Spotlight Stories |
Meet the TikTok Influencers Suing the U.S. to Save the Platform Contestants Sue MrBeast, Amazon Over Alleged Sexual Harassment, Mistreatment TikTok Pulls The Plug On Its Music App My Wife And I Left Our Jobs To Make A Fake AI-Generated Influencer - Now She Pays Our Wage'
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Great Reads |
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TikTok creators from diverse backgrounds are suing the U.S. government to prevent a ban on the platform. The creators argue TikTok is an invaluable tool for expression, building communities, and driving economic opportunities through small businesses. |
The lawsuit claims banning TikTok violates creators' First Amendment rights. Lawmakers cite national security concerns over TikTok's Chinese ownership, but critics say the evidence is thin and the ban unfairly targets a specific platform rather than addressing data privacy broadly. |
With the future of TikTok hanging in the balance, the case highlights the creators' reliance on the app for income, advocacy, and connecting with audiences in fields like sports, literature, and more. Ultimately, the lawsuit seeks to protect creators' livelihoods and their ability to share diverse perspectives. |
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TikTok is rolling out an expanded subscription service that allows eligible creators to offer premium content and perks to their most engaged followers for a monthly fee. This update enables creators to offer three different subscription tiers with benefits like private communication channels, exclusive content, and community identifiers. |
To access the feature, creators must be at least 18 years old, have an account in good standing, over 10,000 followers, and meet certain video view or live streaming thresholds. The move aims to strengthen creator-audience relationships and provide an additional revenue stream for creators on the platform. It follows similar subscription offerings from competitors like Meta and Snapchat as platforms seek to incentivize and monetize their top creative talent. |
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MrBeast, the popular YouTuber, and Amazon face a lawsuit from contestants of MrBeast's upcoming "Beast Games" series. The 54-page lawsuit alleges unsafe conditions, unpaid labor, sexual harassment, and a hostile environment during production. Five anonymous plaintiffs claim contestants were subjected to surveillance, restricted privacy, insufficient meals, and dangerous sets. |
Women report sexual harassment that was allegedly allowed by production leadership. The plaintiffs seek compensation as employees for their "essential labor," with additional damages for the hostile workplace claimed by two female contestants. This follows previous controversies around MrBeast's operations, including a leaked handbook with controversial sections. |
Campaign Insights |
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Brother, the printer and business solutions brand, has selected Manchester-based Smoking Gun for a new pan-European influencer campaign following a competitive pitch process. According to Prolific North, the initiative aims to demonstrate that “your life at home can flow easier with Brother.” |
Michael Macfarlane, Brother’s Senior PR and Media Officer, cites a “natural rapport” and “true synergy” between the organizations as key factors in the decision. “Smoking Gun demonstrated a clear understanding of the Brother brand from the get-go and delivered a creative, trend-lead, standout pitch, full of ideas that could easily shift the dial for us as a business and help us reach our objectives,” Macfarlane said in a statement. |
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Expedia has launched Travel Shops, a new platform allowing travel influencers and content creators to share curated hotel recommendations and bookings. Creators can upload their own videos, photos, and earn commissions when followers book through their personalized Travel Shops. |
It streamlines the booking process by combining inspiration from trusted sources with direct booking capabilities. The platform aims to enhance the creator economy in travel while providing a trusted avenue for consumers to book based on influencer guidance. Initially invite-only, Travel Shops will open to all travelers in 2025 to create shoppable content. |
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Brands are moving away from lavish influencer trips to focus on fostering communities with loyal customers. Companies like Refy, 54 Thrones, and Tarte are hosting intimate retreats or "community trips" for avid shoppers rather than influencers with massive followings. |
This shift aims to build brand loyalty and relatability during an era of widening economic inequality. While influencer marketing remains valuable, brands now see greater long-term value in strengthening connections with their core customer base through shared experiences. |
The new community-driven approach generates engagement by making everyday fans feel valued, creating a sense of togetherness around the brand. As influencer trips become scrutinized for excess, companies are getting creative about gathering passionate consumers in more grounded, authentic ways. |
