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Executive Summary |
TikTok’s Crackdown on Ozempic Influencers Threatens Weight-Loss Drug Hype Machine Meta’s “Twitter Killer” Threads Surges Past Elon Musk’s X In Shocking Metric Upset Meet The Influencers Who Are Putting Pokemon Cards Back On The Map Hot Off The Press: Seasoned Influencers Reveal Their #1 Concern For 2024
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Great Reads |
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A new survey by URLgenius, a digital commerce and creator engagement platform, reveals the top concerns and trends among seasoned influencers. The survey of over 125 creators found that 88% are concerned about changes in social media algorithms and platform features, while 50% struggle with increasing competition in the marketplace. Despite these challenges, 78% of respondents view their roles as full-time careers, and 98% earn income through affiliate commissions. |
The survey also highlights the importance of authenticity and transparency, with 57% of influencers believing it will significantly impact their business. Additionally, the expansion of e-commerce and social shopping, as well as the growing demand for personalized content and interactive formats, are seen as influential factors. The survey provides valuable insights into the needs and concerns of creators, emphasizing the importance of diversifying income streams to succeed in the industry. |
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SMITH&SAINT, a female-led talent and brand-building agency, is revolutionizing the creator economy with its boutique approach. Founded in 2018 by Britt St. George and Madison Smith, the agency prioritizes intimate relationships and brand-building with clients. With a team of experts from diverse fields, SMITH&SAINT offers unparalleled representation, negotiation skills, and creative thinking. |
The agency's 360-degree approach encompasses traditional and new-age endorsements, collaboration products, and incubating talent-owned companies. By focusing on authenticity and strategic partnerships, SMITH&SAINT helps creators build long-lasting careers and assists brands in navigating the complex creator landscape. With a commitment to staying ahead of the curve, the company is well-positioned to contribute to the growth and evolution of the industry. |
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UK-based Sintillate Talent has rapidly ascended as an industry pioneer by taking an innovative, psychology-rooted approach to influencer marketing. Founded in 2019 by Sinan Sahin, the agency prioritizes teamwork and transparency to facilitate authentic brand partnerships across its global network spanning 20 countries. |
Core to its model is rigorous screening to vet culturally-aligned influencers and brands, combined with robust campaign management and data optimization. This formula has yielded major successes like securing a 4th annual contract with e-commerce giant SHEIN after delivering strong multicountry reach. |
Sintillate Talent's collaborative, values-driven ethos fostering mutual growth has earned it 7 global awards. Looking ahead, the agency aims to expand through strategic investments in AI, advanced analytics and comprehensive training as it drives innovation shaping the future creator economy. |
Campaign Insights |
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Lawn and garden brand Scotts Miracle-Gro is tapping into the gaming world with a unique virtual activation aimed at younger audiences. In partnership with brand solutions provider Thece, Scotts is launching the "Miracle-Gro Organic Challenge" - a contest inviting gamers to design and showcase their gardening skills within popular farming simulation video games. |
Participants upload verified videos of their in-game gardens for a chance to receive free Miracle-Gro organic soil, bridging the virtual experience to real-world gardening. The contest runs April 22 to May 26 on Thece's platform, utilizing respected gaming verification from Twin Galaxies. |
Jodi Lee, Scotts VP of Brand Marketing, cited the activation as an "authentic way to inspire new and seasoned gardeners" by celebrating virtual farmers. For Thece CEO Zachary Rozga, it "pioneers" bringing virtual gaming passions into the real world for younger audiences. |
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MyMuse, a beverage brand, has partnered with social media influencer and singer Dixie D'Amelio to launch a new caffeine-free soda called Passion. The limited-edition flavor marks MyMuse's debut lineup of caffeine-free "Inspired Sodas," available at retailers like Target, Sprouts, and Amazon. D'Amelio was given creative freedom to design the passion fruit-flavored soda, which contains adaptogens and minerals. |
The partnership celebrates her creative interests while providing an authentic connection to MyMuse's young consumer base. This launch expands MyMuse's portfolio beyond enhanced waters and demonstrates the power of influencer marketing in reaching young consumers. The collaboration is a strategic move in the creator economy, where brands are partnering with influencers to create authentic products and experiences. |
