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- How Founder Started Creator Economy NYC and Built Thriving Community
- IAB Releases First-of-Its-Kind Research Report On The Creator Economy
- How Stanley Used Influencers To Become The Ultimate UK Water Cup Status Symbol
- AT&T's holiday campaign, "The Holidays Unwrapped"
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Great Reads
1 in 3 Gen Zers have bought from an influencer-founded brand in the past year
Influencer-founded brands are resonating with younger demographics, per Morning Consult - 33% of Gen Z and 29% of millennials have purchased products from social media stars' own companies in the past year. As online personalities amass captive audiences, they increasingly diversify into merchandise, benefiting from built-in customer bases. Analyst Blake Droesch notes influencers finding success as entrepreneurs typically align products with their personal brands and leverage their expansive reaches.
Top teen influencers MrBeast and Alix Earle already sell wares or plan product lines accordingly. The data underscores Gen Z's high trust in their favorite creators' recommendations. As influencer marketing matures, spin-off companies will only multiply. Savvy firms can benefit by partnering with internet celebrities on affiliated items. But the space demands authenticity between influencers' identities and commercial ventures to thrive. With strong followings valuing true advocates over traditional advertising, the creator economy intertwining with e-commerce looks set to balloon.
The year in NIL: Olivia Dunne, Bronny James, and Shedeur Sanders boast top valuations for 2023 as college athletes' annual earnings top $1BILLION and NCAA weighs letting schools pay players directly
The NIL (Name, Image, and Likeness) market has boomed for college athletes, with annual earnings topping $1 billion. LSU gymnast and Instagram influencer Olivia Dunne leads in valuations among women, with $3.3 million. She's known for forming long-term relationships with brands, a trend gaining traction in influencer marketing.
Bronny James, Shedeur Sanders, and Archie Manning, all from athletic lineages, also rank high in earnings. This surge in NIL valuations reflects the shifting dynamics in college sports, where athletes can now capitalize on their personal brands, a critical insight for influencer marketing professionals navigating the evolving landscape of endorsements and personal branding. The NCAA's consideration to allow schools to pay players directly could further transform this space, highlighting the importance of adaptability and awareness of regulatory changes for those in the influencer marketing industry.
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Campaign Insights
Jake Paul will train with USA Boxing fighters, accompany team to Paris Olympics to raise exposure
Jake Paul, the YouTube star and professional boxer, is partnering with USA Boxing to spotlight the nation's top Olympic fighters. Paul plans to train with Olympic qualifiers at the USA Boxing headquarters in Colorado Springs and use his substantial social media influence to enhance their profiles. Additionally, he intends to accompany the U.S. team to the Paris Olympics in July. Paul's involvement is seen as a significant boost for USA Boxing, which has faced challenges but is now re-emerging as a global contender under coach Billy Walsh.
The organization believes Paul's mentorship will be crucial in helping young athletes build their brand and capitalize on their Olympic exposure. This partnership marks a notable collaboration between a social media influencer and a traditional sports organization, reflecting an innovative approach to athlete promotion and brand building within the influencer marketing industry.
How Stanley Used Influencers To Become The Ultimate UK Water Cup Status Symbol
Venerable brand Stanley leapt from campouts to TikTok fame on the back of its Quencher insulated mug's viral US success. Seeking similar UK ascendancy, Stanley enlisted agency Fusion Media to orchestrate an influencer launch. Authenticity took priority - leveraging creators already showcasing the previously popular Stateside cup. Lifestyle bloggers and young moms formed Stanley's domestic ambassador stable, tasked with relaying tangible lifestyle integration. Balancing educational features content with strong calls-to-action, the campaign captured influencers' spontaneous discovery moments.
On launch day, the orchestrated influencer push effectively translated into sales and site traffic as anticipated. The functional bottle's cultural currency was cemented. Fusion Media's Lucy Harding shares top tips: select values-aligned macro and micro influencers from diverse niches to broaden reach, structure purposeful content splits, and facilitate real-time product interactions to inspire audiences. Just months in, Stanley's strategic UK influencer cultivation transformed the Quencher from a niche accessory to the season's essential accessory. The agency leveraged key YouTube trends to engineer anadcott breakthrough for the heritage American outfit.
Ninja’s New Year’s Eve stream will be a multi-platform affair
Prominent streamer Ninja is set to host a multi-platform New Year's Eve event, streaming simultaneously on Twitch, YouTube, and TikTok. "Ninja's NYE," as it's called, aims to engage Gen Z with a lineup including other top streamers, a Fortnite tournament, giveaways, and a countdown to midnight. The event promises an alternative to traditional New Year's Eve celebrations, inviting viewers to join a more interactive experience.
