Spotlight Stories |
Why The NBA Is Putting Creators Courtside At Every Major Event This Season ‘Beast Games’ Set Issues Highlight Growing Pains In Youtuber-Run Productions How Ferrara Brands Like Nerds And Trolli Use Influencer Marketing To Boost Awareness Jake Paul Partners With Dog Haus To Launch New Restaurant Franchise
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Great Reads |
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The NBA is significantly expanding its creator program for the 2024-25 season to broaden its digital reach. Partnerships include providing creators like Kai Cenat and Drew Afualo courtside access for behind-the-scenes content. The NBA is also partnering with WSC Sports to give creators access to over 25,000 hours of game footage for analysis videos. |
The Creator Cup series returns with events in Las Vegas and the Bay Area. New tech partnerships with Meta Quest and Snapchat allow creators to showcase virtual reality experiences and produce content. Additionally, the NBA will collaborate with over 100 creators on voter participation initiatives leading into the season. Overall, it represents the league’s most expansive creator program to date, building on previous successful seasons. |
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Allegations of poor working conditions on YouTuber MrBeast’s Amazon show “Beast Games” have reignited calls for more oversight on digital productions run by creators. Unlike traditional Hollywood sets with union protections, many YouTuber-led projects lack formal workplace policies, leading to exploitative practices according to some actors. |
As creators gain mainstream success, industry professionals argue they should adopt entertainment industry standards like unions to ensure basic safeguards for cast and crew. However, implementing such structures could require YouTubers to relinquish some creative autonomy. The controversy highlights growing pains as the freewheeling digital space matures alongside increasing corporate partnerships and aspirations for mainstream recognition. |
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Over 90% of creators plan to launch products or services by 2025, with two-thirds of consumers buying these creator-founded offerings, according to new research from Billion Dollar Boy. The study surveyed over 4,000 consumers, 500 marketers, and 500 creators across the U.S. and UK. |
It found consumers, especially younger demographics, increasingly prefer creator brands over traditional brands due to perceived quality, supporting small businesses, popularity, trust, and community. Food/drink and fashion are the top categories for creator products so far. |
Key challenges creators face include limited budgets, lack of experience and business knowledge. Despite these hurdles, 93% of marketers have launched co-created products with creators, highlighting widespread brand engagement in this space. Billion Dollar Boy launched FiveTwoNine, a membership community providing resources to support aspiring creator entrepreneurs. |
Campaign Insights |
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The creator economy continues to expand as brands leverage influencers and their content across multiple channels beyond social media. Ferrara, maker of Nerds, Trolli and other candy brands, teams with influencer marketing firm Linqia to integrate passionate influencers who organically love their products into campaigns. |
Their successful Nerds Super Bowl ad featuring Addison Rae sparked further strategic partnerships, with influencer content now used across paid/owned channels like TV, digital video, email and e-commerce. |
While measuring influencer marketing ROI remains challenging, the ability to quantify results fuels broader integration and Scale. When brands tap influencers’ authentic brand affinity, it cultivates passionate, high-performing creative that resonates with audiences. |
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Jake Paul, the social media personality turned boxer, is expanding his business ventures by partnering with Dog Haus, a national restaurant and sports bar chain. The collaboration involves multiple facets, including marketing, in-store experience, menu development, and franchise ownership. |
Paul and his business partner are joining Dog Haus’ Board of Directors, and Paul is committing to become a 25-unit franchisee, with initial locations planned for Texas, Florida, and Puerto Rico. |
The partnership aims to leverage Paul’s influence to boost Dog Haus’s global reach and enhance the in-store customer experience, including special offers, menu collaborations, and “Fight Night Haus Parties” tied to Paul’s upcoming boxing match against Mike Tyson. This move adds to Paul’s growing business portfolio, which includes his personal care brand W and sports betting venture Betr Holdings Inc. |
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Foot Locker is ramping up its efforts in the creator economy. The retailer has launched a new platform called Foot Locker Storefronts that allows it to partner with influencers at scale. Through the platform, creators can set up custom shoppable storefronts featuring Foot Locker products that they can promote across social media and earn commissions on sales. |
Foot Locker has also entered a multi-year partnership with the Chicago Bulls basketball team. The collaboration will include community events, in-store activations, and exclusive behind-the-scenes content providing fans with special access. These moves allow Foot Locker to deepen its ties to sneaker culture and leverage influential voices to better connect with its core consumer base. |
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Facing economic headwinds, brands are turning to influencers as business consultants to gain insights on consumer trends and disruptive ideas. These “expert” influencers are being hired confidentially for roles like product development, brand experience, and marketing strategy. |
Unlike public-facing influencer campaigns, their work is private and unattributed. Brands struggling to connect with younger consumers like Gen Z are benefiting most, tapping into influencers’ sector-focused microcommunities. From video interviews to longer-term consulting councils, brands rapidly test ideas and gather unfiltered feedback. |
While challenging to identify suitable expert influencers, the approach provides a cost-effective way to stay ahead of transformational consumer shifts without major hiring. As economic pressures persist, this corporate influencer strategy allows innovative brands to strategically engage consumers for a competitive edge. |
