Why Top Brands Don’t Hire Pakistan’s Biggest Creators

Ten million views used to mean something. Now, a scandal, online feud, or viral controversy can push almost anyone to that number within days. But views are easy to gain and trust is much harder to build. For brands, especially those with a reputation to protect, that difference can determine which creators get deals and which ones get overlooked. 

Two Ways Creators Build an Audience 

Not all creators build their audiences in the same way. Some rely on drama, controversy, and conflict to attract attention. Others build their audiences around useful, relatable, or entertaining content that people genuinely connect with. The first group can be called spectacle creators, while the second can be described as value creators.

Pakistani YouTubers such as Irfan Junejo and Mooroo are examples of creators who have built strong audiences around their content and personal voice rather than controversy alone. Their audiences are not simply watching for the next viral moment. They are following the creator because they find the content interesting and feel connected to the person behind it.

That difference matters to brands. Research on parasocial relationships, the one-sided sense of connection audiences can develop with creators, suggests that genuine audience connection can influence purchase intentions and perceptions of brand credibility. In other words, a creator who has earned their audience’s trust may offer brands something that millions of views alone cannot provide.

Why Do Brands Look Beyond Views and Followers?

For brands, this is not about deciding which type of content is better. It is about risk and results. Marketing research has found that an influencer’s trustworthiness and credibility can have a stronger effect on purchase decisions and brand trust than follower count alone. A creator may attract millions of views, but that does not necessarily mean their audience will trust their recommendations enough to buy something.

There is also a reputational risk. Research on influencer-related brand crises has found that when a creator becomes involved in controversy, the brand working with them can also face negative reactions. Consumers may question the brand’s decision to work with that creator, which can damage the brand’s reputation.

For larger companies, this makes creator selection more than a numbers game. A creator with fewer followers but a trusted and engaged audience may be a safer and more valuable partner than someone with millions of views but a reputation for controversy.

Why Drama-Based Content Can Become a Trap?

There is another problem with building an audience around controversy: the drama has to keep growing. Once audiences get used to one controversy, the next one may need to be bigger or more surprising to attract the same attention. This can push creators into a cycle where they constantly need new conflicts, scandals, or shocking content to stay relevant.

Value creators do not face the same pressure. Their audiences are more likely to return because they enjoy the creator’s content, personality, or perspective, rather than waiting for the next controversy. This gives them more room to create consistently without having to constantly increase the level of drama.

Two Different Paths to Creator Growth 

Both approaches can be profitable. Spectacle-driven content can generate revenue through views, advertising, and short-term sponsorships. It can attract large audiences quickly, especially when the content is built around controversy or drama.

The difference is in what each model depends on. Spectacle relies on continuing to create attention, while value-driven content depends more on building trust with an audience over time. Trust takes longer to develop, but it can create stronger and more lasting relationships between creators, audiences, and brands. For creators looking to build long-term careers, the ability to maintain audience trust can be more valuable than simply generating the next viral moment.

What Matters When Building a Personal Brand?

The takeaway is not that you should avoid exciting or viral content. It is that views and follower counts do not tell the whole story. A large audience is useful, but what matters more is whether people trust you enough to listen, engage, and act on your recommendations.

If you are building a personal brand online, focus on creating content that gives people a reason to keep following you. Share useful ideas, be consistent, and build a reputation that your audience can trust. In the long run, a smaller audience that genuinely trusts you can be more valuable than millions of views that disappear after the next viral moment.

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