Creator economy ad spend hit US$37 billion in 2025 and is on track for US$44 billion in 2026. IAB data confirms creators are now a core media channel, not a campaign tactic.
The brands getting the most from creator partnerships are the ones treating them like a media channel, not a PR stunt.
Creator economy ad spend reached US$37 billion in 2025, growing 26% year on year and roughly four times faster than the total media industry. The figure is projected to hit US$44 billion in 2026.
The IAB data confirms what media planners already know: creator partnerships have moved from experimental campaign tactics to permanent budget line items. Nearly half (48%) of all creator ad buyers now consider creators a "must buy", ranking them just behind paid search and social media.
Creator advertising has more than doubled in three years, from $13.9B in 2021 to $37B in 2025
The growth trajectory is worth noting. Over three years, creator advertising more than doubled from US$13.9 billion in 2021 to US$29.5 billion in 2024, then jumped again to US$37 billion. This is not a spike. It is a structural shift in how media budgets are allocated.
Brands are embedding creators into long-term media strategies, operational workflows and even product development. What was once campaign-based influencer marketing has evolved into always-on creator programs with measurement frameworks that look more like paid media than PR.
Why it matters
For Australian brands still treating influencer marketing as a one-off campaign tactic, these numbers are a wake-up call. The global trend is clear: creator partnerships are becoming an always-on media channel with dedicated budget, measurement and optimisation cycles.
Australian creator marketing is growing fast but remains under-measured compared to paid search or social. Most Australian brands still lack proper attribution for creator spend, making it difficult to compare performance against other channels.
What to do about it
If creator partnerships are not in your annual media plan with dedicated budget and KPIs, they should be. Build measurement frameworks that track creator performance alongside your other channels. The US$44 billion projection for 2026 means the category is too large to manage without proper attribution.