For years, Creator marketing has been politely dismissed in boardrooms as a “nice-to-have.” Great for buzz. Helpful for culture. Maybe even good for awareness.
But when budgets tighten, and CFOs start asking hard questions, Creator marketing is still too often treated as an experiment rather than what it actually is: one of the most efficient, high-performing channels in the modern media mix.
That mindset can limit the full value brands can unlock.
The debate about whether Creator marketing works is over. The only question left is whether brands are sophisticated enough to use it properly.
The Numbers Don't Lie
Let’s start with the number executives care about most: return on investment. In 2023, The Whalar Group commissioned Nielsen to conduct the first-ever Creator Media Mix Model (MMM) study. The result? Creators delivered a 2.41x ROI from 2021–2022. But when we dug deeper into why that number was so strong, things got even more interesting.
The data showed:
- ROI increased by +38% year-over-year
- eCPM (effective cost per thousand impressions) decreased by -35% year-over-year
Brands didn’t suddenly get luckier. They got smarter.
Instead of relying on a handful of “big” Creators or one-off campaigns, brands diversified, working with more Creators, across more platforms, and reaching more audiences. In other words: Creator marketing scaled the way real media channels scale. More Creators = better results.
Why People Actually Trust Creators
Performance doesn’t happen in a vacuum. To understand what was driving these returns, we partnered with Alter Agents on a Cross-Media Creator Study. The findings point to something traditional media has struggled to manufacture for years: trust.
- 77% of consumers say they're first introduced to brands through Creators
- 3-in-4 people purchase products based on Creator recommendations
- The top reasons people watch Creator/brand partnership content? To learn more about the product and how to use it, and to get an honest, trustworthy review.
Think about that for a second. People aren't just passively scrolling past Creator content, they're actively seeking it out to inform purchase decisions. That's not top-of-funnel fluff. That's conversion fuel.
Creative Effectiveness: What Actually Works
People often assume Creator content is excellent for storytelling but weak at driving action. The data says otherwise. In a recent meta-analysis using Kantar's Link AI solution, we found that 62% of Creator content scored in the 80th percentile and above for both brand power and short-term sales likelihood, performing 2.3x higher than brand-owned content.
Here's what's wild: traditionally, you'd expect content to be strong at either branding or performance. But when creators introduced a brand and gave a clear call to action, the content crushed it on both measures. That's something even the best brand-produced content struggles to achieve.
The highest-performing content? When Creators showcased themselves using the product and explained why they liked it, whether that was using a face wipe to remove makeup, booking a trip in a mobile app, or practicing proper oral hygiene. Authenticity + demonstration = gold.
The flip side? Content where Creators had to follow strict brand guidelines and couldn't be creative didn't perform nearly as well. The lesson is clear: give Creators room to create.
The Bottom Line
All of this leads to a simple truth: Creator content is often the hardest-working line item in the media mix. From discovery (78% of people discover new brands from Creators) to conversion ($2.41 return for every dollar invested), Creators outperform at every stage of the funnel.
But here's the catch to unlock that full potential: Creator marketing must be measured with the same rigor as any other media channel. The Creator Economy isn't a side bet anymore. It's not influencer marketing 1.0. It's a foundational media channel that deserves its own benchmarks, measurement tools, and creative freedom.
Creators aren't just amplifiers of culture. They're efficient, scalable, and sales-driving partners. The data proves it. But only if we treat them like the media force they've become and invest accordingly.
If you've been on the fence about shifting budget toward Creator marketing, consider this your sign. The numbers are in, and they're not subtle.
![Creator Marketing Budgets Surge 171% YoY [New Report]](https://s.influencermarketinghub.com/imaginary/resize?width=400&height=200&type=webp&url=https://influencermarketinghub.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/d215b0fb-generated-image-october-08-2025-3_45pm.jpg)
