The 14 most innovative influencer marketers of 2026

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Creators can hype up a brand or ruin its week in a single social media post.

Business Insider's 2026 list of the most innovative influencer marketers inside brands highlights the executives figuring out how to make their companies look good on social media. This year's 14 marketers were nominated by peers and other industry insiders who shared dozens of examples of how the marketers are working smartly with creators or making original content for social.

Breaking through the noise means finding new audiences in different corners of the internet. Footwear brand Rothy's turned to Substack, for instance, to hire tastemaker writers who could help drive attention to its shoes.

Our roster of innovative creator marketers faces challenges. Though the creator economy is booming, engagement is harder than ever to come by as social feeds become more saturated and algorithms surface content selectively to different users.

Here are Business Insider's 2026 most innovative influencer marketers, listed in alphabetical order by last name.

Lindsay Burstein, Keurig Dr Pepper's senior director of integrated social and communications

Lindsay Burstein jumps into action when marketing opportunities show up unexpectedly, like when TikTok creator Romeo Bingham posted an impromptu Dr Pepper jingle that went viral and gathered over 100 million views.

"We're always looking for ways to do it faster and in a way that feels more real-time so that we're keeping up with the pace and the culture of the internet," Burstein said.

Other recent projects Burstein worked on included a 7UP LuluLime creator campaign tied to the US Open and a Snapple-sponsored comedy night with Pete Davidson and Colin Jost on their decommissioned Staten Island Ferry.

"We like to reward our fans," Burstein said. "An example could be letting them taste test a new flavor first. They're a big fan. Maybe we send them something that's going to be on the shelves in two weeks, like, 'Hey, we know you're a huge fan. Why don't you try this first?'"