A New Solution to Mitigate Risk in Influencer Campaigns
Jennifer Santos, Program Manager, Institute for Responsible Influence, Center for Industry Self-Regulation
Influencer marketing is one of the most powerful tools in a brand’s marketing mix, but it is also one of the most unpredictable.
The risk profile for brands is constantly changing. The issue is not simply regulatory risk; it is that legal actions, including class actions, are testing whether undisclosed material connections can support consumer claims of consumer harm. Several plaintiff class-action cases filed in 2025 have alleged that consumers were misled when paid partnerships, gifted products, affiliate commissions, or other brand relationships were not disclosed clearly.
Those claims can reach beyond the brand. Some suits have named not only brands but also individual influencers, turning a missed disclosure into a broader brand, creator, and reputation risk.
At the same time, affiliate programs, creator rewards programs, storefronts, and commission-based creator campaigns are expanding quickly. One 2025 industry report found that 74% of brands shifted more budget to affiliate marketing, and 59% of brands planned to allocate at least 25% of their affiliate budgets to creator partnerships.
That growth can create a compliance gap. In traditional paid campaigns, brands may review creator content before publication. In affiliate and creator rewards programs, brands may have far less control over what creators say and rarely review every post, story, video, link, or product mention before it goes live.
For years, brands have relied on disclosure guidelines, onboarding decks, and contract language to guide creator behavior. But in practice, those tools can fall short.
That is where the Institute for Responsible Influence (IRI) comes in.
IRI, an initiative of BBB National Programs’ Center for Industry Self-Regulation, was designed to help brands and agencies move from reactive oversight to proactive, scalable education and accountability through a creator training, certification, and monitoring program.
By using certified creators, companies can:
In short, certification can transform influencer marketing from a fragmented process into a managed system.
Creators are the ones:
When they get it right, campaigns succeed. When they don’t, the consequences can be immediate and public.
IRI helps ensure your creators are not just creative partners but informed, accountable representatives of your brand.
In a crowded and fast-moving market, that signal matters. Too often, companies invest in compliance after something goes wrong. IRI offers proactive accountability from the start.
Content creators can pursue certification directly, and brands and agencies can work with IRI to certify their creator networks at scale.
The tools are here. The expectations are rising. Are your creators ready?
Influencer marketing is one of the most powerful tools in a brand’s marketing mix, but it is also one of the most unpredictable.
The risk profile for brands is constantly changing. The issue is not simply regulatory risk; it is that legal actions, including class actions, are testing whether undisclosed material connections can support consumer claims of consumer harm. Several plaintiff class-action cases filed in 2025 have alleged that consumers were misled when paid partnerships, gifted products, affiliate commissions, or other brand relationships were not disclosed clearly.
Those claims can reach beyond the brand. Some suits have named not only brands but also individual influencers, turning a missed disclosure into a broader brand, creator, and reputation risk.
At the same time, affiliate programs, creator rewards programs, storefronts, and commission-based creator campaigns are expanding quickly. One 2025 industry report found that 74% of brands shifted more budget to affiliate marketing, and 59% of brands planned to allocate at least 25% of their affiliate budgets to creator partnerships.
That growth can create a compliance gap. In traditional paid campaigns, brands may review creator content before publication. In affiliate and creator rewards programs, brands may have far less control over what creators say and rarely review every post, story, video, link, or product mention before it goes live.
For years, brands have relied on disclosure guidelines, onboarding decks, and contract language to guide creator behavior. But in practice, those tools can fall short.
That is where the Institute for Responsible Influence (IRI) comes in.
IRI, an initiative of BBB National Programs’ Center for Industry Self-Regulation, was designed to help brands and agencies move from reactive oversight to proactive, scalable education and accountability through a creator training, certification, and monitoring program.
By using certified creators, companies can:
- Create a documented, consistent approach to educating creators on compliance expectations
- Deliver standardized training on disclosure and advertising best practices
- Improve consistency in how creators apply guidance across campaigns
- Strengthen internal compliance programs
- Reinforce accountability through certification and ongoing monitoring
In short, certification can transform influencer marketing from a fragmented process into a managed system.
Your Creators Are Your Front Line
Most compliance risk in influencer marketing doesn’t originate at the brand level. It happens in execution. As the hosts of the Ad Watchers podcast say, “ad law is simple, it’s the execution that’s difficult.”Creators are the ones:
- Disseminating content in real time
- Making disclosures
- Communicating product claims
- Representing your brand in real time
When they get it right, campaigns succeed. When they don’t, the consequences can be immediate and public.
IRI helps ensure your creators are not just creative partners but informed, accountable representatives of your brand.
A Signal to the Market
Certification is an external signal. It demonstrates to:- Regulators that your organization is taking proactive steps
- Platforms that your creators meet evolving standards
- Clients and partners that you prioritize responsible marketing
- Consumers that your brand values transparency and trust
In a crowded and fast-moving market, that signal matters. Too often, companies invest in compliance after something goes wrong. IRI offers proactive accountability from the start.
Content creators can pursue certification directly, and brands and agencies can work with IRI to certify their creator networks at scale.
The tools are here. The expectations are rising. Are your creators ready?