Stop Hiring Influencers. Start Partnering With Them.

Teenage girl filming video of herself on mobile phone
For years, brands have treated creators like billboards. They've hired them to hold up products, hit share buttons, and boost reach. But the game has changed. As the creator economy matures, the most forward-thinking brands are rethinking their approach—not as buyers of influence, but as partners in creativity.
That shift is the central message behind the Creator Perspectives report, a study released by influencer marketing platform Influencer and cultural insights firm Crowd DNA. Based on qualitative and quantitative insights from 500 global creators—ranging from nano influencers to megastars—the report flips the traditional brand-first script. It places the creator at the center of the conversation, offering a rare, unfiltered look at what's working, what's broken, and what needs to change in creator-brand collaborations.
'Creators tell all of our brand stories, and without them, we wouldn't exist,' said Caspar Lee, Chief Visionary Officer at Influencer and a pioneering YouTube creator. 'When we put together this report, we really wanted to understand and broadcast their perspectives in more depth and detail—not only to get valuable insight we could share with the industry but to learn more from them ourselves.'
More than half (54%) of creators say they'd perform better if brands simply communicated their marketing KPIs more clearly. Another 64% actively want to learn what success looks like for brands so they can build aligned strategies. But instead of bringing creators into campaign planning, many marketers hand them rigid briefs or worse—vague talking points with no strategic context.
The result? Misaligned output, endless revisions, and missed opportunities on both sides.
'Creator marketing isn't just a part of the marketing mix that's nice to have—it's becoming one of the most powerful growth drivers for consumer brands,' said Ben Jeffries, CEO and co-founder of Influencer. 'We commissioned this report to spotlight the real challenges that creators face and to show brands how they can turn their pain points into mutually beneficial opportunities.'
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What creators want isn't full creative freedom. In fact, 58% say they prefer clear brand guidelines over complete autonomy. What they need is structure with purpose—space to innovate, but also the clarity to know what's expected.
'I make comedy videos. A lot of brands want to remove the comedy from my proposed scripts, which makes me wonder why they chose to work with me at all,' said @itscrystalwright, a macro creator in the UK. 'Fit matters. The story needs to make sense for both of us.'
The most successful creator campaigns start with a collaboration, not a contract. 'When brands treat creators as powerful brand custodians, they recognize their role,' the report states. 'In return, creators turn campaigns into cultural moments.'
72% of creators prefer long-term partnerships with brands, but only 54% have them. That mismatch is limiting potential.
Long-term deals allow creators to become true brand advocates. They build trust with audiences over time, align their storytelling with brand values, and help marketers create more meaningful, sustained impact.
'A tech brand invited me into their office to meet their tech gurus and genuinely get me excited about the products,' said @paperboyo, a macro UK-based creator. 'That's so much better than a purely transactional approach.'
And yet, too many partnerships are still treated like one-night stands—quick, performance-driven engagements with little room for relationship-building. In a media landscape driven by authenticity and emotional connection, that's a missed opportunity.
The creator economy may be booming, but most creators aren't thriving the way brands assume.
Despite the billions pouring into influencer marketing, only 12% of creators produce content full-time. Even among hero and megastar creators, just 25% rely on content creation as their primary income. That means a vast majority of the people brands rely on for high-quality, platform-optimized content are also juggling day jobs, side hustles, and burnout.
Creators aren't just 'on camera'—they're scriptwriters, editors, strategists, customer service reps, and creative directors. And that grind should inform how brands approach briefs, timelines, and compensation.
'Behind the glamour, most creators are balancing multiple jobs,' the report notes. 'Level up your relationship with your creators by recognizing their hustle and supporting their journey with flexible partnerships and realistic expectations.'
As algorithmic feeds and short-form discovery continue to dominate social platforms, creators are emerging as the essential link between brands and online culture.
'Creators don't just make content—they shape culture,' says a global brand strategist quoted in the report. 'They connect with communities in ways brands simply can't, turning trends into movements and audiences into loyal tribes.'
From niche fandoms to mainstream virality, creators are plugged into the conversations that matter. Brands that engage them as co-strategists—not just paid talent—will create content that resonates, not just performs.
Caspar Lee puts it bluntly: 'The real game changer is when a creator understands how a brand collaboration can elevate their content—and a brand understands how the creator can strengthen their offering.'
It's time for marketers to move beyond counting likes and shares. True partnership is about co-creation, shared vision, and a mutual respect for craft. And in 2025, the brands that win won't be the ones who simply hire creators. They'll be the ones who build with them.

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