Creators are a smart part of strategy, but not a magic bullet for better brand building

Unilever’s decision to divert budget away from “big corporate brand messaging” toward a social-first strategy should not be mistaken for the death of brand building — only a shift in the vehicles through which it happens.

The misinterpretation: Brand building isn’t dead

Unilever’s shift in marketing strategy to social media influencers is smart. After all, this is where consumer attention and trust are moving as people spend more of their lives on social media.

Fernando Fernandez, CEO of Unilever, is wrong to beat the “big brand messaging is dead" drum. This bold provocation, typical from one of the world’s biggest spenders on marketing, can be easily mistaken as permission to stop doing the hard work of brand building. Instead, it should be taken as a rallying cry that brand building needs new vehicles.

Attention has moved - but strategy still matters

The real work for businesses that want their brands to deliver growth is to build a coherent communications strategy grounded in creativity and focused on being impactful, distinctive, and effective (with robust measurement systems in place).

Creators as amplifiers, not foundations

Once that’s in place, creators are a brilliant way to amplify brand ideas in an authentic voice.

Creators bring depth and local relevance, which is important when consumers are increasingly suspicious of traditional corporate messaging and their trust in brands, according to the 2026 Edelman Trust Barometer, is declining.

From channels to outcomes: A necessary mindset shift

Brands need to choose outcomes, not channels.

Influencers can deliver credibility, intimacy, and proof, but durable growth still requires brands to achieve broad reach, consistent brand meaning, and distinctive brand assets.

Breadth cannot be achieved if your budget is siloed into a single channel. Without the foundational and consistent beating of the brand story and meaning, your influencer marketing is not anchored to anything meaningful. This is the road to a content treadmill and rising performance costs.

The case for integrated marketing still stands

As Mark Ritson says, “integrated marketing communications is not just a theoretical nicety in a textbook. It is how effective advertising actually works.”

Marketers should use creators where they’re uniquely strong – building trust, creating community, supercharging emotional connection with your brand, and conversion to sales, for example. Remember to protect the brand with clear objectives, by finding the right network that aligns with the brand, and supporting with distinctive brand assets.

Guardrails, responsibility, and measurement

Not all partnerships are beneficial. Steer clear of influencers who are inauthentic or have a history of problematic behavior. Brands also have a responsibility to ensure their collaborations don’t contribute to the spread of misinformation or harmful content.

Measure what matters, not what’s easy. Don’t let codes and clicks become the scoreboard. Track whether creator activity is lifting mental availability, trust, preference, and pricing power... or quietly eroding them.

Conclusion: New vehicles, same fundamentals

Creators are a powerful addition to the modern marketing mix - but they are not a shortcut. The fundamentals of brand building still apply. What’s changing is how and where those fundamentals come to life.