Long before “link in bio” became one of advertising’s most valuable calls to action, brands relied on television commercials to sell everything. Whether it was a toy demonstrated by laughing children, a luxury fragrance sold through sweeping shots of the Amalfi Coast or a celebrity endorsement during primetime television, advertising was largely a one-way conversation. But while companies crafted the message as consumers watched, today, that messenger looks different—and so does the business of advertising.
What began as an experimental marketing tactic has become one of advertising’s most dominant strategies: nearly every consumer brand is now working with creators to reach an even greater customer base than traditional advertising would have reached before. And a lot of that has to do with just being personable.
That sentiment seems to be shared across the whole advertising industry as companies increase their creative marketing budgets. A 2026 Influencer Marketing Hub survey found 72.2% of respondents expect influencer marketing budgets to increase by at least 50% this year, underscoring how creator partnerships have become a core part of brands’ marketing strategies.
“Starting about 20 years ago, we began trusting individuals more than institutions,” Lia Haberman, creator economy expert and author of the ICYMI newsletter, told Fortune.
