Creators at Scale: The Next Phase of Marketing Growth

As creator marketing spending reaches new heights, leaders from the ANA and Unilever shared why creators are now essential to growth — and what brands must change to scale responsibly

During a session at the 2026 ANA Creator Marketing Conference, leaders from the ANA and Unilever examined how creator marketing has moved from an experimental tactic to a core growth engine. With global spending reaching an estimated $37.1 billion in 2025, the discussion focused on operating models, transparency, and measurement — and what brands must do next to unlock sustainable value from creators.