An influencer contract is the written agreement between a brand and a creator or well-known personality that sets out what will be delivered, when, for how much – and what the brand may do with the content afterwards. The most important clauses cover deliverables, payment, usage rights, exclusivity, advertising labelling, approvals and what happens if something goes wrong. Heading into 2027, contracts also need to cover paid media, AI use and stricter transparency rules. A clear contract protects both parties and makes the collaboration easier to run.

Please note: this article is general information, not legal advice. Contracts depend on the specific situation, and for larger or more complex agreements you should consult a lawyer. The overview below is based on Swedish rules, including the Marketing Act, guidance from Konsumentverket and the Copyright Act.

Why does an influencer collaboration need a written contract?

Because most disputes start with different expectations. A brand may assume it can use a video in ads for a year, while the creator assumes the fee covered one organic post. A written contract makes such assumptions visible early. It also shows that the brand takes its legal responsibilities seriously: according to Konsumentverket, the company that engages an influencer has the main responsibility for the marketing the influencer publishes on its behalf.

Usage rights are where most misunderstandings happen. CreatorIQ found that 54 percent of marketers see securing usage rights as a major barrier – at the same time as creator content makes up 44 percent of brands’ paid media creative. Agreeing rights in the contract from the start is the single most effective way to avoid problems later.

What should an influencer contract include?

Most influencer contracts cover the same core elements:

• Parties: who the agreement is between – the brand, the creator, and any agency or management company.

• Deliverables: platforms, formats, number of posts, length, and any raw footage or extra material.

• Timeline: draft deadlines, feedback rounds, publishing dates and how long posts must stay up.

• Payment: fee, product, performance-based elements, invoicing and payment terms.

• Usage rights: how the brand may use the content, where, for how long and in which markets.

• Exclusivity: whether the creator may work with competitors, and for how long.

• Labelling: how the advertising must be labelled, and who checks it.

• Approvals: who approves what, how quickly and on what grounds.

• Conduct and termination: what happens if either party damages the other’s reputation or does not deliver.

• AI: whether AI may be used to create or change content, and how it is disclosed.

Who owns the content in an influencer collaboration?

Under the Swedish Copyright Act, the person who creates a work – such as a video, a text or, in many cases, a photo – holds the exclusive right to make copies of it and make it available to the public. Photographs that do not reach the level of a work are also protected under a separate provision. In practice, this means that the creator usually owns the content even when the brand has paid for it, unless the contract says otherwise.

The Act also distinguishes between the economic rights, which can be transferred or licensed, and the moral rights: the right to be named and the right not to have the work altered in a way that is prejudicial to the creator. According to the Act, the moral rights can only be waived for use that is limited in nature and scope. A contract that allows the brand to edit, cut or combine content with other material should therefore describe that use clearly.

What is the difference between a licence and a transfer of rights?

With a licence, the creator keeps the rights but allows the brand to use the content in specific ways – for example in organic social media for twelve months. With a transfer, the rights move to the brand. Licences are by far the most common in influencer marketing, and broader licences cost more.

What are usage rights, and which ones do you need?

Usage rights describe what the brand may do with the content after it is published. Think through each of these questions:

• Organic reuse: may the brand repost the content on its own channels, website or newsletter?

• Paid media: may the content be boosted as an ad from the creator’s account, for example with Spark Ads or partnership ads, or run from the brand’s own account?

• Editing: may the brand cut, subtitle or combine the content with other material?

• Period: for how long, and what happens to running ads when the period ends?

• Markets: Sweden only, the Nordics or more countries?

In Sweden, the Act on Names and Images in Advertising adds another layer: a business may not use another person’s name or image in marketing without their consent, and violations can lead to fines and compensation. For well-known personalities in particular, the contract should state exactly where and how their name and image may be used.

How does exclusivity work in influencer contracts?

Exclusivity means that the creator agrees not to work with competing brands for a certain period. It protects the brand’s investment and the credibility of the message. But exclusivity has a cost: the creator gives up income, so broader or longer exclusivity usually means a higher fee.

Define exclusivity narrowly and clearly: which product categories or named competitors, which channels, and for how long before, during and after the campaign. A vague clause such as “no competing brands” leads to disputes. Long-term agreements are often the best balance: Sprout Social reports that 71 percent of influencers offer discounts for longer partnerships, and recurring collaborations build stronger associations.

What does Swedish law require on advertising labelling?

Under the Swedish Marketing Act, all marketing must be clearly recognisable as advertising. Konsumentverket stresses that the recipient must understand that a post is paid even after a fleeting contact, and that payment can consist of money or other economic benefits, such as goods. The company’s responsibility can also cover content the influencer creates on their own initiative, and serious violations can lead to a fee of up to four percent of the company’s annual turnover.

The contract should therefore specify how labelling is done – for example the word “reklam” at the start of the post and the platform’s paid partnership label – and give the brand the right to check posts before or immediately after publication. Compliance across Europe is still weak: when the European Commission and consumer authorities in 22 member states, Norway and Iceland screened 576 influencers, only 20 percent consistently disclosed commercial content as advertising. If a campaign also runs in Norway or other markets, check the local rules too.

