As creator marketing grows, brands optimise for efficiency: formats, paid amplification, media performance and process. The risk is that creator work becomes brand-led paid social disguised as authenticity, rather than distinctive, effective creative.
The core question is: how can brands scale creator marketing without losing the creativity and authenticity that make it work in the first place?
This discussion explores whether the industry is prioritising efficiency over effectiveness.
According to Kantar’s latest study, a net 61% of marketers planned to increase their creator spend for this year. However, with greater budget comes greater scrutiny.
According to Ben Smye, Head of Marketing at Atolls, while traffic can be gamed, influence can’t, and community and content partners shouldn't be judged purely on the last click.
From brands to creators, The Goat Agency’s Annabel Harris walks through how to make moves in 2026.
At CreatorFest 2026, I had the pleasure of sitting down with Pontus Eskilsson, VP Global Partnerships at Twitch.
