The Celebrity Endorsement Model Is Stalling, But Brands Will Struggle to Adjust

The World Cup’s marketing strategy has long been built on signing big-name celebrities, producing polished spots, and buying media around them. This year’s tournament saw major brands like Adidas, McDonald’s, and Airbnb follow this tried-and-true approach, but the numbers tell a different story.

Data from Nectar Social suggests that creator partnerships outperformed celebrity endorsements by nearly 60%. Creator-led campaigns pulled in a median 929,000 views, compared to 580,000 for celebrity endorsements. Creators also delivered higher earned media value (EMV), with a median of $62,000 compared to the $56,000 generated by celebrities.

This trend is not just a blip on the radar; it represents a structural shift in how audiences engage with sponsored content. Misbah Uraizee, CEO of Nectar Social, believes that creator-led campaigns blend seamlessly into existing content streams, allowing brands to tap into the trust and engagement creators have built over time.

Adidas’s campaign is a prime example of this shift. The company released a high-production-value film featuring several major stars, but it was creator BABOY who reuploaded the same content to TikTok – generating almost double the views. This success story highlights the importance of understanding how different formats interact with various audiences.

The Adidas comparison shows that creators can take existing content and amplify its reach without altering its essence. In contrast, traditional celebrity endorsements often feel forced or artificial, which may be why they’re failing to deliver the same level of engagement. As Uraizee notes, “it’s less about celebrity fatigue and more about what platforms and audiences reward: content that feels native rather than paid.”

Brands are still grappling with how to measure success in this new landscape. Most sponsorship deals are evaluated on reach and share of voice, metrics where celebrities often excel. However, once brands start looking at engagement and EMV relative to spend, they may begin to see the value in creator partnerships.

Uraizee expects this trend to accelerate at future global sporting events, particularly those held on home soil for major sponsors. The 2028 Olympics in Los Angeles will be a prime example of this shift, with brands like TOGETHXR, the media company launched by athletes Alex Morgan and Simone Manuel, becoming increasingly influential.

However, this shift also poses challenges for brands. As they move toward creator partnerships, they must be willing to let go of some control over the content itself – embracing a more organic and unpredictable approach to marketing. If brands start treating creators as cheaper celebrities, tightly scripting them and demanding strict brand messaging, they risk undoing the very qualities that made this format successful in the first place.

The World Cup’s marketing strategy serves as a warning sign for the sports industry at large: its traditional celebrity endorsement model is stalling. Brands will struggle to adjust to this new landscape, but those who succeed will be the ones willing to experiment with fresh formats and trust the creative vision of their partners – rather than trying to control every aspect of the campaign.