From Fandom to Growth: How Brands Are Rebuilding Marketing Around Creators

Ryan Stern, CEO and Co-Founder of Collectively, joins us to discuss how creator marketing evolved from an experimental channel into a core business function. Ryan explains why brands are increasingly adopting creator agency of record models, how marketing teams must break down traditional silos, and why managing creator relationships requires a fundamentally different approach than managing media channels. The conversation explores the challenge of scaling creator programs without sacrificing authenticity, why brands should pay closer attention to comment sections than traditional engagement metrics, and how creator insights are influencing everything from campaign development to product innovation. Ryan also shares lessons from more than a decade helping brands navigate the creator economy, discusses the role of AI in creator workflows, and explains why the future belongs to brands that prioritize consistency over control while allowing creators to bring their own voice to the relationship.