Are Creators Equipped for New Marketing Roles?

One creator, Fuller, shared an experience on a retail campaign set. "Throughout the entire process, I was brimming with ideas. It wasn't that the brand was doing a poor job, but rather I kept thinking, 'Oh, this would resonate so well,' or 'I know exactly how my audience would react to this.' It made me question if brands ever involve creators before a campaign is fully developed."

Wilson observes that some creators are more naturally inclined towards strategic involvement. "Some are actively building their own product lines and businesses, and they genuinely desire that strategic input. Others are happiest focusing on creating great content in their authentic voice. It's crucial to discern these differences and utilize creators according to their individual strengths."

Walia points out that being close to an audience doesn't automatically equate to understanding how to build a sustainable business or brand. "There's a genuine skill involved in consistently translating artistry and cultural relevance into commercial and creative success," she states. Harms echoes this sentiment, emphasizing that intuition alone is not a strategy. "Understanding what your 40,000 followers want is not the same as comprehending what an entire category requires, and brands frequently conflate these two, then unfairly blame the creator," he warns.

Walia expresses concern that as marketing budgets shrink and CMOs face increased pressure for immediate results, creator involvement might become just another tactic for short-term gains rather than an integral part of a well-considered, long-term strategy. "Creators can provide invaluable cultural and audience insights, but they shouldn't be expected to substitute all other forms of strategic, marketing, or operational expertise."

Experts agree that creators now possess more leverage, enabling them to have a greater say in their strategic involvement, even as brands become more eager to integrate them. Harms suggests that savvy creators who aren't focused on building consumer brands are developing their own subscription revenue streams, reducing their need to accept every opportunity. This is a sound strategy, as 52% of Gen Zs express a preference for directly supporting creators financially, according to Archrival, thus enhancing influencer leverage.

Furthermore, experts caution that this expanded role doesn't guarantee an immediate income increase. Earlier in the year, influencer agents noted that many influencers were open to taking on consultancy roles without additional compensation. At the time, Davis stated, "Our influencers want to feel like they are part of the creative process, often willing to act as a creative consultant at no extra cost alongside content execution."

However, experts concur that this sets a potentially risky precedent, highlighting the necessity for creators to be adequately compensated and prepared for any extra responsibilities. Walia emphasizes, "It's vital that brands do not silently broaden a creator's responsibilities without adjusting the compensation, access, or authority that accompanies it. Asking someone to advise on the business, share audience insights, or shape strategy is fundamentally different from requesting them to produce a piece of content."

A New Model

Experts believe this paid precedent paves the way for a new creator industry model, fostering closer integration between talent and brands. This could involve bringing creators in earlier in the development process, or even extending to equity deals, as Davis notes. She explains, "Flat fees remain effective for campaign-specific collaborations rather than those focused on long-term shared growth. However, as more creators adopt a business-owner mindset, I anticipate these long-term, equity-based partnerships will become a significantly larger component of how brands and creators collaborate." For example, skincare brand ESW Beauty recently announced that influencers Katie Fang and Aliya Rachinski had become the brand’s inaugural creator equity partners, acquiring an ownership stake.