Despite being the most followed streamer on Twitch with 19 million followers, Ninja's viewership has declined, ranking him 44th based on various metrics. His career has seen platform shifts, including a high-profile move to Mixer and a return to Twitch, where he now leverages new rules on exclusivity and simulcasting. Ninja's NYE, starting at 7 PM ET on December 31st, represents his latest effort to maintain relevance and entertain his massive audience across multiple digital platforms.
AT&T's holiday campaign, "The Holidays Unwrapped"
AT&T's holiday campaign, "The Holidays Unwrapped," explores the common but uncomfortable experience of feigning joy over undesirable gifts. Collaborating with agency Giant Spoon, the telecom giant enlisted behavioral analyst Bedros "Spidey" Akkelian to analyze influencers' reactions to holiday gifts, aiming to validate the statistic that 71% of people have lied about liking a holiday gift. Influencers like Alexandra Madison and athletes Tisha Alyn and Anthony Hamilton Jr. participated, with Akkelian identifying signs of genuine delight or feigned enthusiasm.
This campaign, running on Instagram and TikTok, seeks to resonate with Gen Z and millennial consumers by showcasing AT&T's electronic offerings in a relatable, humorous manner. For influencer marketing professionals, this approach highlights the potential of creative, emotion-driven content to engage audiences and cut through the typical holiday advertising clutter.
Inside Biden's influencer campaign
Democrats are leveraging the influencer economy to amplify Joe Biden's climate initiatives, reflecting a broader trend of political mobilization through social media influencers. A campaign led by political influencer firm atAdvocacy and Evergreen Action engaged influencers like Ariana Jasmine Afshar to promote public engagement with the EPA's new power plant regulations. This strategy signifies the burgeoning influencer election, as both parties recognize the power of influencers to reach demographics, especially younger voters, often elusive to traditional media.
Companies like Vocal and Social Currant are central to this shift, connecting influencers with political campaigns and causes, mirroring tactics used by conservatives. The approach capitalizes on influencers' trusted relationship with their audiences and often unclear disclosure practices. As the 2024 election approaches, the influencer marketing strategy is expected to intensify, focusing on critical issues like climate change and voting rights. However, this evolving landscape raises concerns about the transparency and regulation of online political content, marking a significant shift in how political campaigns engage with voters.
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Interesting People
A 9-year-old AR-15 salesman? New gun influencers are shockingly young
A burgeoning group of minor social media influencers are generating debate for promoting guns and shooting sports to youth audiences online. Ranging from pre-teens to teenagers, breakout kidfluencers like 10-year-old Grant Davis boast hundreds of thousands of followers across Instagram, YouTube and TikTok. Their segments display advanced weapons use set to music, tactical tips, merch sales and brand sponsorships. Gun control advocacy groups decry such content as reckless marketing normalizing firearms for kids. Sponsors counter their messaging encourages responsible ownership.
While falling short of sales pitches, monetized posts downplay lethality while spotlighting marksmanship akin to martial arts training. Critics advocate policy remedies around advertising rules, platform moderation, financial trusts and parental consent. As posting profits and fame tempt ever-younger personalities, the influencer culture intersects America's fraught gun debate. Marketing deadly weapons to minors strikes many as fundamentally objectionable regardless of safety measures. For supporters, family-based online communities advancing Second Amendment principles represent empowerment, not endangerment. Irrespective of beliefs, the phenomenon taxes technology regulations unprepared to address tensions between free expression, child welfare and consumer protections.
China's finance influencers face stricter rules on Tencent's live-streaming channels as Beijing moves to shore up confidence on economy
Tencent Holdings has introduced stricter regulations for finance live streamers on WeChat, China's massive social media platform. Amid heightened government scrutiny aimed at bolstering confidence in the economy, only licensed professionals can now conduct live finance sessions, and they must appear in person. These streamers are prohibited from offering specific investment advice, including market predictions and detailed analyses. The move is part of a broader push across Chinese social media platforms like Kuaishou, Douyin, ByteDance, and Bilibili, which now require popular influencers to reveal their real identities.
This crackdown particularly affects financial and economic commentators as Beijing attempts to stabilize investor sentiment amidst challenges like high debt, reduced property investments, and geopolitical tensions. The recent suspension of Wu Xiaobo, a well-known economic writer, for allegedly undermining government policy on platforms like Weibo, illustrates the increasing control over online discourse. These regulations reflect Beijing's intent to manage the narrative surrounding its economic health and market stability.
