
VALSIG Solutions helps businesses like yours identify influencer marketing opportunities, choose the right creators who match your audience, plan content that feels natural, and track what works with simple tools like promo codes or links. That way, you are able to focus on what you do best (running your business) while we handle the influencer marketing side. Contact us on elevate@valsigsolutions.com or +254759803634