Creators now drive brand discovery for six in ten Australians

Six in ten Australians discover brands through creators, with their influence rising sharply among younger consumers, according to new research from IAB Australia.

The Creator Connect research found 61 per cent of Australians discover brands through creators, climbing to 85 per cent among people under 40. Among Australians aged 60 to 70, that figure falls to 21 per cent.

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Gai Le Roy, CEO of IAB Australia, said the results show creator marketing has become a mainstream part of media planning.

“Creator marketing is now a mainstream part of the media mix. This data shows creators genuinely shape how consumers find and weigh up brands. The job now is building on that through partnerships people see as credible and transparent,” Le Roy said.

Credibility beats entertainment

Brand and creator credibility appear to matter more than entertainment value when Australians consider acting on a recommendation.

The reputation of the promoted brand was cited by 86 per cent of respondents, while 84 per cent pointed to a creator’s expertise. By comparison, 74 per cent considered how entertaining the content was.

The research also found disclosure of a paid partnership reduced stated intent to act to some degree, although IAB Australia said the impact was modest and stronger brand reputation helped offset it.

Le Roy said the international results reinforced the importance of credibility over audience size.

“Consistent across all global markets is that credibility beats reach. Brands get better results backing creators with a proven track record than chasing the biggest audience. Australia is more cautious than most markets about trusting AI to surface creators, which leaves room for brands to build trust through transparency.”

Australians remain cautious about AI discovery

That caution is particularly apparent in how Australians discover creators through artificial intelligence.

IAB Australia said 23 per cent of Australian AI users surveyed had discovered a new creator through an AI-generated result whom they now follow, the lowest result across the five markets studied. India recorded 64 per cent.

The figures draw on IAB’s The Creator Signal, conducted using the IAB Insights Engine and powered by Attest. The May 2026 study surveyed 2,200 consumers who had used AI for shopping-related research in the previous three months, including 300 respondents in Australia and 300 each in the UK, India and Mexico, alongside 1,000 in the US.

Across the five markets, everyday consumers sharing real experiences were more trusted than celebrities, according to IAB Australia.

Creator investment keeps growing

Advertising investment is moving in the same direction. IAB’s US research estimates creator economy ad spend reached US$37.1 billion in 2025 and projects it will increase to US$43.9 billion in 2026.

The Australian findings are being released at Thursday morning’s Creator Connect event at the WPP Campus in Barangaroo, co-hosted by IAB Australia and the Australian Influencer Marketing Council as part of IAB Global Creator Week.

Patrick Whitnall, Managing Director of AiMCO, said the partnership reflected the increasing convergence of influencer marketing and digital advertising.

The event includes a panel moderated by Whitnall featuring WPP Media Chief Creator Officer Shivani Maharaj, Fabulate co-founder Nathan Powell and YouTube Head of YouTube & Programmatic Sales ANZ Caroline Oates.

The Australian component of the research also draws on the IAB Australia and Pureprofile Commerce and Discovery Report 2026, which surveyed 1,079 Australians and 877 New Zealanders in June.