Whalar's Neil Waller says mutual respect should replace authenticity in creator deals

Key points

• Waller, co-CEO of Whalar Group, argues mutual respect is a more useful standard than authenticity for creator partnerships.
• Creators are increasingly involved from the start of strategy, contributing ideas, audience insight and sometimes ownership stakes.
• Waller expects AI to grow personalized content volume, making trusted human tastemakers more valuable and generic content harder to compete with.

Why it matters for marketers: Marketers should vet creator deals on mutual respect and shared brand goals, and involve creators earlier in strategy rather than adding them after campaigns are written.