We Are Social Introduces new Creator Marketing Model to Combat Outdated Influencer Approaches

Oct. 02, 2026

Global socially-led creative agency We Are Social has launched a new report, We Are Social Decodes: The New Creator Operating Model, aimed at helping brands dismantle outdated silos within their creator marketing strategy. 

With 81% of Gen Z buying on an influencer recommendation this year, brands are rushing to invest in creators. But brands are risking wasting creator budgets by bringing in talent after key campaign decisions have been made and planning their work separately from social, paid media and product teams, warns We Are Social. 

The agency calls the resulting wasted spend, inconsistent messaging and missed commercial opportunities the “Silo Penalty”. Its new report sets out a creator marketing model designed to tackle that disconnect, built around three principles:

• Innovate across your ecosystem: Creator marketing should not be treated as a bolt-on tactic; it must be strategically embedded across the entire brand ecosystem, from comms to new product development.
• Map the sources of influence: Brands must stop casting based on follower count, reach, or brand fit alone. We Are Social introduces four distinct creator archetypes - Personalities, Authorities, Advocates, and Amplifiers - and urges marketers to assess where a creator's influence comes from, and if that source can deliver what the brief requires.
• Learn while it’s live: Brands should not treat creators and assets as the final deliverable. Instead, they can fuel an ongoing feedback loop, with live creator content acting as an early warning system to reveal what the algorithm is rewarding, identifying future opportunities.

To demonstrate the impact of this approach, the report highlights several global case studies from We Are Social’s work with leading brands including KFC, Rexona, Samsung and Netflix. 

Mobbie Nazir, Chief Strategy & Growth Officer at We Are Social, commented:

“Over the last decade, creators have evolved from a tactical add-on to a key driver of brand growth. Yet, this shift hasn’t been matched by robust strategic frameworks, leading to an ineffective, siloed approach. This report shows that creator marketing can be so much more than a sideshow. Our principles ensure that creator strategy is working in harmony with the broader social and marketing approach, maximising brand investment.”

 

We Are Social Decodes: The New Creator Operating Model was developed through in-depth interviews with social, strategy, and influence leads across We Are Social’s global network, backed by real-world campaigns from its clients in APAC, EMEA, and North America.