The Creator Economy Doesn't Stop at Borders

There is no longer much debate about whether creators belong in the media mix. The conversation has moved on. Brands are investing more, audiences continue to spend more of their time on creator-led platforms, and expectations of what creator marketing can deliver have expanded well beyond awareness. 

The UK reflects that shift clearly. Digital advertising is now worth £40.5 billion, with social advertising growing 21% and video advertising increasing 20% year on year. UK adults now spend more time on their phones than watching traditional television, YouTube reaches 94% of adults, and almost nine in ten people use at least one social media platform. Creator platforms have become mainstream media environments, shaping how people discover brands, products and culture every day. 

As the market has matured, so have advertisers' expectations. According to our Futurescape research, 84% of brands and agencies expect to increase their creator partnerships in 2026. They're looking for campaigns that deliver measurable business outcomes across the full customer journey, from building awareness to driving commerce. That evolution brings new responsibilities for everyone involved. Better measurement, greater transparency and clearer standards become increasingly important when creator marketing is operating at this scale. 

That's exactly where we have been focusing its efforts. 

Earlier this year, we launched the UK's first industry-backed Creator Qualification, developed alongside the ASA, CAP and industry partners. The programme gives creators practical guidance on advertising rules, transparency and responsible partnerships, helping build confidence across creators, brands and agencies alike. In September, we'll continue that conversation at our Creator Marketing Growth Summit, bringing together the people shaping the future of the channel to share ideas, challenges and best practice. Both initiatives reflect a simple belief: creator marketing grows strongest when the industry invests in shared standards as well as shared ambition. 

That same thinking sits behind IAB Global Creator Week. 

Bringing together IAB chapters across 17 markets, alongside IAB Europe and IAB MENA, Global Creator Week recognises that while every market is at a different stage of development, many of the industry's biggest opportunities and challenges are shared. No single market has all the answers. Whether it's improving measurement, increasing transparency, supporting responsible advertising or helping global brands run creator campaigns more effectively across borders, collaboration benefits everyone. 

The UK has valuable experience to contribute, but we also have plenty to learn. As one of the world's most mature digital advertising markets, we've seen creator marketing evolve from an experimental discipline into a core media channel. That experience has shaped initiatives like the Creator Qualification and our work on industry guidance, but innovation is happening everywhere. Global Creator Week creates an opportunity to exchange ideas, learn from different markets and raise standards together. 

The creator economy has reached a point where infrastructure matters as much as innovation. More than 200 million people worldwide now identify as creators, with around 50 million working professionally or semi-professionally. As investment continues to grow, the industry's long-term success will depend on giving creators, brands and agencies the confidence to build lasting partnerships based on education, transparency and trusted standards. 

The creator economy doesn't stop at borders, and neither should the conversations shaping its future. Global Creator Week is an opportunity to bring those conversations together, connecting expertise from around the world while recognising that meaningful progress happens when global ambition is matched with local action.