Artlist Report Highlights the Power of Creator Partnerships in Brand Storytelling

Jordan P. Kelley, Content Director, BrandStorytelling

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Artlist, a platform offering royalty-free music, sound effects, and other creative assets for content creators, recently released its annual trend report, providing a vital roadmap for brands navigating the future of brand-funded content. Featuring insights from industry leaders at Meta, Canva, and Ogilvy, and backed by data from over 5,000 creators, the report examines trends like human-centered creativity, AI-driven compliance and the challenges of adapting to fleeting trends. One section of the report in particular that focuses on the immense impact of creator-brand collaborations is especially illuminating for brands looking to integrate or grow creator-driven content as part of their storytelling strategy. Together, these themes underline a central message: building strategic partnerships with content creators is the key to driving authentic engagement and lasting audience loyalty in 2025 and beyond.

The Creator Economy: A $480 Billion Opportunity

The creator economy is on the verge of exponential growth. Goldman Sachs projects its total addressable market will nearly double from $250 billion to $480 billion by 2027. This expansion is fueled not just by individual influencers but by the collective power of creators collaborating with brands on a global scale.

Maayan Sarig, Head of Communications and Partnerships at Meta Israel, underscores the significance of these partnerships: “Partnering with creators has become essential for brands. The impact is undeniable — 60% of consumers surveyed say they trust what a creator says about a brand more than what the brand says about itself.”

The statistics are compelling. 64% of consumers would switch brands if a creator they follow promotes a competitor’s product. Moreover, 78% feel that products promoted by creators are more legitimate and familiar. This level of authenticity is something traditional advertising often struggles to achieve, making creator collaborations a cornerstone of modern marketing.

The Shift Toward High-Value Partnerships

Joe Gardner, Community Strategist at Ogilvy, highlights the changing dynamics in influencer marketing: “Marketers are being asked to do way more with way less. Budgets are smaller and goals are bigger. While the appetite for huge creator productions will rise, fewer brands will pay for them. Instead, meaningful, stable influencer relationships will emerge and last.”

Brands are moving toward high-production, high-quality content created through trust, respect, and collaboration with a select few creators. This shift is giving rise to influencer collectives—groups of creators who pool resources, share audiences, and leverage diverse skill sets to amplify their impact.

These collectives allow brands to achieve more with less. Amit Ashkenazi, Chief Strategy Officer at Artlist, explains: “All organizations, regardless of size, must maintain a strong social media presence with a constant stream of new content tailored to specific platforms and audiences. Creator collectives offer versatile solutions that resonate in various business contexts.”

The Benefits of Creator Collectives

Influencer collectives are reshaping how brands engage audiences, blending the authenticity of niche influencers with the scale of strategic partnerships. By collaborating with creators who have strong, specific fanbases, brands can craft standout content that resonates deeply with targeted communities.

As Ashkenazi points out, these collectives also bridge the gap between complex business messaging and accessible consumer content. They create scalable campaigns that serve both thought leadership and audience engagement, providing value across the marketing spectrum.

The Artlist survey further reveals a shift in creator-brand dynamics. While 35% of creators plan to work with as many brands as possible, 40% believe brands should pursue long-term partnerships with influencers. In fact, 31% intend to focus on working with just one brand, signaling a potential evolution where creators integrate more fully into brand teams to drive authentic storytelling.

As Joe Gardner aptly notes, “People are less bothered about brand advertising and more concerned with what this person they have a deep and meaningful relationship with says. Brands must follow suit.” While this has been a trend we've seen grow in the last few years, it's abundantly clear that in the back half of the decade, creators are poised to play an integral role in shaping the future of how brands tell their stories and foster connection with their audiences. Brands that embrace this evolution and invest in authentic creator partnerships will not only navigate the shifting landscape but thrive within it.

Be sure to check out the full Artlist Trend Report 2025, which delves deeper into these insights, available for download here.

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SOURCE Artlist ltd.

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About Artlist

Artlist is a leading creative technology company that empowers global brands and individual creators. It offers an extensive catalog of over 2.5 million high-quality, royalty-free digital assets, including music, sound effects, footage, and templates, all created by award-winning artists. Users also benefit from powerful creative tools, such as an AI voiceover generator with an exclusive voice catalog and advanced video effects plugins. With over 27 million users, including top-tier global brands like Google, Amazon, Microsoft, and Calvin Klein, Artlist is trusted as a complete solution for video creation.Its mission is to enable creativity without limits through the Artlist all-in-one video creation platform, and the Motion Array catalog, which both have a simple global license with unlimited usage. Artlist has been recognized as a top startup by Wired and LinkedIn. Founded in 2016, it's continued to revolutionize the creative industry by offering exclusive assets under a subscription-based model.For more information, please visit www.artlist.io.