Marketing Voices and Perspectives: Building Creator Connections with Kim Iadevaia

Episode Title: Influential’s Chief Growth Officer Kim Iadevaia on building creator connections
Host: Amrie Nelson Bogle
Release Date: July 15, 2025
Platform: Think with Google

Introduction

In this insightful episode of Marketing Voices and Perspectives, Amrie Nelson Bogle, Vice President of Ads Marketing at YouTube, engages in a dynamic conversation with Kim Iadevaia, Chief Growth Officer at Influential. The discussion centers on the evolving landscape of creator marketing, effective brand partnerships, and the strategies that drive business growth through authentic creator collaborations.

Guest Background and Journey

Kim Iadevaia opens by sharing her professional journey, transitioning from production roles straight out of college to various marketing positions at television networks. Her path eventually led her to Publicis at Zenith, where she oversaw content and delved into the influencer space. Three years ago, Kim joined Influential, marking a full-circle moment in her career. She reflects, “I started right out of college in production... and now we are back within this group, which I know we'll talk a little bit more about” (01:11).

The Importance of Audience-Centric Creator Partnerships

A significant portion of the conversation highlights the necessity of aligning brand objectives with the right creator audiences. Kim emphasizes, “Everything has to start with the audience the brand is trying to reach” (04:05). She warns against brands selecting creators solely based on popularity, such as partnering with Mr. Beast without ensuring alignment with the brand’s target audience. Instead, leveraging data to understand and match audiences with creators ensures more effective and meaningful collaborations.

Data-Driven Strategies and the Evolving Consumer Journey

Kim discusses the transformation in consumer behavior, noting a blend of “scrolling, searching, shopping, even streaming” (05:35). At Influential, the approach involves using technology and a dedicated team to activate brand-creator content that resonates across these varied consumer interactions. She highlights YouTube’s unique position in supporting both long-form and short-form content, enabling brands to engage audiences at different stages of the consumer journey (07:08).

Leveraging YouTube Formats: Long-Form and Shorts

The conversation delves into the distinct advantages of YouTube’s diverse content formats. Kim points out that YouTube creators are inherently skilled producers, adept at crafting content that resonates with their audiences. She states, “YouTube creators are endemically like producers... they know what their audience wants to see” (06:07). With the rise of YouTube Shorts, brands can now tap into short-form content while maintaining the flexibility to scale their messages effectively. This dual approach supports both immediate engagement and long-term brand building.

The Collab Program: Bridging Brands and Creators

Amrie and Kim explore the innovative Collab program, a partnership between YouTube and Influential designed to create “best in class ads” by connecting brands with suitable creators. Kim explains, “We are working with five brands in partnership... in less than a week it's already gotten over a million views” (08:20). This initiative empowers creators with the creative freedom to authentically represent brands, as demonstrated by Adam W.’s successful collaboration with Jimmy John’s, where he opted to shoot on-location to enhance authenticity (09:15).

Authenticity and Gen Z Engagement

Addressing the critical aspect of authenticity, Kim underscores its importance in connecting with Gen Z audiences. She notes, “There is this intrinsic trust... through creators” (12:24). Authenticity is paramount, as Gen Z can easily discern and reject insincere brand messages. Brands must ensure that creator partnerships are genuine and aligned with both the creator’s content and the audience’s expectations. Kim advises, “Have some Gen Zers in my life... there is this intrinsic trust there because it’s been a part of their lives” (12:24).

Strategic Insights for Brand Marketers

When imagining a shift from Influential to a brand marketer role, Kim would advise embracing creators by listening to their insights and allowing creative autonomy. She emphasizes, “The greatest gift that you could give brands is to let them hear directly from the folks who are creating the content themselves” (15:59). This approach fosters more authentic and effective campaigns, ensuring that brand messages resonate deeply with target audiences.

Influential’s Integration with Publicis Group

The merger of Influential into the Publicis Group amplifies the capability to deliver comprehensive creator campaigns. Kim highlights the synergy, stating, “It really brings the formula together for a successful creator campaign” (17:25). This strategic positioning combines Publicis’s media strength with Influential’s creator expertise and technological advancements, such as Captivate, to enhance campaign scalability and effectiveness.

Complementary Media Products and the Creator Power Pair

Kim introduces the concept of the Creator Power Pair, where combining creator ads with traditional brand ads leads to “two times the engagement rate” (18:43). This strategy allows brands to leverage both high-impact direct messaging and authentic creator-driven content, maximizing reach and engagement across multiple touchpoints.

Diverse Content Formats and the Role of Podcasts

Expanding beyond visual content, Kim discusses the importance of integrating audio formats like podcasts into marketing strategies. She notes, “Creators are not just creating short form or long form visual content now they’re creating audio content” (20:24). This diversification enables brands to reach audiences through various channels, enhancing overall campaign effectiveness and engagement.

The Impact of AI on Creator Collaborations

AI plays a pivotal role in refining creator partnerships and streamlining campaign execution. Kim explains, “We have been using AI technology for years... to really quickly identify okay what might be that first subset” (21:24). AI assists in selecting the right creators, optimizing content production, and enhancing personalization, thereby accelerating time-to-market and improving campaign outcomes.

Conclusion

In this episode, Kim Iadevaia provides a comprehensive overview of effective creator marketing strategies, emphasizing audience-centric approaches, authenticity, and the strategic use of diverse content formats. Her insights into leveraging data, embracing technological advancements, and fostering genuine brand-creator relationships offer invaluable guidance for brands aiming to thrive in the dynamic video and creator marketing landscape.

Notable Quotes:

• “Everything has to start with the audience the brand is trying to reach.” — Kim Iadevaia (04:05)
• “YouTube creators are endemically like producers... they know what their audience wants to see.” — Kim Iadevaia (06:07)
• “There is this intrinsic trust there because it’s been a part of their lives.” — Kim Iadevaia (12:24)
• “The greatest gift that you could give brands is to let them hear directly from the folks who are creating the content themselves.” — Kim Iadevaia (15:59)
• “We have been using AI technology for years... to really quickly identify okay what might be that first subset.” — Kim Iadevaia (21:24)

Timestamps:

• 01:11 – Kim's professional background
• 04:05 – Importance of audience in creator partnerships
• 05:35 – Data-driven strategies
• 06:07 – YouTube creators as producers
• 07:08 – YouTube formats and flexibility
• 08:20 – Collab program genesis
• 09:15 – Authentic content creation
• 12:24 – Gen Z engagement and trust
• 15:59 – Advice for brand marketers
• 17:25 – Integration with Publicis Group
• 18:43 – Creator Power Pair strategy
• 20:24 – Diverse content formats
• 21:24 – Role of AI in collaborations

For more insights and strategies from leading marketing minds, stay tuned to Marketing Voices and Perspectives.