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The creator economy continues to rapidly expand as more creators leverage their influence and brands to launch consumer product lines. This article discusses a partnership between multi-platinum singer John Legend and popular YouTuber and early childhood educator Ms. Rachel, collaborating on Legend’s new children’s album “My Favorite Dream.” |
The two reimagined Legend’s single “L-O-V-E” from the album, blending his vocals with Ms. Rachel’s signature learning style. Their partnership taps into the power of established entertainers teaming with digital creators to reach wider family audiences through music and products appealing to both parents and children. This illustrates how the creator economy is converging with traditional entertainment as stars look to influencers to help promote their brands and content across platforms. |
Interesting People |
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Barbara Costello, known as “Brunch With Babs” on social media, has amassed nearly 8 million followers across TikTok and Instagram by sharing wholesome content focused on family, celebrations, and easy recipes. After turning down many brand partnership offers, the 76-year-old grandmother recently became Birch Lane’s first brand ambassador, curating a collection that resonates with her classic and joyful living style. |
Costello’s authentic warmth and relatability as “everyone’s grandmother” have resonated deeply during turbulent times, paving the way for the rise of older influencers offering comforting, genuine content. Her success showcases the growing appetite for authenticity over hyper-filtered social media personalities. |
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David Cogen, a popular tech YouTuber behind TheUnlockr channel, has embarked on a new venture by opening a coffee shop called Coffee Check in Brooklyn. While maintaining his YouTube career, Cogen has transformed a leased space into a multifaceted business comprising a cafe, coffee roastery, production studio for rent, and podcast recording booth. |
The airy, tech-savvy space caters to both coffee enthusiasts and content creators alike. Cogen is navigating the challenges of balancing his content creation with running a physical business, pondering the synergies between the two worlds without compromising the purpose of his new endeavor. As he wrestles with these complexities, Coffee Check stands as a unique blend of Cogen’s passions for technology and artisanal coffee. |
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OnlyFans, primarily known for adult content, is attempting to attract creators offering non-sexual, safe-for-work material. However, several creators interviewed found limited success monetizing wholesome content on the platform. Challenges include lack of proper search functionality, users’ preconceptions about OnlyFans, and reluctance to share payment details on a site associated with adult entertainment. |
While OnlyFans offers a low 20% commission and flexible payment models, the site’s reputation and interface geared towards explicit content pose hurdles for mainstream adoption. Despite efforts to diversify, OnlyFans remains inextricably linked to its origins in the adult industry, making it difficult for wholesome creators to gain traction and earn meaningful income. |
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A new battle is brewing in the celebrity beverage space, as soccer star Lionel Messi’s Más+ brand has filed a lawsuit against Prime Hydration, the popular drinks company co-founded by influencers Logan Paul and KSI. |
Mark Anthony International, Más+’s distributor, initiated legal action on October 8th after Prime allegedly demanded they cease sales over packaging similarities. The lawsuit seeks a declaratory judgment that Más+ isn’t violating Prime’s trademark or trade dress rights. |
An industry expert’s survey, commissioned by Más+, found no significant risk of consumer confusion between the brands. The lawsuit argues Prime is attempting to monopolize common packaging elements in the hydration drink market. |
The dispute highlights growing tensions in the celebrity beverage industry, which has become increasingly crowded with athlete and influencer-backed brands. Más+ launched globally in June 2024, while Prime has become a dominant player in the sports drink category. |
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Industry News |
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The advertising industry is undergoing a seismic shift as more ad dollars flow directly to creators and influencers on social media platforms like Instagram and YouTube. Major ad agencies like Digitas, owned by Publicis Groupe, are adapting by acquiring influencer marketing firms and developing AI tools to identify the right influencers, automate sponsored content deals at scale. |
Digitas CEO Amy Lanzi explains this pivot towards the “creator economy” and how agencies bring value by operationalizing influencer campaigns for big brands. However, the line between “creator” and “influencer” remains blurred as user-generated content gains more marketing clout. Agencies race to stay ahead of platforms empowering individuals to build audiences and monetize their online presence directly. |
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Travel influencers now have a new platform to monetize their insider destination tips through a subscription model akin to OnlyFans. Deets.com connects travelers with curated recommendations from influencers and experts beyond typical social posts. Creators can share detailed insights like preferred hotel rooms and VIP experiences. The filtering system allows users to search by specific interests like concert travel or sustainable tourism. |
While drawing inspiration from OnlyFans’ model, Deets.com operates independently, providing a direct revenue stream for travel creators to build authentic audience connections by monetizing their expertise. The founders position it as the go-to platform for influencers looking to capitalize on their niche travel knowledge. |
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Yahoo Finance and Yahoo Sports are launching a new weekly podcast called “The Yahoo Finance Sports Report with Joe Pompliano.” The podcast will feature industry expert Joe Pompliano providing in-depth analysis beyond the headlines on teams, trades, billion-dollar deals, and their implications for companies and investors in the sports world. |