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The National Security Agency (NSA) has launched a new podcast called "No Such Podcast" to provide insights into the agency's covert operations and cybersecurity efforts. The podcast is part of the NSA's ongoing efforts to increase transparency and engage with the public. |
It will run for seven episodes, spotlighting the work of the agency's cryptologists and cryptanalysts. Topics covered include the NSA's role in locating Osama Bin Laden, the importance of cybersecurity, and the agency's stance on encryption. While the podcast offers some insights, it stops short of full transparency, notably omitting Edward Snowden's 2013 revelations about the agency's surveillance programs. |
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MGA Entertainment's new brand Yummiland is leveraging influencer partnerships to launch its Lip Gloss Dolls line for the UK back-to-school season, targeting girls aged 4-9. The campaign has reached over 1.7 million viewers across Instagram and TikTok by partnering with family-oriented influencers showcasing the dolls and scented lip glosses. |
Influencers clip the dolls onto branded backpacks as a back-to-school feature. The campaign content has garnered over 240,000 views so far. Yummiland is employing a multi-platform marketing approach including video-on-demand, YouTube campaigns, and Meta ads targeting parents to support the launch. The brand plans ongoing influencer collaborations throughout the season. |
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As the U.S. presidential election approaches, brands are increasingly pushing for apolitical influencers to avoid potential backlash. Contract negotiations now frequently include clauses prohibiting influencers from posting political content during brand campaigns. |
This clashes with growing pressure on creators to speak out on social issues. Influencers face a dilemma between staying neutral to secure brand deals or risk losing income by voicing personal views. The trend reflects brands' attempts to maintain neutrality amidst a polarized climate, a stark contrast from past award-winning social justice campaigns. |
While full-time influencers heavily rely on brand partnerships for income, some are pushing back on restrictive clauses. The situation underscores the challenges creators navigate in balancing authenticity with brand safety demands. |
Interesting People |
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The Content Architects is a startup founded by Hena Husain that helps brands and creators identify and leverage timely cultural moments and trending topics. Its flagship Key Dates Finder platform unearths obscure holidays, memes, and events that can fuel marketing campaigns. |
Husain aims to transform overlooked cultural touchpoints into marketing opportunities. The company builds strategies around four pillars: culture, content, technology, and trends. It analyzes macro cultural shifts, creates relevant content, embraces tech solutions like AI for optimization, and tracks emerging trends. |
Brand identity remains paramount, carefully aligning trending topics with a company's core values and voice. For real-time marketing around unpredictable viral moments, Husain emphasizes swift execution and streamlined approval processes. |
The Content Architects has a "Trends WhatsApp" group to alert clients to emerging opportunities. Looking ahead, the company plans to launch a free tier for Key Dates Finder, introduce webinars on trend forecasting, and cater to the growing creator economy by supporting "new news anchors" who merge traditional and social media. Husain envisions expanding from a cultural calendar resource into a holistic strategic partner tying together client content plans. |
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Clark Influence, a Montreal-based influencer marketing agency, connects brands with creators to develop authentic, data-driven campaigns. The agency's GM, Marie-Josée Cadorette, explains how they leverage data analytics while empowering creators' voices. |
Clark nurtures lasting relationships with influencers through networking events and monitoring their personal lives to offer relevant opportunities. Their innovative belairdirect campaign for Gen Z featured a branded TikTok game effect. To stay ahead, Clark employs strategists tracking emerging trends. |
Marie-Josée highlights the need to educate brands on transparency, fair compensation, and choosing the right platform tonality. Looking ahead, she anticipates AI-driven analytics, creator-traditional media collaborations, and shoppable content's rise in influencer marketing. Clark aims to promote ethical practices through an industry code of ethics while expanding into the U.S. market. |
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A savvy couple, Alvero and Rita, left their jobs to create an eerily realistic artificial intelligence (AI) influencer called Olivia C. Using advanced AI technologies like Luma AI and Midjourney, they meticulously crafted Olivia's lifelike social media presence depicting her as an adventurous world traveler. |
