The Creator Economy Is Growing Up. Our Standards Need to Catch Up.

Influencer and creator marketing isn’t a side bet anymore. It’s where culture, community and commerce collide. Look at the money: US sponsored-content spend is set to surpass $10 billion in 2025, according to Insider Intelligence/eMarketer. That’s nearly double 2021 levels and underscores how brands are shifting dollars to creator-led storytelling because it moves people, and product.

This boom isn’t happening in a vacuum. Broader ad growth is consolidating around digital, with social platforms capturing a disproportionate share of new dollars. WARC’s latest outlook expects global ad spend to reach $1.17 trillion in 2025, lifted by social and newer formats like influencer marketing. Translation: creators are not fringe—they’re central to how modern brands scale attention and trust.

Why? Because creators deliver something different. They offer voice, authenticity, connection. More and more, people trust what another person says rather than what an ad shouts. For many campaigns, influencer-driven content drives real results (awareness, traffic, conversions) in ways that more traditional channels can struggle to match.

But there’s a flip side. When a channel grows that fast, the infrastructure around it (rules, standards, transparency) often lags. And when gaps exist, risk creeps in—risk for brands, for creators, for audiences.

And it’s not just a matter of “brand checklist” or “influencer brief”. We’re at a point where industry-wide norms, self-regulation, third-party oversight matter.

Why this matters now more than ever:

Scale + scrutiny. With billions being spent, regulators, platforms and audiences are paying closer attention. Marketing that feels opaque is at risk of being penalised (legally, reputationally).
Maturity of the ecosystem. Creator/ influencer marketing is no longer a “nice-to-have” or experimental line item—it’s a strategic spend. With that comes the expectation of process, audit-readiness, governance.
Trust = differentiation. In a crowded media environment, brands that partner with creators in a way that is transparent, genuine, ethical will earn higher trust—both from audiences and internally from stakeholders.
Risk mitigation. When standards exist (and are adhered to), brands and agencies are better positioned to defend their programs, avoid surprises, and build sustainable creator-led efforts.

So what does that mean practically? It means ongoing campaigns, creator engagements and briefs should not just say “post this” or “tag that”, they should integrate transparency, clarify roles, define rights and include audit or measurement processes. It means agencies should hold creators (and themselves) to published guidelines. It means brands should treat creator marketing with the same seriousness they treat other channels like TV, programmatic and retail-media. Because the spend and impact justify it.

If you’re an agency, a brand, a creator, this is your moment. The spend is real, the audience is listening and the ecosystem is evolving. Acting now, embracing standards of behaviour, elevating transparency, and building sustainable practices will distinguish the best from the rest.

In short: yes, creator marketing is booming. And yes, it deserves the same rigor and accountability we apply to every other major marketing investment. Because when we do it right, the payoff is not just reach or clicks, it’s enduring trust. And that, in my view, is good for business and the future of our industry.

Also check out:
Creators as Consultants: Cultural Relevance through Collaboration