The path forward
As the creator economy matures, the brands that will win are those who solve the creative control paradox: maintaining strategic oversight while enabling authentic creator expression. Success requires infrastructure that makes both brand consistency and creator freedom possible simultaneously.
The data is clear: 53% of creators want more freedom, and only 8% maintain recurring brand relationships. Creative constraints aren’t protecting your brand—they’re limiting your access to talent and undermining the authenticity you’re paying for.
The question is whether you have the systems to enable authentic collaboration at scale. Because the alternative—continuing to micromanage creator partnerships while watching your creator retention rate remain in the single digits—isn’t sustainable.
Ready to enable creative freedom that drives results? Book a call with to see how our platform helps you build more collaborative, high-performing creator partnerships.
Methodology
This research is based on dual surveys conducted in October 2025: an internal survey of 403 creators from ‘s Influence Database and an external survey through Centiment of 222 qualified brands (running holiday campaigns, conducting influencer marketing, with $5M+ in annual revenue). At 95% confidence, creator statistics have a ±4.9% margin of error, and brand statistics have a ±6.6% margin of error.
