Why Brands Are Ditching Polished Content for Authentic Creators
APAC brands abandon polished content for authentic creators as TikTok projects $1.2T creator economy by 2030. Financial services and gaming lead sector expansion.
Creator marketing is breaking out of traditional beauty and fashion sectors into financial services, gaming, and consumer electronics across Asia-Pacific. TikTok projects the region's creator commercial contribution will reach US$1.2 trillion by 2030, representing a 40% increase from 2025 levels, according to the platform's new "Art and Science of Authenticity" whitepaper released this week.
The expansion reflects fundamental shifts in consumer behavior. Three-quarters of APAC consumers now actively skip content perceived as overly polished or corporate, while 76% expect brands to deliver authentic messaging. Nine in 10 consumers say authentic creator content directly influences their purchase decisions.
Financial Services Embrace Creator Strategies
Financial services brands are increasingly turning to creator partnerships to reach younger audiences. One-third of TikTok users now seek financial advice on the platform through "FinTok" content, positioning creator-led educational content as more effective than traditional corporate messaging for building trust.
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"Authenticity has shifted from a creative preference to a performance strategy," stated Chew Wee Ng, Head of Business Marketing for Asia Pacific at TikTok. "In the post-perfection era, influence extends beyond top-tier creators to anyone presenting genuine content."
The platform's monetized creator base grew 1,267% year-on-year as of Q3 2025, establishing APAC as home to one of the world's fastest-expanding creator communities. Vietnam creator Jayni achieved 87 times revenue growth between 2024 and 2025 through authentic content strategies, demonstrating commercial viability beyond lifestyle categories.
Gaming Sector Presents Parallel Opportunities
Asia's gaming industry offers significant potential for creator-finance intersections. The region's Asia-10 markets will reach over one billion gamers by 2026, generating US$41.4 billion in PC and mobile revenue.
Specialized financial services are emerging to support this growth. Singapore's PvX Partners provides non-dilutive user acquisition financing for mobile gaming firms based on cohort performance, bridging funding gaps without equity dilution. East Ventures has made 32 gaming investments while simultaneously focusing on financial services and e-commerce in Indonesia and Japan, exemplifying investor recognition of creator economy intersections between these sectors.
Technology Enables Scalable Authenticity
Two-thirds of consumers support creators and brands using AI-generated content, with TikTok users showing 1.5 times more interest than users on other platforms. Unilever's Vaseline campaign demonstrated this approach by creating 2,000 animated images and 330-plus campaign-ready videos in just three days.
"The concept of 'flawsome' content, featuring rough edges, raw emotions, and unfiltered moments, resonates because imperfections represent authenticity rather than failure," Chew Wee Ng added.
Southeast Asia hosts over four million creators actively selling on TikTok Shop alongside 20 million businesses, creating infrastructure where financial literacy content can seamlessly integrate with commerce. Local merchants dominate over 90% of TikTok Shop gross merchandise value in the region, demonstrating creator ecosystem effectiveness over polished corporate advertising.
The whitepaper concludes that winning brands will connect creators, content, and commerce into systems making authenticity measurable, scalable, and genuinely impactful for growth. Marketing executives in finance, gaming, and consumer electronics now face strategic decisions about reallocating budgets from traditional advertising to creator partnerships as authenticity becomes a measurable commercial driver.
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