How Creator Influence Is Rewriting Brand Partnerships

Libby O'Neill, deputy chair of the firm's Advertising, Marketing & Promotions practice, continues the conversation around creator-brand partnerships from our LA IP/Entertainment Conference. Below, Libby shares practical insights on how these relationships are evolving, what's driving the shift toward long-term, strategic collaborations, and how brands and creators can navigate issues around control, intellectual property (IP) and compliance in this new environment.

Tell us about your practice and the types of advertising, marketing and promotions matters you typically handle.

I advise clients on advertising, marketing and intellectual property matters, with a focus on helping brands navigate risk while executing effective, compliant campaigns. My work includes advertising claim substantiation and disputes, promotions, influencer marketing, trademark counseling and enforcement, and regulatory guidance across a wide range of industries, allowing me to provide practical, business-minded advice at every stage of a campaign.

How are creator-brand relationships changing, and what's driving these shifts?

Creator-brand relationships have evolved from transactional engagements to strategic partnerships. Historically, brands controlled messaging and creative direction, but today, creators bring unique voices and highly engaged communities that brands cannot replicate.

Several factors are driving this shift:

Audience Trust

Consumers increasingly value authenticity, and creators often have stronger, more trusted relationships with their audiences than traditional advertising channels do, making their endorsement more impactful.

Platform Dynamics

Social platforms increasingly spotlight individual creators, boosting their reach and influence and positioning them as central to modern brand storytelling.

Data and Performance

Brands are seeing measurable ROI from creator campaigns through targeted reach and meaningful engagement. This has encouraged a shift away from one-off collaborations toward longer-term partnerships that build deeper connections with audiences.

As creators bring their own audiences and IP, how are brands adapting their approach to collaboration and control?

As creators increasingly come to the table with established audiences, distinct voices and valuable IP, brands are rethinking how much control they need to exert to protect their reputation while still preserving authenticity. Rather than dictating every aspect of a campaign, many brands are shifting toward collaboration models that prioritize trust, shared goals and flexibility. The focus is less on rigid rules and more on alignment—ensuring the partnership reflects the brand's values while allowing creators the creative freedom that makes their content resonate.

In practice, this is showing up in a few key ways:

• Flexible contracts: Agreements are more tailored, with clearer provisions around IP ownership, licensing and usage rights to protect both parties.
• Shared metrics: Brands and creators are aligning on KPIs that reflect mutual objectives, such as engagement quality and audience impact, not just impressions.
• Long-term partnerships: Brands are investing in ongoing relationships that support authentic storytelling over time rather than relying on one-off activations.

Together, these approaches help brands protect their assets while building more durable, effective creator partnerships.

From your perspective, what challenges and opportunities might shape the future of creator-brand partnerships?

Creator-brand partnerships will continue to evolve as brands navigate increasing regulatory scrutiny, intellectual property considerations and brand safety concerns, all while trying to measure ROI across a growing number of platforms and formats. At the same time, new opportunities are emerging through AI-driven tools, immersive technologies like AR and VR, creator-led brands and cross-border collaborations that allow companies to reach new audiences through trusted voices.

Our clients are really engaged on these topics, and we work alongside them to navigate the changes, combining legal insight with practical, real-world experience. Whether with brands, agencies or in-house legal teams, we focus on guidance and solutions that are grounded in industry knowledge and actually work in practice.

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