From Campaigns to Infrastructure: Jamie Gutfreund on What Brands Still Get Wrong

In this episode of Earned, CreatorIQ Chief Partnerships Officer Tim Sovay sits down with Jamie Gutfreund, founder of Creator Vision, Forbes contributor, and former executive at Hasbro, Microsoft, Expedia, CAA, and Whalar, to explore why the creator economy still lacks the infrastructure needed to truly scale. Drawing from experience across brands, agencies, and media, Jamie shares her perspective on how creator marketing is evolving from an experimental channel into a core business function tied to media, commerce, and long-term brand growth. Tim and Jamie unpack why most brands still confuse campaign planning with creator strategy, the growing importance of measurement and institutional knowledge, and how creators are reshaping everything from paid media to product storytelling. They also dive into the rise of creator-led media companies, why YouTube remains massively underutilized by brands, and how AI is changing content creation, optimization, and audience insight gathering. Along the way, Jamie shares candid takes on affiliate saturation, creator trust, organizational change inside major brands, and why the future of creator marketing depends on building systems, not just campaigns.

In this episode, you'll learn:

1. The key to successful brand building through creator partnerships

2. How brands can leverage creators for media and performance-driven campaigns

3. Why understanding your audience and creators' communities is essential for impactful marketing

Connect with the Guest:

• Jamie's LinkedIn - @jamiegutfreund

Connect with Tim Sovay & CreatorIQ:

• Tim's LinkedIn - @timsovay

• CreatorIQ LinkedIn - @creatoriq

Follow us on social:

• CreatorIQ YouTube - @CreatorIQOfficial

• CreatorIQ Instagram - @creatoriq

• CreatorIQ TikTok - @creator.iq

• CreatorIQ Twitter - @CreatorIQ