Kayla Itsines' Sweat empire posts huge $10m loss - before the fitness queen buys the business back from US owners with ex-fiancé Tobi Pearce
Fitness influencer empire Sweat, founded by ex-couple Kayla Itsines and Tobi Pearce, posted mammoth losses before the duo reacquired the brand they sold in 2021. Financials reveal Sweat racked up a $10.7 million post-tax loss and $3.8 million write-down amid a 14% subscription revenue plunge under ownership of American conglomerate iFIT this past fiscal year. In November, Itsines and Pearce regained Sweat for an undisclosed amount as iFIT deprioritized it. The personalized training app minted Itsines Australia's fourth-richest woman under 40 just years ago.
Though without regrets over the initial near $400 million sale, Itsines cited reclaiming Sweat's community-first ethos focused on women's journeys as impetus for purchasing it back. With Pearce plotting expansion strategy, the Adelaide-based business now relaunches from a position of financial duress. But the founders plan to leverage their fame and early astronomical success - when Sweat boasted nearly 100 local employees - to revive the brand. Itsines' mantra of building "by women, for women" faces uphill rehabilitation after stumbling under iFIT stewardship.
KSI and Logan Paul create world’s largest piñata, shaped like PRIME bottle
Internet celebrities Logan Paul and KSI (Olajide Olatunji) smashed two Guinness World Records by demolishing a gigantic piñata shaped like a bottle of their sports drink brand PRIME. At over 33 meters tall and 10 meters wide, the $1 million piñata set new benchmarks as both the largest and largest suspended piñata ever. The stunt celebrated PRIME's Mexico launch, with Paul and KSI whacking the piñata before attendees amid customary Mexican fanfare. Bursting open, it released thousands of PRIME bottles and balls given to the public.
Alongside spotlighting their venture's major milestone, the influencers now stake claims in the record books they admired since childhood. But the collaborators have racked previous Guinness titles individually too - from most viewed YouTube charity match to priciest Pokémon card. When pondering 2024 attempts, Paul joked about becoming the "sexiest US champ" as a current WWE title holder. KSI proffered building and sporting the world's biggest bandana. Beyond records, the pair's ginormous piñata fusion of culture, creativity and self-promotion displays influencer marketing on the world's biggest stage.
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Industry News
IAB Releases First-of-Its-Kind Research Report On The Creator Economy Advertising Opportunity
The Interactive Advertising Bureau (IAB) has released a comprehensive report revealing a surge in marketer interest in advertising alongside creator content, highlighting its potential to reshape advertising strategies. The study, conducted with Talk Shoppe, tracked over 1,000 consumer purchase journeys and discovered that advertising with creator content significantly accelerates the purchase funnel. A substantial 89% of advertisers feel positive about this avenue, with 92% considering it a high-quality channel.
There's a notable shift toward long-term investments in creator content, with 44% of advertisers planning to increase their spend in 2024 by an average of 25%. The report emphasizes that creator content is not just about brand awareness but also drives action and results at every funnel stage. While advertisers express some hesitations, such as concerns over control and brand alignment, the overall sentiment is moving towards embracing creator content due to its effectiveness in building brand loyalty and engaging consumers more deeply than traditional studio content. As the creator economy continues to grow, expected to reach $480 billion by 2027, the IAB underscores that creator content is becoming an indispensable part of the marketing mix.
TikTok, Meta and X group is suing Utah over strict new app limits | Fortune
A tech industry trade group filed a federal lawsuit against Utah over the state's landmark social media restrictions for minors. Two laws signed in March require parental consent and age verification to open accounts, while also limiting use between 10:30pm and 6:30am. Backed by research on mental health harms, Republican Gov. Spencer Cox predicts legal fights from "companies killing our kids."
The NetChoice suit argues the regulations unconstitutionally limit public content access, undermine parental rights, and jeopardize data privacy. Penalties for non-compliance also pressure platforms to over-collect user information potentially threatening safety. Set to take effect March 2024, advocates believe the laws empower parents while critics see undue censorship. An Arkansas judge already blocked similar consent requirements there as litigation proceeds. With five million plus user thresholds, rules could impact TikTok, Snapchat, Facebook, Instagram and Twitter locally - all NetChoice members. Utah's Attorney General vows to vigorously defend the regulations aimed at protecting children. But the case exemplifies the policy struggle to balance youth welfare with innovations enabling expression.