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Indonesia is employing an unconventional strategy to promote its new capital city, Nusantara, on Borneo island. The government is partnering with social media influencers to showcase the city's eco-friendly design and convince the public to support the relocation from Jakarta. President Joko Widodo recently led a tour of influencers through the construction site, highlighting the city's 65% forest cover and sustainable features. |
The goal is to increase public knowledge and create a positive attitude towards the move. With over half of Indonesia's population under 40, the government is leveraging influencers' massive followings on platforms like TikTok and Instagram to reach a younger demographic. However, concerns persist over displacement, environmental damage, and high costs, making the success of this strategy uncertain. |
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KFC's influencer strategy is paying off, attracting a younger audience to the brand. According to CMO Nick Chavez, the company's partnerships with influencers like Deion Sanders and Jack Harlow have helped to showcase new menu items and appeal to a younger demographic. Chavez emphasized the importance of authenticity in these partnerships, ensuring that influencers are genuine fans of the brand and that their values align with KFC's. |
The company vets its influencers carefully and prioritizes joint promotion and listening to the community. While KFC's audience skews older than the quick-service average, the brand is working to strike a balance between appealing to traditional customers and attracting new, younger customers. As the creator economy continues to grow, Chavez predicts a merging of physical and digital experiences, with co-creation playing a key role. |
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Ad agency Ogilvy is launching a dedicated business line to counter medical misinformation by deploying vetted health influencers, or "healthfluencers," for pharmaceutical brands. The WPP-owned firm has assembled a roster spanning healthcare experts, doctors and "expert patients" to collaborate with drug makers on credible educational content and personal health journeys across social platforms like Instagram and TikTok. |
The move comes as around 25% of people increasingly turn to social media for quick medical advice, despite rampant misinformation from unqualified "wellness" influencers. Ogilvy hopes its stable of transparently sponsored healthfluencers can build consumer trust through authentic stories while navigating regulations around direct pharma marketing. |
Global Head of Influence Rahul Titus described the healthfluencer push as "marketing's new frontier" as "authentic credibility has overtaken hard sales pitches" in the creator economy. For the pharmaceutical industry combating dubious online health claims, enlisting respected influencers represents a novel way to connect with patients and distribute verified messaging at scale. |
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The City of Wichita has introduced new regulations requiring clear labeling of paid content on social media, following a viral TikTok video that failed to disclose a paid partnership. The city's influencer marketing campaigns, which have grown to $26,000 annually, will now require transparent labeling to comply with Federal Trade Commission rules. |
The move aims to maintain transparency and trust with residents, who increasingly rely on social media for local news. The city's decision highlights the importance of proper disclosure in influencer marketing, as both influencers and brands can face fines for non-compliance. The new guidelines will apply to all city-funded influencer partnerships, including those with the Wichita Airport Authority, which has also partnered with influencers for promotions. |
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Poppi, a beverage brand, has successfully leveraged influencer marketing through its branded sweatsuits. The strategy involves gifting fashion-forward athleisure wear to content creators, integrating the brand into their everyday lives and wardrobes. This approach has generated massive exposure for Poppi, with influencers like Alix Earle showcasing the brand's sweatsuits in their content. The brand's "creator-first" approach has paid off, with 90% of marketers believing product seeding elevates brand recognition. |
Poppi's sweatsuits have become a fashion statement, with creators consistently wearing them on social media, fueling hype among consumers. The brand's strategy has avoided the common pitfall of gifted creators not featuring the items, with Poppi's sweatsuits becoming a staple in influencers' wardrobes. This approach has driven brand awareness and has the potential to spur sales. |
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Mango, the Spanish fast-fashion brand, has launched a vibrant new summer capsule collection inspired by Barcelona's rich heritage and fashion. Titled "From Barcelona with Love", the campaign features three renowned Indian influencers - Juhi, ShivShakti, and Vagmita Singh - who collaborated closely with Mango's design team in Barcelona. Each influencer stars in a digital film showcasing distinct workwear, statement pieces, and everyday basics from the collection. The influencers curated the looks, capturing Barcelona's vibrancy through bold colors and trends. |
