IIGC launches Influencer Contract Standard (IICS) to formalise creator agreements

New Framework aims to address artificially inflated metrics, morality and informal exit practices. Marking one year since its establishment, the Indian Influencer Governance Council (IIGC), has introduced the Indian Influencer Contract Standard (IICS), India’s first standardised contract framework. Developed and issued by IIGC, along with legal knowledge partners Trilegal, the IICS is aimed at institutionalising brand-creator partnerships to address growing inconsistencies on how influencer engagements are executed in India’s fast-growing influencer ecosystem.

While influencer marketing has grown into a significant component of brand strategy, many collaborations continue to remain fragmented and inconsistent. Brands and agencies often rely on informal arrangements or varying templates that do not interpret the scope correctly, leading to recurring challenges about payment structures, content ownership and usage, revisions and approvals, exclusivity, morality and dispute resolution.

The IICS provides a neutral, industry level, contractual baseline, bringing greater clarity to these areas for all parties involved. IICS includes legal and commercial provisions only relevant to influencer - brand partnerships, allowing flexibility for campaign specific negotiation through additional statement of work.

The IICS solves for several areas that are recurring points of friction for campaigns. These include:-

• Clear statement of work and revision process
• Content and usage rights
• Disclosures and compliance
• Clear Payment clauses including timelines, performance-linked payments, and structured escalation mechanisms
• No paid/use of artificial methods to promote campaigns
• Structured approach to Morality and Reputational considerations

It also incorporates a dispute resolution mechanism with the first step being mediation through IIGC’s Task force. This step can attempt to resolve issues before they become serious, potentially mitigating financial and reputational risks for all parties involved.

IICS is not a mandate, or enforcement mechanism, and does not completely eliminate risks. It serves however, as a strong foundation and reduces ambiguity and supports long-term and sustainable creator-brand relationships.

“As influencer marketing transactions become more sophisticated, the absence of structured contractual clarity increases both financial and reputational risk. It is critical to have agreements to help define payment obligations, intellectual property boundaries, and dispute mechanisms upfront, reducing ambiguity and preventing escalation. An industry-aligned framework such as this can bring much-needed structure to a rapidly evolving sector. Of course, there cannot be a one-size-fits-all approach; however, certain broad contours have been outlined in this agreement and can be flexibly customised to suit specific circumstances,” said Yogesh Singh, partner and head of corporate practice, Trilegal.

“In the recent past, influencer marketing in India has grown from experimental budgets to a core pillar of brand strategy. As the industry matures, informal arrangements are no longer sustainable. Payment clarity, defined usage rights, and structured dispute mechanisms are not optional, but foundational to long-term trust. We believe it is time for brands and creators alike to adopt common standards that reflect the commercial scale and responsibility this ecosystem now carries,” shared Sahil Chopra, chairman, IIGC.

The release of IICS coincides with IIGC completing its first year of operations. Founded with the belief that India’s creator economy needs governance alongside growth, IIGC’s first year focused on building foundational infrastructure, including India’s first Code of Standards for Brands, influencers & consumers, the IIGC Certified Influencer Programme, IIGC Protect, and the IIGC Talks, podcasts.