Startup Breakr raises more capital, pays $3.5M to creators
Breakr, a platform connecting social media influencers with record labels, artists, and brands, has raised an additional $1.9 million, reaching a total of $8.7 million in funding and a valuation of $20 million. Since its last funding round in 2021, Breakr has onboarded over 30,000 influencers and managed $3.5 million in creator transactions. The company plans to use the new capital for hiring and product development.
Breakr's platform is recognized for its programmatic approach to influencer campaigns, akin to online advertising strategies. It has transitioned to a self-service SaaS platform with an escrow wallet system for transactions. Breakr functions as a three-sided marketplace where creators submit profiles, artists or labels provide music for campaigns, and brands seek influencers based on detailed data points and engagement metrics. As the creator economy, particularly in music, shifts towards more direct and scalable relationships, Breakr aims to expand its services into other areas like film and television.
TikTok parent ByteDance says it’s using OpenAI technology to test its own AI models
ByteDance, the Chinese parent company of TikTok, has confirmed it uses OpenAI's technology to a "very limited extent" in developing its AI models, amidst a suspended account and an investigation by OpenAI. The company, licensed by Microsoft, utilizes GPT APIs for products outside China, where OpenAI services are unavailable. In China, ByteDance relies on its AI, Doubao, for services like chatbots and writing assistance. However, reports allege that ByteDance may have extensively used OpenAI's technology in violation of its terms, prompting OpenAI to suspend the account and investigate further.
ByteDance insists that it has instructed its team to avoid using GPT-generated data in its models and provided compliance training on using GPT. This development indicates the intricate and competitive nature of AI development globally and the challenges companies face in navigating ethical and legal frameworks.
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Great Paywalled Content
18 influencer management firms and talent agencies with BIPOC leaders helping creators from underrepresented backgrounds - Insider
As influencer marketing matures, agencies led by people of color aim to uplift diverse voices within the creator economy. Firms like Talentiish, Clique-Now, The Lilac Agency and Malc Agency specifically cater to BIPOC talent, noting pay and opportunity gaps. Many founders pivoted from digital roles seeing creators struggle to capitalize on their captive followings. They now offer management, brand consulting, education and advocacy lifting marginalized groups. But niche representation remains rare industry-wide - a 2021 report found a 35% pay gap between white and Black influencers.
Pioneers like Annelise Campbell (CFG), Lissette Calveiro (Influence With Impact), and Pamela Zapata (Society 18) still court clients largely through word-of-mouth. Most agencies remain small, relying on dedicated referral networks and hands-on partnership development. As viral moments propel more diverse personalities, tailored support systems strive to guard against tokenization and match earning power to reach. The lobbying of boutique firms reflects gradual cultural shifts - their tailored coaching empowers singular voices to speak to global audiences on their own terms.
Something Navy Is Being Sold - WSJ
Something Navy, the fashion brand launched by influencer Arielle Charnas in 2020 backed by $10 million in funding, is being acquired after unraveling under heavy debt. An investor group plans to buy the company for $1 plus assuming $7.5 million in liabilities, relaunching it with Charnas as creative director. After rapid early traction, Something Navy struggled with poor product fits and quality compared to the luxury fashion Charnas flaunts to her one million Instagram followers. Overexpansion added stores which have since shuttered.
With business stalled amid debt troubles, CEO Matt Scanlan, who pitched $100 million ambitions, said in June that sale talks were underway. Investor David Amirian sees substantial remaining brand equity given Charnas's popularity. New owner IHL Group will revamp designs and spearhead manufacturing. But reduced ownership stakes show diminished fortunes - Charnas formerly held 52% but will now control just 14.5%. The saga reveals influencer-centered brands face major hurdles transitioning online fame into fashion staying power, especially when disconnects emerge between digital image and physical products.
How Founder Started Creator Economy NYC and Built Thriving Community- Insider
In New York City, Brett Dashevsky is turning his Creator Economy NYC events into a thriving community hub for creators, startup founders, marketers, and more. Since January, Dashevsky has been hosting monthly meetups attracting industry professionals seeking to network and build relationships. These gatherings have garnered significant interest, offering a platform for attendees like Karm Choudhry, who found potential clients through these events. Dashevsky's initiative highlights New York's emergence as a bustling center for the creator economy, contrasting the traditional West Coast dominance.
The city's accessibility, driven by its extensive public transportation, facilitates frequent and well-attended gatherings. Over the year, Dashevsky has transformed initial meetups of 15-20 people into events with over 100 RSVPs, expanding his influence through a newsletter that fosters a sense of community and keeps members informed. Despite recent challenges in the creator economy, these events exude optimism and have led to significant connections and sponsorships, underlining the potential and dynamism of in-person networking in the digital age.
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