The campaign aims to enhance Mango's brand salience among Indian women shoppers and promote awareness beyond the brand's flagship dresses. Available on Myntra, the collection bridges Spanish fashion ethos with Indian sensibilities. The digital campaign will be amplified through influencer promotions and strategic outdoor advertising in major cities. Myntra's Chief of Omnichannel Business Venu Nair expressed excitement over bringing this authentic Spanish touch to Indian consumers. |
Interesting People |
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27-year-old tech founder Tiffany Zhong is releasing a new social app called Nospace aimed at providing Gen Z a refreshingly simple, connection-driven experience reminiscent of social media's early days. After a decade studying online habits, Zhong believes current platforms promote passive consumption over genuine interaction. |
Nospace will let users customize profiles, share real-time updates on interests like media consumption, and connect through chronological feeds - eschewing the influencer-fan dynamic. With over 380,000 pre-registrations, the app taps into Gen Z's craving for more peer-to-peer kinship amid concerns around social media's mental health impacts. |
Features like gamified "boosting" aim to foster self-expression and bonding through shared interests rather than popularity contests. Zhong hopes addressing loneliness by "having more to talk about with friends" will differentiate Nospace. |
The launch exemplifies Gen Z's disillusionment with algorithmic ranking and demand for platforms that democratize social status. For the creator economy, Nospace represents both a stripped-back alternative and an embrace of online communities' original communal ideals. |
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A new generation of influencers is driving the resurgence of Pokémon trading cards, a $92 billion franchise. Despite being viewed as a 90s staple, Pokémon has maintained its popularity across various media forms. Influencers like Neon Cactus, SuperDuperDani, and MaxmoefoePokemon have gained millions of followers by sharing their passion for Pokémon cards, unboxing rare editions, and offering tips and tricks for collectors. |
Others, like Danny Phantump and Rattle Pokémon, focus on the analytical side, tracking card values and exposing scammers. Even celebrities like Logan Paul have joined the trend. With millions of viewers engaged, these influencers are monetizing their hobby and putting Pokémon cards back on the map. |
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Formula 1 drivers are increasingly turning to Twitch to connect with fans and showcase their personalities. Max Verstappen, the current F1 champion, is an avid streamer and has even set up his own GT3 racing team to provide a ladder for sim racers into real cars. Other top drivers like George Russell, Charles Leclerc, and Lando Norris also stream regularly, with Norris being particularly popular for his gaming streams and humorous moments. |
The trend is seen as a way for drivers to humanize themselves and build a personal brand beyond their on-track personas. However, streaming also comes with risks, as drivers can sometimes say or do things that damage their reputation. Despite this, the popularity of F1 drivers on Twitch is expected to continue, with many seeing it as a key part of their career and a way to connect with a younger audience. |
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Dr. Hani Hassan, an NHS doctor, turned a viral YouTube video into a £2.5m skincare brand, HUE, focused on tackling hyperpigmentation in people of color. Her 34-minute video, 'How To Get Rid Of Hyperpigmentation!', explained how to safely layer exfoliants and creams to fade dark marks on skin of color. The video racked up 1.7 million views and 7,000 comments, leading Dr. Hassan to develop a night serum, Supra-Fade, which sold out after a beauty influencer's TikTok shoutout. |
Dr. Hassan partnered with Mona Haidar, a curator and image maker, to launch HUE, which prioritizes people of color in product testing and aims to provide inclusive skincare. The brand received a £2.5m valuation after raising £250,000 from investors. HUE's success highlights the demand for skincare products catering to diverse skin types and the power of social media in building a brand. |
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Bump, a wealth tech and financing platform for creators, has raised $3 million in seed funding to revolutionize how creators manage their finances. Founded by entertainment lawyer James Jones, Bump provides a suite of tools tailored to creators' unique circumstances, including financing options, business growth tools, and a real-time market value tool to help negotiate brand deals. The platform enables creators to discover and track all income sources, manage their market value, and access financial services such as a creator credit card and direct deposit accounts. T |
he funding will support Bump's expansion across the US, Europe, and Africa, and investors have expressed enthusiasm about participating in Bump's mission to empower creators and influencers with trusted financial resources. The investment highlights the growing demand for financial solutions tailored to the creator economy. |