Olivia even placed third in the world's first AI-generated beauty pageant. While raising questions about AI's impact on beauty standards, the couple insists Olivia is a fictional persona akin to iconic characters like Mickey Mouse, exploring AI's creative potential responsibly. Their innovative approach underscores the growing trend of brands leveraging AI influencers for cost-effective marketing amid surging demand for AI creator skills. |
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Reese Chan, a Vancouver-based multi-niche creator, shares her approach to building an engaging personal brand across culinary, lifestyle, and travel content. She believes having diverse interests makes it easier to connect with audiences on a deeper level beyond specific topics. |
Reese tailors her content formats and distribution for each niche, batch-shooting abroad and using visuals to transcend language barriers. Her heartfelt, authentic style resonates globally. For aspiring multi-niche creators, Reese recommends focusing on genuine passions, clearly communicating how interests fit into the broader brand, maintaining quality, staying flexible to audience feedback, and setting boundaries to avoid burnout. |
Her versatility allows fruitful brand partnerships by aligning with products/services that authentically reflect her values and lifestyle. Looking ahead, Reese envisions cultivating an inclusive community for learning, self-expression and collective growth through meaningful creator-audience connections. |
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Jack Atkins, known for his appearance on Netflix's The Circle, shares insights into leveraging reality TV fame into a career in content creation and acting. After gaining initial fame, Jack focused on building a strong social media presence and personal brand. |
He emphasizes the importance of creating authentic content that resonates with your core audience over chasing viral trends. While reality TV provided a platform, Jack's true passion lies in acting, and he's actively pursuing opportunities in film and casting. |
He advocates for patience, persistence, and staying true to your passions as an aspiring creative. Building a loyal community is pivotal for sustainable success in the creator economy. Jack is excited about upcoming acting projects and potentially launching a series blending scripted and reality-based storytelling to showcase his multifaceted talents. |
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Industry News |
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TikTok will discontinue its music-streaming application, TikTok Music, on November 28. This marks the end of a four-year streaming experiment by its parent company, ByteDance. The app, which combined social features with music streaming, launched in July 2023 in Indonesia and Brazil and later expanded to Singapore, Australia, and Mexico. |
Ole Obermann, TikTok’s Global Head of Music Business Development, told Business Insider that the closure is to focus on “furthering TikTok’s role in driving even greater music listening and value on music streaming services, for the benefit of artists, songwriters, and the industry.” |
The app’s performance in its active markets has been mixed. On Apple’s app store, TikTok Music ranks 28th among music-streaming apps in Indonesia and 71st in Brazil. It doesn’t appear in the top 100 in other operating countries. TikTok’s venture into streaming aligned with its established role in music discovery. |
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TwitchCon, a major convention for livestreamers and gaming enthusiasts, returned to the San Diego Convention Center from September 20-22. The event, hosted by the Amazon-owned platform Twitch, allows creators to meet their communities and engage in various activities like panel discussions, gaming tournaments, and live performances. |
This year's TwitchCon featured a diverse range of attractions, including a Bob Ross paint-along, drag shows, debates, and cosplay events promoting body positivity. The convention also showcased the latest in gaming and streaming technology, with interactive displays and product demos. |
With Twitch announcing a five-year commitment to San Diego, TwitchCon is set to become a major annual draw for the city, bringing together gaming, tech, and entertainment industries under one roof. |
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Toronto-based ad tech startup Motion has raised $30 million in Series B funding to expand its suite of analytics and research tools for creative strategists. The funding round, led by Inovia Capital with participation from Threshold Ventures and existing investors, brings Motion's total funding to $42 million. |
Motion develops software to help creative strategists research ad trends, analyze performance, and generate new ad ideas. With over 1,000 customers, primarily direct-to-consumer e-commerce brands and agencies, Motion's tools analyze more than $6 billion in annual media spend. |
