Why Creators Are Becoming the New Marketing Operating System

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Why Creators Are Becoming the New Marketing Operating System

From viral moments to lasting brand growth with Creo's Kevin Blazaitis and dentsu's Chrissie Hanson.

By Adweek Staff

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In this episode of Adspeak by ADWEEK, Kevin Blazaitis, president at Omnicom Media Group influencer marketing agency Creo, sits down with Chrissie Hanson, CEO of North America media practice at Dentsu, to explore how creators are reshaping the modern marketing operating system.

They discuss the shift from chasing viral moments to building durable creator-led content that delivers measurable business outcomes, from audience growth and active attention to sales lift and ROAS.

Chrissie shares how brands can integrate creators across the full funnel while preserving the authenticity and credibility that make creator partnerships effective.

The conversation also explores AI’s role in testing audiences, accelerating content strategy, and reducing risk without replacing human creativity.

Along the way, Kevin and Chrissie unpack why longevity may matter more than reach and how simplifying measurement to a few meaningful metrics can help brands build sustainable creator programs and drive enduring growth.

Chrissie Hanson is CEO of dentsu North America’s media practice and global brand president of Carat, named Cannes Lions Media Network of the Year in 2026. With 25 years across OMD, Mindshare, MediaCom, and Carat, she has led global strategies for brands including Visa, Vodafone, Sony Pictures, and Nordstrom.

Previously CEO of OMD USA, she transformed the agency into a new-business leader. A champion of data, creativity, and technology, Chrissie has pioneered attention-to-outcomes solutions and serves on the Advertising Research Foundation board.

Kevin Blazaitis is an executive client development leader with over 15 years of experience across emerging media, digital advertising, promotions, and technology. As president of Creo, Omnicom Media Group’s influencer practice, he leads growth, innovation, and go-to-market strategy, helping brands combine capabilities to create differentiated solutions.

A proven revenue generator and team builder, Kevin believes in leading by example and creating environments where people thrive. Outside work, he enjoys DIY projects, soccer, Michigan football, Everton, podcasts, and 90s alternative rock.

[00:47] Let Creators Lead, Not Just Amplify — Chrissie explains why brands must move from being the sole voice to empowering creators as genuine creative partners. The shift requires CMOs to surrender some control without sacrificing consistency, making clear guidelines and measurement frameworks essential from the beginning. By respecting creator authenticity while aligning around commercial goals, brands can turn creators into strategic partners rather than vendors. Gap’s “Better in Denim” campaign demonstrates the scale this model can achieve.

[02:16] Build Content That Outlives the Viral Moment — Chrissie argues that creator marketing should move beyond 24-hour viral cycles toward content with lasting stretch, meaning, and depth. Instead of measuring only cost per impression, marketers should consider cost per duration and how long content sustains attention and consideration. The Starbucks Frappuccino campaign with Walmart generated 145 million impressions, five million products purchased, and an 8.9% sales lift with just three creators, proving that depth can outperform volume.

[04:34] Creators Can Unlock Demand Brands Never Saw — Kevin highlights that 42% of influencer-inspired purchases happen spontaneously, showing that creators can generate new demand rather than simply convert existing intent. Social commerce platforms such as TikTok Shop and Amazon make that inspiration immediately actionable. Chrissie’s own experience buying supplements after seeing creator recommendations illustrates the effect. For brands, the implication is significant: creator marketing should be evaluated alongside retail media using sales lift, ROAS, and commerce outcomes.

[06:12] Build Around the Creator, Not the Algorithm — Effective creator content starts with the creator’s authentic voice, cadence, and storytelling style, not the latest platform algorithm. Chrissie explains that algorithms constantly change, while genuine audience trust can travel across channels. Rather than forcing creators into short, platform-specific formats, brands should determine what story needs telling and allow the creator to find its natural length. This approach can produce 22% longer viewing duration and 18% higher active attention.

[13:42] Let AI Reduce Risk, Not Replace Creativity — Chrissie sees AI as a tool for scaling brand safety, strategy, and scenario planning, not replacing human creativity. AI can compare creator content against brand guidelines and tone requirements while reducing administrative bottlenecks. Synthetic audiences can also help marketers test creative variations before committing media spend, providing an early view of likely outcomes. For large creator programs, this approach improves consistency, accelerates decisions, and reduces wasted investment without sacrificing authenticity.

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