In an age where brands are racing to meet audiences where they scroll, swipe, and double-tap, YouTube has made a calculated move to claim its share of the creator-brand economy with a tool that could redefine how influencer partnerships are forged. Introduced at the Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity 2025, the platform’s new Open Call feature offers a simple promise: make creator collaborations faster, easier, and more democratic.
But simplicity in theory rarely translates to simplicity in practice, especially in the often chaotic world of influencer marketing. Traditionally bogged down by back-and-forth agency calls, unending message threads, and patchy documents, brand-creator deals have long needed streamlining. Open Call, integrated into YouTube’s BrandConnect suite, invites brands to drop campaign briefs directly into a creator’s dashboard, inviting pitches from eligible YouTube Partner Program creators- no intermediaries required.
While it’s being lauded as a long-overdue step toward greater access and transparency, especially for nano and micro creators, the feature has also sparked a critical debate across the industry: does removing the middleman remove the chaos? And in this new direct-to-creator format, who steps in to safeguard value, quality, and expectations?
Marketing Mind spoke to leading voices in the creator and influencer marketing space to unpack whether Open Call truly levels the playing field, or if it opens a floodgate of fresh challenges.
Komal Chhaniara, Co-founder at YinYang Creatives, sees Open Call as a positive move for inclusivity but one that still demands structure behind the scenes.
“Open Call is a big move toward democratising the creator economy. It gives nano and micro creators access they’ve never had before, without needing a middleman,” she said.
But she pointed out that removing intermediaries doesn’t eliminate the need for strategy.
“We’re no longer just connectors – we’re strategic partners and media learning guides. The ecosystem is moving toward more transparency and speed, but creators still need guidance to position themselves well and make their content cut through the noise.”
She also believes the feature won’t render talent managers obsolete – just shift their function.
“It might look like Open Call sidelines talent managers, but really, it just streamlines the first step – getting the brief. The real work begins after that. Turning a brief into content that feels authentic and performs well takes strategy and creative support.”
Arushi Gupta, Head of influencer.in, believes Open Call is ideal for campaigns that prioritise speed and scale over nuanced storytelling or sensitive messaging.
“For simple, high-volume campaigns, this is a dream. Brands can cast a wider net and move fast,” she said.
She also mentioned that agencies will still play a critical role in maintaining campaign quality. “For high-stakes campaigns where alignment on messaging and brand safety is critical, human oversight will still matter.”
She also sees a mindset shift coming for creators. “It’s the shift from ‘waiting to be discovered’ to ‘proactively applying.’ The ones who win here won’t just be good on camera – they’ll know how to sell themselves.”
Kushal Sanghvi, Chief Revenue Officer at iCubesWire, believes that this new feature directly aligns with how brands are thinking about content in 2025.
“Short-form is the present and future. Brands want agility, creators want visibility, and Open Call makes it easier for both to connect meaningfully.”
He sees Open Call accelerating Shorts adoption from both creators and advertisers. “It allows creators to build a portfolio, brands to test faster, and the whole process feels more natural to today’s video culture. We’ve already seen interest from clients looking to tap Shorts in a more organised way.”
“The direct link between brands and creators cuts out unnecessary delays – but it also means creators need to be sharper than ever in how they pitch and deliver,” Sanghvi mentioned.
On the other hand, Ojaswini Bharti, Founder of Brown Creatives, said Open Call could finally fix the long-standing visibility gap for micro and nano creators.
“It gives creators more control which is always a positive. But navigating pricing, negotiation, and campaign expectations can still be overwhelming, especially for newer creators.”
Echoing the same sentiment, Bharti stated that agencies still play an essential role in offering this layer of support.
“That’s where agencies like ours come in to not just support creators but also help brands find the right talent and ensure campaigns run smoothly without the guesswork. It’s a win-win when creators are empowered, but there’s still structure behind the scenes,” she added.
Similarly, Mithun Chakravarthy, Brand Communications Manager at Qoruz, also sees Open Call as a welcome innovation but one that needs guardrails.
“YouTube is saying, ‘Let the work speak,’ and that’s powerful. But with that openness comes risk from content quality drops to creators underpricing out of eagerness. We might see underpricing wars or content that slips through because there’s no middle layer curating it. Without negotiators, many creators might not know how to handle usage rights or whitelisting,” he said.
Furthermore, he also stressed the need for transparency and better tools from platforms, saying, “Creators need feedback on why they’re chosen or not that helps everyone grow. Monetization should feel fair at every level, not just for top names.”
YouTube’s Open Call is being welcomed as a timely innovation that opens doors for creators at all levels and streamlines brand collaborations in a fast-moving digital ecosystem. Its potential to democratise opportunities, especially for emerging voices, is undeniable. But industry leaders agree: access alone isn’t enough. Without adequate guidance, pricing literacy, and platform accountability, the very creators this tool aims to empower could find themselves overwhelmed or undervalued.
As brands, platforms, and creators navigate this new territory, one thing is clear- Open Call isn’t the finish line, but a new starting point. The real test lies ahead: can the creator economy truly scale without sacrificing strategy, support, or sustainability?
