Why ‘the creator effect’ is a new growth lever

The US election and WARC research have confirmed social media is now the ultimate attention magnet, and here’s the kicker: content creators make up 50% of the watch time on social platforms.

Yet, despite their indisputable potential value, there’s a clear disconnect between marketers and creators. WARC research into working with influencers has highlighted there are deterrents to this clearly powerful growth lever. Much of this is due to the handbrakes, or fears, around this nascent channel – whether it’s around measurement concerns, brand alignment or reputation.

So with this in mind, here are my rules on how to harness ‘the creator effect’ for your business.

Why invest? The creator vs algorithm game

To start with, consider how half of the content in your personal Instagram feed, much like TikTok, is determined based on the platform deciding recommendations rather than the profiles you’ve chosen to follow.

This highlights that your in-app experience is heavily influenced by what and who you engage with. As a result, succeeding in this environment means mastering the algorithm.

This mathematical monster demands to be fed fresh, timely and platform-native content – hard for brands and agencies. Enter creators.

Creators vs influencers

The influencer landscape has changed dramatically as consumers grow weary of inauthenticity, often associated with aesthetic-first people promoting anything they can. And the algorithm agrees.

Creators, on the other hand, are more specialised. A more fitting term might simply be ‘creatives’ – storytellers, passionate individuals, hobbyists who genuinely love their niche. Whether it’s filmmaking, music or more community-focused spaces like WitchTok, Cottagecore, or BookTok, they are deeply connected to their passion.

They align naturally with the DNA of the brands they promote. And, in turn, they are embraced by brands looking to engage authentically with these subcultures. Think how Twinings launched its sparkling tea with DIY enthusiasts who suffered from the afternoon slump.

How do I get started? Your social strategy x ‘Creator Playbook’

A recent beauty brand client mentioned how they refer to our ‘Creator Playbook’ every day. Unlike most brand bibles, which gather dust from the moment they’re handed over, these guardrails are living, breathing documents.

Rooted in both cultural and statistical insight, they explore the intricacies of integrating brands into culture meaningfully, effectively and with nuance.

At Whalar we have developed a transformational framework which enables co-creation with creators across the social ecosystem, and at every stage of the funnel. By strategically looking at your creator investment, you can gain so much more value from your partnership with them. Basing this on planned and reactive moments in culture, there’s the potential to be important and meaningful to your consumers.

What is my audience? Find and onboard your creators

Your brand and social strategy gets you started – then fandoms and communities bring people in. Manifested through passion, they create togetherness and belonging.  Whether it’s hiking, foraging, vintage fashion or DIY, the communities make your brand relevant and that is where the influence now lies.

We’ve seen this in action with Oatly, which has embraced the quirkiest corners of the internet to showcase its broad product offering. Through working with chefs, comics, crafters, telenovela and gamers, they’ve sharply built a highly engaged social media community and presence.

It’s hard to imagine employing celebrities and athletes without seeing their previous work. This is why having trust and proximity with the creators you work with is so important. Meet them (and their agent). Make sure they are brand-safe. Rather than treat them as transactional media buys, treat them as creative collaborators – and you will see the difference.

Creators are small business owners. They are thought leaders and entrepreneurs, which provides them more permission than ever to be included in the strategic conversation.

But can I measure it?

WARC reported that 72% of marketers struggle to accurately measure creator impact. The key is ensuring all efforts align with core reporting metrics and clearly distinguish between paid and organic performance.

Brand impact and creative effectiveness can be measured through studies, while resonance with new communities can be tracked via sentiment and perception shifts over time.

Long-term data should feed into marketing mix modelling, and MMP and UTM tags can be deployed on relevant campaigns for comprehensive measurement and effectiveness.

We are seeing our clients that have a good marketing strategy and a considered operational model making gains of 2.7x ROI. This is according to our Nielsen study.

And where is it going? Creators can dramatically accelerate the traditional sales funnel, with consumers able to stay in-app to experience the entire sales cycle. Brands are discovering that creators supercharge the shop concept by dimensionalising their products.

Get ahead of your competition

Brands like Captain Morgan, Liquid Death and Marc Jacobs have cracked the code – creators are not simply media buys, they are cultural activators bringing personality to your brand.

Creators are a secret weapon to blend into social platforms rather than stand out as an ad. As more people opt out of advertising, your brand needs to be in culture. In short, creators are no longer a nice-to-have – they are the multiplier your brand needs to thrive.

Emma Harman is EMEA president of Whalar Group and IMTB co-chair.