Perfetti Van Melle India MD: Influencers aren't brand custodians, marketers must own vetting

At Goafest 2026, Nikhil Sharma argued marketers — not creators — bear final responsibility for influencer content, pushing back on outsourced brand stewardship. He also flagged AI as a useful but still limited tool for nuanced creative work in FMCG marketing.

— Source publishedThu, 21 May, 2026, 09:19 IST·First seen Thu, 21 May, 2026, 09:23 IST·Source Financial Express · BrandWagon

What happened

Perfetti Van Melle India MD Nikhil Sharma, speaking at Goafest 2026, warns that influencers are not brand custodians and stresses marketer accountability for

Why this matters

Expect rising demand for influencer-vetting platforms, brand-safety tooling, and AI-assisted creative QA — potential targets for marcom and martech consolidation plays.

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