Advertisers Have Integrated Creator Marketing as Core Capability

Companies are hiring creators and acquiring firms to scale influencer budgets as Unilever dedicates 50% of its spend.

Updated on Oct. 6, 2026 in Advertising

Advertisers Have Integrated Creator Marketing as Core Capability

Live Poll

Should companies integrate creator and influencer marketing into their core business operations?

Speaking at Advertising Week NY, board member Tara Walpert Levy advised companies to treat creator marketing as a core organizational capability rather than a peripheral tactic. This structural shift reflects a broader transition in how audiences allocate trust and determine consumer taste.

Why it matters

Traditional measurement systems are struggling to capture the effectiveness of creator content, forcing businesses to build new internal infrastructure. As scrutiny from CFOs increases, companies are moving toward automated, data-driven frameworks to justify these investments.

Unilever now directs 50% of its total budget toward creator marketing. This transition mirrors the evolution of digital advertising as a primary operational challenge over the last 15 years.

The players

Tara Walpert Levy

A seasoned executive and board member for Braze and Edelman who specializes in digital transformation and marketing strategy.

Unilever

A global consumer goods conglomerate managing hundreds of brands across personal care, food, and home cleaning sectors.

The details

Organizations are shifting away from ad-hoc influencer campaigns by hiring creators directly for product development and strategic roles. To scale these efforts, firms are adopting automation tools for creator matchmaking and performance measurement. This operational change is further supported by holding companies acquiring specialized influencer firms to integrate these capabilities directly into their service stacks.

October 6, 2026: Tara Walpert Levy spoke at Advertising Week NY.
15 years ago: Digital advertising became a recognized industry operational challenge.

Market Landscape

The move toward formalized creator marketing follows the industry trajectory established by the professionalization of digital advertising 15 years ago. It marks a departure from fragmented influencer campaigns toward centralized, data-integrated organizational structures.

Operators should evaluate whether their internal measurement systems are equipped to capture the effectiveness of creator-led content as CFO scrutiny increases. Consider reviewing current hiring processes to include creators who can contribute to product development rather than just campaign distribution.

The takeaway

Creator marketing is becoming a foundational business capability that requires dedicated infrastructure and staff rather than isolated agency projects. Monitor how your competitors structure their internal marketing teams to see if they are moving from outsourced campaigns to in-house creator management.