The Creator as Creature: Why Most Influencer Marketing Fails & How Small Businesses Can Win
A marketing professional’s guide to navigating the $250B creator economy , avoiding the “Performance Monster,” and partnering for real business ROI.
“You are my creator, but I am your master.” — The Creature, Frankenstein, Mary Shelley
In today’s hyper-visible digital age, it’s not just algorithms shaping what we see online. Often, the influencers we follow aren’t showing us who they really are. They’re performing a version of themselves built from audience expectations, algorithmic rewards, and an endless chase for relevance.
When Mary Shelley wrote Frankenstein, she couldn’t have imagined how perfectly her story would reflect the 21st-century identity crisis at the heart of the creator economy. Two hundred years on, her Creature has found a new form: the influencer, sculpted by social validation.
For a small business owner, this isn’t just philosophy; it’s a critical business risk. When you partner with a creator, are you partnering with a person or with a “Performance Monster”, a persona stitched together from brand deals and engagement data?
Meet the "Performance Monster": When Audience Demands Create Inauthentic Influencers
Influencers aren’t born fully formed. They are part creator, part creation. Every like, share, and algorithm boost doesn’t just support their content, it sculpts their persona. This pressure is immense.
The “insatiable social media machine” now demands a staggering volume of content, by some estimates, between 48 and 72 posts per week, just to stay relevant.
When survival means repeating trends, the influencer can morph into something unrecognisable. They become a “reflection of reflections,” chasing engagement at the expense of mental health and authenticity.
This creates the central paradox of the $250 billion creator economy. The entire industry is built on a single, invaluable asset: Trust. Yet the very mechanics of the industry are designed to destroy it.
Why Partnering with a "Monster" Kills Your Small Business ROI
Shelley’s novel is a warning: create without responsibility, and you risk being consumed by what you made.
For the small business that partners with an inauthentic “Performance Monster,” the risk is funding “performance without substance.”
An audience can feel a performance. If a creator’s identity is “liquid,” your brand message becomes liquid right along with it.
The good news is that audiences, especially in Australia, are savvy.
They don’t just accept partnerships; they demand transparency.
Data shows 66% of Australian consumers report placing more trust in creators who clearly disclose sponsorships. This transparency is non-negotiable.
This data reveals the most critical insight for any marketing professional: You are not buying followers. You are borrowing trust.
If that trust is inauthentic, your ROI is zero.
Consumers, particularly younger ones, have built a strong preference for this trust. In Australia, 59% trust a sponsored post from an influencer more than one from an A-list celebrity, precisely because the connection feels more human and less “performed.”
How to Tame the Monster: The Rise of the Creator-as-Entrepreneur
Shelley’s creature turns violent because it was abandoned by its creator. The most successful and sustainable influencers today have avoided this fate by “staying authors of their own journey.”
They have evolved beyond being the “creature” (a persona for rent) and have become the “creator” (an entrepreneur).
They’ve tamed the monster by building their own enterprises. For a small business, these are the partners you should be seeking. They aren’t just “talent”; they are fellow business owners.
Case Study 1: Anna Paul and the ‘Authenticity-to-Brand’ Model
Australian creator Anna Paul built a massive Gen Z audience on a foundation of “raw authenticity” and daily vlogs.Instead of just performing for other brands, she “owned her process” and launched her own accessible skincare line, ‘Paullie’. With products priced under $30 , the brand is a direct reflection of her persona: fun, vibrant, and accessible to everyone.
Her daily vlogs are the marketing funnel. She isn’t performing; she’s building her own enterprise.
Case Study 2: Zac Perna and the ‘Authority-to-B2B’ Model
Fitness creator Zac Perna evolved his brand beyond just “performing” fitness for a general audience. He strategically repositioned himself as a “multi 7-figure entrepreneur”.
He now monetizes his authority by selling digital courses and mentorships to other fitness coaches, teaching them his “Social Blueprint”. He is not a performer; he is a B2B solutions provider.
Case Study 3: Chloe Morello and the ‘Evolution-to-Equity’ Model
“OG” beauty guru Chloe Morello represents the final stage of this evolution. She moved from standard brand collaborations to becoming an equity partner in the brand Face Halo and later co-founding her own premium brand, ‘Sireni’. She has successfully traded temporary performance for long-term ownership.
A Small Business Playbook: How to Find the "Human," Not the "Monster"
For a small business owner, the “fear of being invisible” is just as real as it is for the creator. But partnering with an inauthentic “monster” is a short-term fix. Here is how to find and partner with the “human” for sustainable, long-term ROI.
- Stop Chasing Reach, Start Hunting for Niche Authority Forget vanity metrics. The future of influencer marketing is in niche communities. Micro-influencers (10,000–50,000 followers) are more affordable and, according to HubSpot, often more effective than their celebrity counterparts.
Look for experts like Andy Cooks. He’s not just a “foodie”; he’s a professional chef with over 20 years of experience. He built a global following of over 15 million by making professional techniques accessible , monetizing through brand deals , a cookbook, and his own line of cookware. His audience doesn’t just watch him; they trust his authority.
- Audit for Authorship: Do They Own a Business or Just Rent Their Feed? When vetting partners, ask this: Is their income 100% reliant on brand deals? Or do they have diversified income streams like digital products, their own brands, or subscription models?.
Creators who are also “owners” (like Perna, Paul, and Morello) are strategic partners, not just hired talent. They are far less likely to compromise their audience’s trust for a single paycheck, because that trust is the primary asset of their entire business.
- Trust Their Voice: Stop Handing Out Scripts This is the cardinal sin of influencer marketing. You are not buying a media slot; you are borrowing trust. Don’t hand the creator a rigid script, this just forces them back into “performance” mode.
The data is clear: 53% of social media users prefer content created by influencers over content made by marketing professionals.
Furthermore, 78% of brands agree that the creator’s own voice is the biggest benefit of the partnership.Give them your key messages, your brand guidelines, and your “why,” then let them be the author of the delivery.
- Use the Right Format for the Right Goal (Hint: It’s Not Always Reels) The “Performance Monster” only wants to create viral short-form video (SFV). But as a business, you must be more strategic.
- For Discovery (Top-of-Funnel): Use Reels and TikToks. SFV is the king of discovery, receiving 2.5 times more engagement than long-form video.
- For Conversion (Bottom-of-Funnel): Use Carousels and Long-Form. On Instagram, Carousels are the “engagement king,” boasting the highest average engagement rate (0.55%). More importantly, they generate the highest number of Saves. A “Save” is a high-intent, bottom-funnel metric. It’s a user bookmarking your product or advice for later. Long-form video (like on YouTube) is where true authority and community are built.
Your strategy should be a mix: use SFV to find a new audience, and Carousels/LFV to convert them.
Your New Strategy: Be Less Monster, More Human
Today’s influencers are expected to be everything at once: consistent, funny, wise, and on-trend. As the original article states, “That’s not a job; it’s an impossible performance.” This impossible standard is what creates the “monster.” – I would say some do not even feel authentic anymore, it’s started to be a copy and paste of no ending trends.
For a small business, the opportunity is not to hire this “stitched-together persona.” The opportunity is to reject the performance and partner with the human, the author, the expert, the entrepreneur.
In the end, the creature’s greatest fear wasn’t being monstrous. It was invisible.
For a small business, the wrong partnership, one built on performance, makes your brand invisible. The right one, built on human connection and authentic authorship, makes you real.
If you’re a small business owner and are looking to enhance your strategy, in order to grow your business sustainability, reach out to Chama, we are marketing consultants ready to support you with digital marketing strategy.