The Future of Influence: Why Insight-Driven Co-Creation is the New Gold Standard
For years, the Cannes Lions Festival of Creativity has been the ultimate barometer of where advertising and marketing is headed. This year, the message was louder, clearer, and more pervasive than ever before. Creators are no longer just part of the conversation, they are the conversation.
This year, every conversation, every event and every panel indicated that Creator was not just an up and coming trend, they are the here and now. From the introduction of the “Creator” delegate badge, the renaming of the “Social & Influencer Lions” to the “Social & Creator Lions,” and the sheer volume of panels featuring global creator stars, it was undeniable that the creator economy has truly come of age. It wasn’t merely a side show. It was woven into the fabric of every discussion, every award, and every strategic foresight.
It’s clear that 2025 marks a definitive turning point.
But what does this mean for brands and agencies today in Australia? Here are my top three learnings and actions that all brand custodians (either owners or agencies) need to take away:
1. Creators are co-creators, not just channels
The days of simply using creators as a distribution channel for pre-packaged brand messages are over. Creators are cultural conduits; they understand their audiences intimately and are masters of native storytelling. As YouTube’s CEO Neal Mohan declared, “Creators are the new Hollywood startups,” and this sentiment resonated deeply. Brands that won big weren’t just “influencing”; they were building with creators, tapping into their unique voice, style, and community insights from the very first brief.
This means looking for authentic, credible voices to represent your brand embracing their authenticity collaboratively. At Hypetap, this has always been central to our philosophy. Our creative strategy and production capabilities are built around empowering creators to do what they do best, ensuring the content is not only on-brand but also inherently social-first. The results speak for themselves. Creator-led short-form content, particularly on platforms like TikTok and Instagram, is consistently outperforming traditional ads, delivering exceptional uplift in brand awareness and engagement.
2. Creator marketing is a credible contributor to brand health and performance
No more vanity metrics. The conversation at Cannes firmly moved towards measurable outcomes. While awareness remains vital, marketers are now demanding (and getting) tangible results like conversions, customer lifetime value, and genuine brand lift from their creator investments. Smart challenger brands have been seeing this for years, but Unilever’s reported allocation of up to 50% of their budgets to social and creators is a powerful signal. This isn’t just about reach, it’s about revenue.
User-generated and creator-led content will surpass professionally produced content in ad revenue by 2025 which means creators are no longer just brand amplifiers, they are performance engines. This shift necessitates a robust approach to data and intelligence. Brands must demand that their agency partners provide deep market intelligence, detailed campaign insights, and bespoke research that goes far beyond basic media efficiency. Agencies must show how campaigns contribute to real brand health and business growth, ensuring every dollar invested in creators delivers measurable ROI. It’s about leveraging data science to turn complex data into actionable insights, optimising strategies for maximum impact.
3. Trust, transparency, and brand safety are non-negotiable foundations
In an increasingly fragmented media landscape, trust has emerged as the ultimate currency. Cannes highlighted a critical shift from a “celebrity-first” to a “community-first” approach, where genuine trust within niche communities often trumps mass appeal. With this comes an even greater imperative for brand safety and transparency. Brands must have absolute confidence that their partnerships align with their values and protect their reputation.
This requires rigorous vetting and a proactive approach to compliance.
AI-driven creator audits can now meticulously assess creator alignment and mitigate risks, allowing brands to collaborate with confidence. Social media democratised influence, but with that democratisation comes a responsibility to ensure trust and accountability. Cannes reinforced that the brands winning in this space are those inviting creators to push boundaries responsibly, knowing their partners have robust safety checks in place.
Cannes this year wasn’t just a festival, it was a manifesto. The creator economy is no longer emerging, it’s foundational. For Australian advertisers the imperative is to integrate creators early as strategic co-creators, demand real business results, and build partnerships. The brands that embrace this evolution, with data-led insights and robust safety protocols guiding their way, will be the ones that thrive.