Episode 35: Stop Scripting Influencers: A Smarter Way to Use Creators

Steph Quantrill and Ben van Rooy unpack one of the most overhyped and misunderstood areas in marketing, influencer marketing, or as Steph prefers, the creator economy. From Cannes trends to real-world campaigns, they explore why brands are still getting it wrong, where creators actually drive impact across the funnel, and why control is the enemy of effectiveness. If you’ve ever briefed an influencer and ended up with something painfully off-brand or overly scripted, this episode gets into the tension between creativity, trust, and results. What You’ll Learn in This Episode:  Why creators drive attention differently and what brands fail to understand about it   How influencer marketing works across the funnel and not just at awareness   Why control kills effectiveness and what marketers struggle to let go of   How B2B influencers and employee creators are reshaping trust   What separates a one-off influencer post from a real brand partnership  Bonus Nuggets:  Why most brands still brief influencers like TV ads and ruin the outcome   The rise of creators building their own brands and flipping the power dynamic   Why brands like Duolingo prove you can act like a creator and win  Call to Action: If you’re using influencers but not seeing impact, this episode will challenge whether you’re solving for control instead of trust. Explore more from Canned:  Canned the Marketing Podcast   Cue Marketing   Human Digital  Timestamps: 00:00 – Intro to influencers vs creators  02:30 – Easter recap and cultural trends  05:00 – Nostalgia marketing and campaign examples  10:50 – Why the creator economy matters now  13:00 – Influencers across the funnel  16:00 – The control vs authenticity tension  20:00 – B2B influencers and employee creators  23:00 – Creator examples and partnerships  28:00 – Brand-led creator strategies  31:00 – Long-term partnerships vs one-offs  33:30 – Practical tips for working with creators  37:00 – Final thoughts on trust and modern buyers www.cannedmarketing.com  Stephanie Quantrill - Linkedin Ben Van Rooy - Linkedin