A creator saying the brand name out loud lifts brand linkage by 22 points - half never do
When a creator says the brand name out loud, brand linkage rises on average +22 percentile points - the strongest branding driver Kantar measured - yet only 49% of sponsored creator content includes a verbal brand mention; the brand is often relegated to a caption.
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StatEngagement and effectiveness align in only 1 in 3 pieces of creator contentStatOnly 6% of creator content is both highly engaging and strongly brand-buildingQuote"Platform engagement metrics tell you what the algorithm rewards, but are on their own poor predictors of whether that investment will deliver for your business."StatA net 61% of marketers plan to increase creator spend in 2026StatCreator content is the second fastest-rising brand touchpoint since 2022StatCreator content beats other digital advertising on awareness and consideration liftStatCreator content wins on involvement and relevance but runs -7 points on brandingStatThe branding toolkit in creator content, ranked by liftStatProduct benefits communicated is the top driver of long-term effectiveness in creator contentPrincipleThe five powers of creator effectiveness: cultural, algorithmic, engagement, brand, salesStatHigh scores on Kantar's creator impact algorithm mean +45% more awarenessPrincipleThree creator strategies: media channel, creative partner, cultural asset