The creator economy continues to grow in reach, influence and investment, but with that growth comes a bigger question: how do we build trust, consistency and accountability at scale without losing the authenticity that makes creator marketing effective in the first place?
That was at the heart of our Trust at Scale: Building a Responsible Creator Economy in Europe virtual event, held as part of IAB Global Creator Week.
Bringing together perspectives from TikTok, YouTube, Meta, WPP, EASA and IAB UK, the discussion focused on two closely connected areas: how advertisers can better understand the value of authenticity, and how stronger education can help close the creator compliance gap.
The first session, The Trust Dividend: Authenticity as a Performance Driver, explored a familiar but often difficult-to-measure concept: trust.
Authenticity may feel intangible, but the discussion highlighted its commercial impact. When there is a believable role for the brand and the creator is able to retain their own voice, creator content can strengthen brand memory, drive emotional response and increase willingness to try something new.
That also raises questions around measurement. Views and likes still play a role, but they do not always tell the full story.
One of the key takeaways was the need to define creator KPIs from the start and put more emphasis on relevance and brand fit during the selection process. How closely a creator connects with a brand’s values, audience and objectives can be just as important as reach.
There is also growing work across the industry to bring more consistency to creator measurement and move beyond surface-level metrics, helping advertisers better understand the value creators deliver.
AI was another important part of the discussion.
Creators are already using AI across areas such as editing, scripting and content production. The opportunity for greater efficiency and scale is clear, but the question is how to use those tools without weakening the authenticity that audiences value.
The session highlighted that audiences are not necessarily resistant to AI itself. What matters is transparency and whether the creator remains recognisably themselves.
The takeaway was simple: AI can support the creative process, but it cannot replace the creator’s voice, presence or relationship with their audience.
For brands too, the key question is whether AI use preserves credibility and whether expectations around its use are clear from the outset.
The second session, The Compliance Gap: Scaling Creator Compliance Through Standardised Education, focused on the practical challenge of making responsible creator marketing work consistently across markets.
Commercial content must be disclosed, but the application of those requirements can vary.
The panel highlighted that the issue is not necessarily a lack of rules and that the bigger challenge is awareness, education and consistent implementation.
EASA shared examples including its DiscloseMe tool, which helps creators understand disclosure requirements across different markets, and its Ad Ethics training programme.
YouTube also highlighted its work to demystify brand partnerships through creator education and localised resources, while Meta discussed branded content tools, labelling mechanisms, responsible AI guidance and safeguards around restricted categories.
The discussion also reinforced that responsibility does not sit with creators alone, and that brands, agencies and talent partners all need a strong understanding of the rules.
In some cases, brands are already making training or qualifications part of their creator partnership requirements, which can help improve compliance while also reducing friction around content approvals.
Across both sessions, a consistent theme emerged. The creator economy needs stronger measurement, clearer education and more consistent standards as it continues to mature. But professionalisation should not mean making creator content feel more rigid or less human.
Brands need clarity around objectives and boundaries. Creators need the freedom to retain their own voice. Platforms, agencies and industry bodies all have a role to play in making the rules easier to understand and apply.
The opportunity is not simply to scale creator marketing, but to scale it responsibly, with trust, transparency and authenticity built in from the start.