The company has added YouTube influencer Dara Denney as chief evangelist and launched a new product called Creative Research. With the funding, Motion plans to accelerate its product roadmap, expand go-to-market efforts, and target industries beyond its core D2C e-commerce client base. |
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LTK, a family-owned creator commerce platform, is set to drive nearly $5 billion in sales this year from 300,000 creator partners and 8,000 brands. This is nearly double the $2.8 billion in sales the company saw leading into 2021. LTK provides creators with tools for affiliate marketing, brand collaborations, and digital storefronts. |
At its recent LTK Con, the platform introduced a new "Power Gifting" feature, allowing creators to request free products and exclusive discounts from brands to distribute to their audiences. According to an internal LTK study, the buying power of creators' fans has increased by 38% year-over-year, while the general population's decreased by 8%. |
Creators' audiences prioritize product availability and brand reputation over price, indicating a potential demand for limited-edition drops. LTK aims to be a central hub for creators to connect with fans and brands across platforms. |
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The creator economy is rapidly expanding, making influencer marketing an essential strategy for brands. At a recent Vogue Business event in New York, industry leaders discussed the future of working with creators. Nell Diamond of Hill House Home credited influencers for her brand's viral "Nap Dress" success during the pandemic. |
Grace Atwood, an influencer herself, emphasized letting creators have creative control to authentically connect with audiences. Tiffany Lopinsky of ShopMy noted the importance of understanding awareness and engagement metrics, not just sales data. |
Meg Strachan of Dorsey predicted influencer marketing could become the primary form in 10 years. Fostering strong creator relationships through trust and collaboration is key for brands to stay resilient in the ever-evolving digital landscape. |
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Tech YouTuber Marques Brownlee (MKBHD) recently launched a new wallpaper app called Panels, allowing users to access high-resolution digital art for a $50 yearly subscription. While the app curates stylish artwork from artists and splits revenue, the pricing has drawn criticism from fans expecting more affordable options. |
Brownlee addressed concerns over excessive data collection and ad frequency, promising updates. Despite being a top app in several countries, Panels faces skepticism due to its premium cost for a niche offering from an influential tech reviewer. The app highlights the challenges of monetizing digital content while balancing consumer expectations. |
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KwaKwa, a revolutionary platform, is empowering content creators to produce exceptional educational content by blending social media-like authoring tools with real-time engagement features. In a crowded digital landscape where quality and interaction are key differentiators, KwaKwa's intuitive interface, mobile-first design, and community-driven approach enable creators to craft authentic, immersive learning experiences that resonate with audiences. |
By prioritizing human-generated content and genuine interactions, KwaKwa offers a competitive edge for creators looking to elevate their work and build stronger connections with their followers, setting them apart in the highly competitive creator economy. |
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Malaysia's GoFluence launches the country's first influencer marketing platform at a fashion event. The platform debuts with over 45,000 influencers and 4,000 brands registered, aiming to support Malaysia's digital economy and provide global exposure for local designers through influencer marketing. |
GoFluence has partnered with the government's digital economy corporation and plans to expand its presence in Southeast Asia, aligning with regional trends prioritizing authenticity and transparency in influencer marketing campaigns. |
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Montreal's talent management agency Dulcedo Group has acquired Node App, an AI-powered influencer marketing platform. The acquisition aims to enhance Dulcedo's technological capabilities and expand its reach in the creator economy. |
Node App has helped over 2,000 companies generate millions of social media impressions through micro-influencer partnerships. The acquisition, which values Node App around $13 million, will allow Dulcedo to leverage Node's AI technology for improved influencer discovery and data reporting. This deal represents a trend where agencies are bringing technology in-house to become active participants in the creator economy. |
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A design trend dubbed "grannycore" is gaining traction on social media, driven by pandemic-era desires for coziness and an abundance of vintage furniture in secondhand markets. This trend embraces nostalgic elements reminiscent of grandmothers' living rooms, from floral couches to tufted settees. |
