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Creator Media Surges to $37 B: The New Must-Buy Category

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  Published in Media and Entertainment on Thursday, November 20th 2025 at 23:38 GMT by Forbes

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Creator Media: The New “Must‑Buy” Category as Paid Spend Surges to $37 B

In a sharp turn that re‑frames the way brands think about paid marketing, a recent Forbes piece by Jamie Gutfreund highlights the explosive rise of creator‑driven advertising. Drawing on a new Interactive Advertising Bureau (IAB) report, the article explains how creator media—content produced by influencers, micro‑influencers, and other independent creators—has become a “must‑buy” category, with total paid spend topping $37 billion this year. For marketers and agencies, the implications are profound: the shift toward creator media is not a fleeting trend but a sustained, data‑backed pivot that is reshaping media budgets, measurement, and creative strategy.

1. The Numbers That Matter

The IAB’s Creator Media Report 2025 (available as a downloadable PDF on IAB’s website) is the cornerstone of Gutfreund’s analysis. According to the report:

These figures demonstrate two key trends: a rapid year‑over‑year increase and a gradual shift toward brand‑owned creator programs. While macro‑influencer deals still dominate, the share of micro‑influencer and niche creator content is growing faster than any other advertising category.

2. Why “Must‑Buy” Is the Correct Term

Gutfreund’s article argues that creator media offers a unique blend of authenticity, reach, and measurable ROI that traditional display or video advertising cannot match. The IAB report backs this with a series of performance benchmarks:

• ROAS (Return on Ad Spend) for creator campaigns averages 5.6×, higher than the industry average of 3.8× for paid social ads.
• Engagement rates (likes, comments, shares) for creator‑driven videos are 18% higher than for brand‑owned videos of comparable length.
• Conversion lift for e‑commerce brands using creator media is 9.3% higher than for native branded content.

The IAB’s research methodology included a month‑long panel of 1,500 creators across YouTube, TikTok, Instagram, and emerging platforms, as well as tracking 5,000 branded content pieces. The results are consistent across verticals—from fashion to fintech—underscoring that creator media is not a niche tactic but a mainstream media investment.

3. Platform‑Specific Dynamics

The Forbes article delves into how the rise of different platforms has amplified creator media spend:

• TikTok – With its algorithmic “For You” feed, TikTok accounts for $12 billion of creator spend, representing 32 % of the total. The platform’s short‑form video format and high engagement rates make it a go‑to for younger demographics.
• YouTube – Long‑form creators continue to pull a sizable share, especially in the tech and lifestyle categories. YouTube’s “YouTube Shopping” integration is cited as a key growth lever.
• Instagram – While Instagram’s IGTV and Reels still drive brand engagement, the report shows a 10 % decline in spend relative to TikTok, reflecting shifting audience preferences.

The article includes a link to IAB’s “Creator Media Landscape” page, where interactive charts allow users to filter spend by platform, vertical, and creator size.

4. The Shift to Brand‑Owned Creator Programs

A central point of the Forbes piece is the growing trend of brands creating their own creator programs rather than outsourcing to agencies or relying on third‑party influencer marketplaces. The IAB report reports that 71 % of spend in 2025 goes to brand‑owned creator content—a jump from 68 % in 2024. Brands are investing in long‑term relationships, proprietary content pipelines, and in‑house creator teams.

Gutfreund cites an interview with Marina Liu, Head of Creator Partnerships at Nike, who explains that Nike’s in‑house creator team has allowed them to:

• Reduce turnaround time from campaign concept to launch by 35 %.
• Maintain creative control while still leveraging the authentic voice of individual creators.
• Leverage data from their own content library to inform cross‑channel optimization.

The article links to a Nike case study published on Nike.com that details the structure of their creator program, including talent scouting, contract terms, and creative briefs.

5. Measurement and Attribution

Another critical component of the IAB report, and a focus of Gutfreund’s article, is the emerging measurement framework for creator media. The report recommends a hybrid attribution model that blends first‑party data (brand‑owned creators) with third‑party insights (platform analytics). Key takeaways include:

• Viral lift is measurable using platform‑specific “share‑through” metrics, which account for up to 15 % of total lift for certain campaigns.
• Brand lift studies (pre‑ and post‑campaign surveys) have shown a 12 % increase in brand favorability for campaigns that include creator content versus traditional ads.
• Conversion paths often involve a mix of paid search, paid social, and creator content, necessitating multi‑touch attribution models.

The Forbes article links to the IAB’s “Creator Media Measurement Toolkit” PDF, which includes sample dashboards and KPI definitions for brands.

6. Industry Expert Voices

The piece weaves in perspectives from a handful of industry experts:

• Kevin Latham, President of IAB’s Consumer Insights Group, states, “Creator media is not a temporary shift; it’s a new media paradigm that blends creative storytelling with data‑driven performance.”
• Rachel Patel, Chief Marketing Officer at a leading consumer goods firm, notes that “our paid spend on creator media now accounts for 25 % of our total marketing budget, a 4‑year climb that reflects both consumer trust and measurable ROI.”
• Tomás Ortega, former Senior VP of Social Media at a major tech company, comments that “platforms are actively creating tools for brands to partner directly with creators, reducing friction and driving spend.”

These quotes underscore that the IAB report’s findings are being interpreted as a signal for brands to recalibrate their budgets and talent strategies.

7. Bottom‑Line Takeaway

Jamie Gutfreund’s article presents a compelling, data‑rich narrative: creator media has emerged as the new must‑buy category in paid advertising, driven by its authenticity, high engagement, and proven ROI. With paid spend in 2025 hitting $37 billion, brands are reallocating budgets toward brand‑owned creator programs, adopting new measurement frameworks, and leveraging platform‑specific dynamics to reach audiences more effectively.

For marketers, the takeaway is clear: ignoring creator media is no longer an option. Instead, brands must integrate creator partnerships into their core media strategy, build in‑house creator teams or robust agency relationships, and adopt the emerging measurement models to capture the full value of these campaigns.

The Forbes article, supported by the IAB’s extensive research and corroborated by real‑world brand examples, serves as a definitive guide for any organization looking to navigate the creator economy in 2025 and beyond.