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After over a decade as one of the UK's pioneering YouTube creators making videos about sex and relationships, Hannah Witton has decided to quit. The 31-year-old cites feeling trapped on a relentless "hamster wheel" of constant content creation, leaving little time for creative rejuvenation. Having a baby in 2022 was the final straw, as she struggled to balance motherhood with video demands despite expanding her team. |
Witton says the grind drained her financially, creatively and mentally, leaving her overthinking every post. Her experience reflects a emerging trend of burnout among YouTubers who scaled up businesses around their channels only to become overworked and disillusioned. While leaving on-camera roles, Witton plans to stay in the creator industry, shifting to help others avoid the pitfalls she faced by building better operational systems. Her candid departure spotlights the unsustainable work cycles plaguing influencer careers. |
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Travel marketing company Trending Travel has promoted Kieran Shew to Managing Director after he spearheaded a successful shift to an influencer-focused strategy. Since joining in 2023, Shew has delivered high-profile branded content deals and influencer activations for major travel brands like Sandals, TUI and Virgin Voyages. |
Under his commercial leadership, Trending Travel now boasts the largest social media audience of any independent travel firm - over 1 million highly engaged followers. This digitally-native fanbase was built without spending on traditional ads. |
Founder Keith Herman credited Shew's "unique influencer proposition" allowing the company to reach consumers directly as the catalyst for his elevated role overseeing a 10-person team. Shew previously held commercial positions at online travel giants like Kayak. |
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Industry News |
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Whalar Group's founding duo, Neil Waller and James Street, have returned as co-CEOs, retaking the leadership reins after stepping back to focus on building different business divisions. Robert Horler, CEO since 2021, will transition to the Board of Directors. Waller and Street founded Whalar eight years ago, and it has evolved into a global, independent creator ecosystem company with six divisions. |
The company has also appointed Christoph Becker as its first Chief Creative Officer, who will drive creative excellence and position Whalar as an industry leader. With a creative force of over 300 employees globally, Whalar aims to win more direct engagements with brands and secure creative opportunities beyond just creator briefs. The appointments signal a new chapter for Whalar as it continues to grow in the burgeoning creator economy. |
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Meta's Threads has surpassed X (formerly Twitter) in daily active users (DAUs) in the US, according to new research estimates. Threads, launched in summer 2023 as a direct competitor to X, has maintained its lead in DAUs since December 2023. The app has averaged 28 million DAUs in April 2024, a 55% increase from December, while X has averaged 22 million DAUs, a 21% drop. |
Although X still leads in monthly active users (MAUs) with 140 million to Threads' 100 million, Threads' momentum is significant. The app's growth is a positive sign for Meta, which aims to reach 1 billion users. Despite challenges, Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg remains optimistic about Threads' prospects, calling it "on track to be a major success." |
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Instagram has announced new tools to help creators promote and monetize their subscription offerings on the platform, which now facilitates over 2 million creator subscriptions. The updates include a powerful insights feature that provides data on engagement levels for sticker content, allowing creators to understand their audience's preferences. |
Instagram is also expanding its subscription stories teaser display, which shows non-subscribers when a creator has posted subscriber-only content, encouraging sign-ups. |
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IGN is bringing the creator experience to life through an immersive three-day live event in Los Angeles called IGN Live. Partnering with major brands like TikTok, Amazon, and Netflix, the gaming and entertainment juggernaut aims to blend engaging in-person activations with worldwide digital access June 7-9. |
Highlights include exclusive reveals of upcoming games, movies and shows, celebrity panels, live podcast recordings, and interactive gaming sessions. The TikTok Creator Studio will enable influencers to produce real-time social content on-site. |
IGN President Yael Prough described IGN Live as "a fresh, content-led approach celebrating games, entertainment, tech and pop culture." While supporting an undisclosed charity through ticket sales. |
The large-scale production exemplifies how legacy media brands are catering to the creator economy through curated live experiences. By offering both in-person tickets and global streaming access across platforms, IGN aims to immerse audiences and creators alike in its multimedia universe. |
