66%
Brands without ROI measurement
28 of 50
Reviewed campaigns hitting 2.0× ROI
44%
Award-nominated campaigns failing 2.0× ROI
16 of 236
Creators pricing on demonstrated ROI
88%
Represented creators overpriced
97%
Creators rejecting CPA pricing
The measurement vacuum
Most of the industry is guessing. Two-thirds of brands cannot connect creator spend to a tangible business outcome. Worst recorded ROI in our analysis: −4.6.
Pricing without performance data
Only 16 of 236 creators we interviewed price their work against demonstrated ROI or conversion data. 88% of represented creators are overpriced relative to outcomes. 97% reject compensation tied to conversions.
The vanity-metric problem
27 of 30 brands rely on engagement rate to evaluate creators. 84% of pricing advice we reviewed would result in negative brand ROI. EMV - Earned Media Value - was, in the words of one analyst, 'abstract marketing concepts that employ vanity-metric voodoo.'
Margin
Some agencies mark creator fees up by as much as 80%. The brand pays. The creator pays. Only the middle wins.