Five influencers shared insights into the grandmothers inspiring their style choices. These range from a housekeeper who inherited a mansion's treasures to a young woman recreating her grandmother's cozy ambiance in a modern apartment. |
The trend appeals to various demographics, including millennials seeking a slower pace of life amidst bustling careers. It also taps into sustainability concerns, with many enthusiasts sourcing vintage items to minimize waste. For businesses in the home decor and furniture sectors, the grannycore trend presents opportunities to market vintage-inspired products and capitalize on consumers' desire for nostalgia and comfort in their living spaces. |
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YouTuber MrBeast, known for his massive following and business success, has reportedly written an internal handbook detailing his philosophy for success. The leaked 36-page document, verified by former employees, outlines key principles for thriving in his company and as a YouTuber. |
Key points include: |
Being obsessive about content creation Owning mistakes and learning quickly Taking full ownership of tasks Finding creative ways to save money
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The handbook emphasizes the importance of avoiding corporate bottlenecks and thinking outside the box. While some former employees confirm these principles were applied, others note discrepancies between the document and their experiences. |
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The Consumer Bankers Association (CBA) has launched its first influencer campaign, primarily on TikTok, to educate young consumers about credit cards. This move highlights the growing trend of financial institutions leveraging social media influencers for outreach. |
Key takeaways for banks considering influencer campaigns include: |
Carefully selecting diverse influencers to reach different audiences Balancing legal disclosure requirements with authentic content delivery Measuring success through engagement metrics like thoughtful comments and shares, rather than just views
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While the CBA's approach prioritizes compliance and accuracy, some experts suggest more specific product recommendations could enhance utility. The campaign also raises questions about ROI measurement in influencer marketing. |
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Saudi Arabia's $500 billion futuristic city project, Neom, is facing scrutiny as influencers and vloggers reveal a less glamorous reality than promised. Recent social media posts by residents showcase bland, industrial-looking environments that starkly contrast with the project's ambitious renderings. |
Critics on social platforms describe the current state of Neom as "joyless and dreary" and reminiscent of a "low security prison." This backlash highlights the challenges in marketing developing megaprojects through influencer campaigns. |
Simultaneously, Neom faces controversies including allegations of human rights violations, executive misconduct, and rising costs. The project has reduced its 2030 population goal from 1.5 million to 300,000 residents. |
This situation underscores the risks of using influencer marketing for large-scale development projects and the potential disconnect between promotional content and on-the-ground realities in ambitious urban planning initiatives. |
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Hulu's new reality series, "The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives," featuring eight TikTok-famous Mormon moms, has become the streamer's most-watched reality show premiere this year. The show's success highlights the growing convergence of social media influencers and traditional media. |
Talent managers Lisa Filipelli and Danielle Pistotnik of Select Management Group, who represent the Mormon moms, revealed it took nearly four years to get the show produced and picked up. They cited resistance from traditional media to embrace digital talent. |
The managers emphasized the importance of looking beyond follower counts when assessing creator potential for longform content. They also noted the marketing advantages of creator-focused shows, with the TikTok community driving organic conversations about the series. |
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A new Federal Trade Commission study found major social media and streaming platforms like Meta, YouTube, and TikTok engaged in "vast surveillance" of users, collecting and sharing more personal data than most realized. These free services profited off user data by enabling targeted advertising. The companies failed to adequately protect children and teens. The FTC called for federal privacy legislation after concluding self-regulation efforts were inadequate. |
Chair Lina Khan warned the "surveillance practices can endanger privacy, threaten freedoms, and expose users to harms like identity theft or stalking." Despite rising scrutiny over tech giants' privacy violations, legislative attempts to regulate Big Tech have stalled. |
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