The 2026 World Cup demonstrated a notable shift in how brands achieve marketing impact through endorsements. Adidas’s polished, star-laden film featuring Lionel Messi, David Beckham, and others amassed 6.5 million views on its TikTok channel. Interestingly, when a creator named BABOY reposted the same footage without a studio budget, it nearly doubled the views to 12.7 million. This example encapsulates findings from Nectar Social’s extensive analysis of 2.4 million posts, revealing that creator partnerships are increasingly outperforming traditional celebrity endorsements in reach and engagement.

Nectar Social's data shows creator partnerships pull a median of 929,000 views compared to 573,000 for celebrity endorsements, and creators deliver higher earned media value (EMV) as well. For instance, McDonald’s celebrity campaign generated $211,000 EMV on 4 million views, while a creator-led campaign by Kalshi in the same category brought $291,000 EMV across 126 million views. Similar outcomes appeared for Airbnb, where creator content achieved greater engagement and EMV than celebrity posts, despite lower overall reach. This signals a structural change rather than a one-time occurrence within the World Cup marketing landscape.

The success of creators is attributed not to celebrity exhaustion but to the authenticity and native feel of their content. Unlike traditional ads, creators integrate brands seamlessly into formats their followers trust, resulting in more genuine audience connections. Adidas even experimented with this hybrid approach, using creators to introduce stars like Paul Pogba and turning memorable moments into widely engaged fan content. Experts advise rethinking celebrities' roles as the payoff within creator-driven campaigns, not the sole focus of sponsorship activation.

Despite burgeoning evidence favoring creators, many brands still measure success by reach and share of voice where celebrities often excel. Nectar Social’s CEO Misbah Uraizee anticipates that as analytics focus shifts toward engagement and EMV relative to spend, creator-led campaigns will gain greater budget consideration, especially at future events like the 2028 LA Olympics. However, maintaining creator authenticity is crucial. Brands must avoid over-scripting creators, as that risks diminishing the natural appeal that drives their superior marketing performance, marking a significant evolution from the era of legendary athletic stars anchoring global campaigns.