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Cannes Lions is rolling out the red carpet for creators at this year's advertising festival. The new "Lions Creators" program will feature presentations, panels and networking opportunities catering specifically to influencers and the brands looking to work with them. It's a major investment recognizing the creator economy's rapid growth to an estimated $250 billion industry. |
Influencer marketing agencies like Influential, Whalar and namesake firm Influencer are doubling down on Cannes activations and programming. For the first time, agency Viral Nation is curating the creator lineup after the festival committed to elevating creators' presence. The goal is giving online talent direct access to pitch brand CMOs versus just social media managers. |
With VidCon shifted to occur after Cannes, more creators may prioritize the ad world's biggest event this year. Agencies view Cannes as the prime venue for creators to ink lucrative brand deals and partnerships beyond just sponsored posts. As the creator economy matures, Cannes Lions is positioning itself as a crucial marketplace and networking hub. |
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A new platform called BrandArmy aims to upend the creator economy by allowing influencers to directly monetize their social media followings without relying on ad revenue sharing. Founded by former creator Ramon Mendez, BrandArmy enables creators to consolidate fragmented audiences into one centralized community under their control. They can then sell premium content like photos, videos and audio directly to fans through subscriptions and messaging tools. During the beta period, some creators reportedly generated substantial income, with one earning nearly $1 million. As it publicly launches, |
BrandArmy positions itself as an alternative monetization path as the economy impacts brand deals. However, driving widespread adoption requires shifting creator and audience behaviors around paying for content. For aspiring influencers, Mendez advises obsessively studying growth tactics within platform policies before leveraging services like BrandArmy. The startup exemplifies solutions aiming to give creators more financial autonomy in the burgeoning digital economy. |
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TikTok is cracking down on weight loss content next month, implementing rules that effectively ban marketing diet products and videos depicting use of medications like Ozempic - a major blow to the lucrative influencer niche around the viral anti-obesity drugs. While aimed at restricting potentially harmful disordered eating depictions, especially for minors, the policy update penalizes creators who built lucrative businesses openly discussing their journeys and raising awareness around government-approved weight loss treatments. Influencers like Dave Knapp, who campaigns about Ozempic access while managing diabetes, say the rules discriminate against those with chronic conditions. |
Others worry losing commission and sponsorship income. With TikTok facing a potential U.S. ban, some are migrating platforms. The crackdown underscores challenges social media's faced regulating sensitive health content without stifling beneficial dialogue. For the creator economy, it reflects the fragility of building businesses atop unilaterally-governed platforms where policy changes can disrupt revenue streams overnight. |
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Gen Z is growing tired of influencers on TikTok, feeling that they're being bombarded with ads and promoted products that influencers don't genuinely believe in. Many influencers are seen as prioritizing brand deals over building a genuine connection with their followers. This has led to a phenomenon known as "influencer fatigue," where users are craving more authentic and relatable content. As a result, some influencers are moving away from TikTok and towards platforms that allow for more meaningful engagement with their audience. |
Experts say that the key to success is transparency and authenticity, with followers wanting to see influencers being honest about their promotions and products. The influencer industry is evolving, and those who adapt to these changing expectations will be the most successful. |
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TikTok's impact on American culture is undeniable, with its 15-second videos becoming a staple in the lives of tens of millions of Americans. As Congress considers banning the app or forcing its sale to an American company, it's clear that TikTok's influence extends far beyond its user base. The app's algorithm-driven 'For You Page' has reshaped entertainment, marketing, and even education. |
TikTok has become a marketing machine for Hollywood films, with the Sony romantic comedy "Anyone But You" raking in $219 million in ticket sales after users created videos inspired by the movie. The app has also changed the way we consume news, with 14% of American adults using TikTok as a regular news source. Even cooking has been transformed, with creators sharing recipes in short, engaging videos |
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