55% creators lost brand deals due to unclear and unverified way for brands to contact them: HashFame

According to the study by HashFame, a networking platform for creators and marketers, more than 55 percent of Indian content creators are losing brand deals not because of poor performance or content misalignment, but due to misrepresentation and the lack of direct access caused by unverified or fake talent managers.

The survey, conducted with over 32,000 top creators across India, found consistent patterns of missed opportunities and inflated brand quotes due to indirect or false representation. Based on these insights, HashFame estimates that ₹350 crore worth of brand collaborations were lost in the past year across the broader creator economy. With over 4 million creators in India, the estimate points to a widespread access issue affecting the ecosystem at scale.

In many cases, when a brand identifies a creator for a campaign, it is forced to navigate multiple layers. Agencies reach out to third-party managers, who then pass the opportunity along to someone else, and eventually, the creator remains unaware of the brand’s interest. What begins as a straightforward ₹5 lakh collaboration often turns into a ₹10 lakh quote, discouraging the brand and ultimately leading to the deal falling through.

More than 55 percent of creators surveyed said they lost brand deals because there was no clear or verified way for brands to contact them. Around 62 percent said they were unaware that a brand had even tried to reach out, while 45 percent reported that unverified managers had quoted inflated rates without their knowledge.

The survey, conducted with over 32,000 top creators, forms the basis for HashFame’s estimate that over ₹350 crore worth of brand collaborations fell through in the past year due to miscommunication and broken access paths.

Revant Himatsingka, Health and Food Education Creator, popularly known as FoodPharmer, with over 2.8 million followers on Instagram, said, “I don’t actively chase brand deals, but even then, I’ve had brands come to me confused about people claiming to be my ‘official representative’ and quoting inflated numbers. That’s the bizarre part. I’m not even in the race, and I’ve still seen how messy this space can get. When creators lose deals they never knew existed, and brands walk away thinking we're inaccessible or overpriced, it points to a deeper issue of misrepresentation and fake gatekeeping. The system clearly needs more clarity and accountability.”

Anirudh Sridharan, co-founder and head of product at HashFame, explained, “In this industry, it’s not always the loudest creator who wins the deal, it’s the one brands can actually reach. What we’re seeing isn’t a lack of talent, it’s a lack of access. Somewhere between a brand’s intent and a creator’s inbox, the opportunity gets lost. That’s not just bad business, it’s disheartening. Creators are building careers, not just content. And if they’re missing out on deals they never knew existed, we have a deeper problem to solve than just campaign logistics.”

Mallika Dua, actor and content creator, reflected on her experience, “I’ve been part of this industry for nearly a decade, having worked with multiple agencies. Unfortunately, creators like me are often used as marketing tools by agencies that falsely claim to represent us. Even now, I regularly hear about big agencies claiming to exclusively represent me, which is simply not true. Over the years, I’ve lost out on work because of this, people quoting the wrong prices on my behalf, or positioning me in ways I never agreed to. Misrepresentation isn’t just unethical, it’s damaging.”

Anunay Sood, travel creator with over 1.1 million followers on Instagram, said, “This has happened to me more times than I can count. There have been people in the industry claiming to be my manager and quoting inflated prices to brands without my knowledge. I ended up losing deals I didn’t even know existed. In some cases, multiple people were involved in the same brand brief, and a few even claimed to be my exclusive managers, which is completely untrue. It not only confused the brand but also hurt my reputation. The worst part is, I had no idea any of this was happening until much later.”

The HashFame survey also found that a majority of creators are unaware of how many opportunities they may have missed. Brands, on the other hand, report an increasing lack of confidence in knowing whether they are dealing with the real point of contact. This confusion not only slows down execution but also leads to inflated perceptions of creator pricing and reliability, stated the study.

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