How do you handle approvals, morals clauses and termination?

Agree on a simple approval process: one round of feedback on facts, mandatory elements and labelling, with fixed response times. Add a clause on conduct that describes what happens if either party acts in a way that seriously damages the other’s reputation – and make it mutual, since a creator also takes a risk by associating with a brand. Finally, describe what happens if a post is not delivered, is delayed or must be removed: rescheduling, partial payment or termination.

Agencies often handle this work. In the Coca-Cola Loves Tacos campaign, Collabri managed the negotiations and project coordination, and the campaign reached more than 4.5 million views and 6,300 interactions.

What changes in influencer contracts toward 2027?

Four shifts will affect how contracts are written next year:

• AI clauses become standard. In the EU, the AI Act’s transparency rules have applied since 2 August this year, with the last requirements for watermark detection following on 2 February 2027. Contracts should state whether AI may be used to create or change content, and especially whether a person’s image or voice may be altered or recreated.

• Platforms track permissions. Meta’s new Creator Marketing Hub includes content-level permissions with expiration dates, according to MediaPost. Contracts and platform settings must match, so ads stop when the agreed period ends.

• Disclosure rules tighten further. The European Commission is expected to propose a Digital Fairness Act that covers influencer marketing among other practices, and its Influencer Legal Hub already recommends disclosing content made with PR packages.

• Long-term agreements replace one-off posts. Framework agreements for ambassador programs will need clauses for recurring deliverables, price reviews and rights that accumulate over time.

Key takeaways

• An influencer contract should cover deliverables, timeline, payment, usage rights, exclusivity, labelling, approvals, conduct and AI.

• Under Swedish law, the creator usually owns the content; the brand needs a clear licence for reuse and paid media.

• Using a person’s name or image in marketing requires consent under the Act on Names and Images in Advertising.

• Define exclusivity narrowly and remember that the brand has the main responsibility for correct labelling.

• In 2027, expect AI clauses, platform-managed permissions and stricter transparency rules.

Frequently asked questions

Can a brand use influencer content in ads without permission?

No. The creator usually holds the rights to the content, and using a person’s name or image in marketing requires their consent. Paid usage must be agreed, normally in the contract.

How long should exclusivity last?

There is no standard period. It should match the campaign and the category, and be clearly limited in time, products and channels. Longer and broader exclusivity normally costs more.

Who is responsible if a collaboration is not labelled correctly?

According to Konsumentverket, the company that engaged the influencer has the main responsibility, but the influencer can also be held responsible. The contract should describe how labelling is done and checked.

Want help setting up collaborations with clear rights, exclusivity and labelling? Contact Collabri at info@collabri.se. This article is general information and does not replace legal advice. You can also browse our talents and client projects.

Read also

• Influencer Advertising Rules in Sweden: How to Label Sponsored Content Correctly

• How to Write an Influencer Brief (Template Included)

• Influencer Outreach: How to Approach Creators and Celebrities the Right Way

• What Is Influencer Marketing? A Complete Guide for 2027

Sources

• Konsumentverket – Influencers reklaminlägg – regler för företag: https://www.konsumentverket.se/marknadsratt-foretag/influencers-reklaminlagg-regler-for-foretag/

• Riksdagen – Lag (1960:729) om upphovsrätt till litterära och konstnärliga verk: https://www.riksdagen.se/sv/dokument-och-lagar/dokument/svensk-forfattningssamling/lag-1960729-om-upphovsratt-till-litterara-och_sfs-1960-729/

• Riksdagen – Lag (1978:800) om namn och bild i reklam: https://www.riksdagen.se/sv/dokument-och-lagar/dokument/svensk-forfattningssamling/lag-1978800-om-namn-och-bild-i-reklam_sfs-1978-800/

• CreatorIQ – Creator Content Now Powers 44% of Paid Media Creative (2026): https://www.creatoriq.com/press/releases/creator-powered-funnel-report-2026

• Sprout Social – 32 Influencer marketing statistics to know in 2026 (2026): https://sproutsocial.com/insights/influencer-marketing-statistics/

• Law Society Gazette – Influencers face probes after EU-wide sweep (2024): https://www.lawsociety.ie/gazette/top-stories/2024/february/influencers-face-probes-after-eu-wide-sweep

• European Commission – Influencer Legal Hub, Legal brief #6: How to disclose advertising on social media: https://commission.europa.eu/document/download/74f60707-1207-4a6f-a9aa-033ca8a3d382_en?filename=Legal+brief+6.pdf

• MediaPost – Meta Launches Creator Marketing Hub, Live Video Ads (2026): https://www.mediapost.com/publications/article/418022/meta-launches-creator-marketing-hub-live-video-ad.html

• Paul, Weiss – EU Finalises Transparency Rules for AI-Generated Content (2026): https://www.paulweiss.com/insights/client-memos/eu-finalises-transparency-rules-for-ai-generated-content

• European Parliament – Legislative Train: Digital Fairness Act: https://www.europarl.europa.eu/legislative-train/theme-protecting-our-democracy-upholding-our-values/file-digital-fairness-act

This article was written with the help of AI and reviewed by Collabri.