The show debuts on October 24 and will be available across major streaming platforms, expanding Yahoo’s sports business coverage. With top brands heavily investing in podcast advertising, especially in the sports genre, and studies showing over 50% of daily listeners make purchases influenced by podcast ads, this new show offers a strategic platform for reaching a valuable audience. |
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TikTok is expanding its #ElectronicMusic hub globally, coinciding with the Amsterdam Dance Event. The platform reports a 70% year-over-year increase in electronic music video creation, with specific subgenres like #DnB up 50%, #Techno up 63%, and #Trance up 73%. |
Several electronic artists have gained prominence, such as Dimitri Vegas, Hannah Laing, Eliza Rose, Adam Port, Chase & Status, and Jazzy. The hub showcases content from established and emerging artists and is launching in markets including the UK, Ireland, Netherlands, Sweden, France, Germany, Spain, Italy, Belgium, USA, and Australia. |
TikTok states the success is due to the genre’s infectious energy, global appeal, and the creative ways the community celebrates it through sharing music, remixing tracks, and creating trends. The company also announced discontinuing its TikTok Music streaming app on November 28 to focus on driving music listening value on other platforms. |
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Click Analytic, an influencer marketing platform, recently launched a new user-generated content (UGC) marketplace to address the growing demand for authentic, reusable content from smaller influencers. |
The integrated marketplace allows brands to find UGC creators, collaborate with them, and acquire content rights efficiently. With features like creator filtering, payment facilitation, and data insights, the platform aims to streamline the UGC acquisition process. |
As brands increasingly turn to UGC to reduce content creation costs, Click Analytic positions itself as a one-stop solution for influencer and UGC campaigns, tackling scalability challenges through its network of over 300 million creators. The company plans further enhancements, including consulting services to help brands navigate the UGC space. |
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A new GoDaddy survey reveals a striking generational divide in social media shopping habits. Gen Z consumers are showing unprecedented trust in influencer marketing, with 41% favoring influencer recommendations over traditional business advertising. |
The September study of 1,000 U.S. consumers found that while Gen Z places highest trust in influencer posts at 57%, Millennials prefer content directly from businesses at the same percentage. Notably, Gen Z ranks posts from friends lowest at 40% - challenging conventional wisdom about word-of-mouth marketing. |
Both generations are heavily engaged in social commerce, with over half of Gen Z and 47% of Millennials regularly using social platforms for product discovery. The trend is particularly pronounced for holiday shopping, where 42% of Gen Z plans to purchase directly through social media - significantly higher than Millennials at 26%. |
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Meta is implementing targeted layoffs across several teams, including WhatsApp, Instagram, and Reality Labs, as part of ongoing restructuring efforts. The cuts coincide with specific reorganizations, with some employees being relocated or transitioned to new roles. Meta confirmed the move aligns resources with long-term goals and location strategy. |
Notable employees impacted include Jane Manchun Wong from the Threads team. Despite ongoing restructuring, Meta’s Q2 2024 results exceeded expectations, with an upbeat sales forecast suggesting strong ad spending may offset AI investment costs. The company’s stock has surged over 60% this year. |
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Nearly 80% of consumers trust user-generated content (UGC) more than influencer posts when making purchasing decisions, according to a new report titled “The Ultimate Creator Guide” from The Influencer Marketing Factory. |
The report highlights the growing preference for authentic, consumer-created content over influencer marketing. It also reveals that only 4% of global creators are considered professionals earning over $100,000 annually, despite the projected growth of the $250 billion creator economy. |
The use of AI tools in content creation is increasing, with 33.4% of creators using ChatGPT and others leveraging Google, Adobe, and other AI assistants. The report provides insights into platform performances, emerging trends like the rise of influencer-founded brands, and the effectiveness of video ads compared to static ads. Key challenges, such as the self-employment tax burden and ethical considerations around AI usage, are also addressed. |
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New court documents reveal YouTube star MrBeast’s growing frustration with his burger chain partnership months before filing suit against Virtual Dining Concepts. Text messages show Jimmy Donaldson, known as MrBeast, lamenting his lack of control over the ghost kitchen operation, claiming he signed a ‘really fucked deal’ that limited his menu control to just 10% changes every six months. |
The documents also expose previously unreported details about Donaldson’s business empire, including venture capital involvement from Alexis Ohanian’s 776 fund and financing discussions for his Feastables chocolate brand’s Walmart expansion. |
This high-profile dispute, coupled with a recent class action lawsuit over his Amazon show ‘Beast Games,’ highlights the growing pains in creator-led businesses. Industry experts note this case exemplifies why more creators are now choosing to bootstrap their ventures rather than partner with established operators. Virtual Dining Concepts has countersued for $100 million. |
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Ireland’s South East Technological University has launched a first-of-its-kind four-year bachelor’s degree in “Content Creation and Social Media” to teach students how to convert social media influence into revenue streams. The course covers areas like personal branding, monetization strategies, creative content production, and data analytics. |
With the rising popularity of influencer marketing, the program aims to equip students with practical skills and theoretical knowledge to build successful careers in the creator economy, which is seen as a serious business opportunity by many companies and marketers. The inaugural class has 15 students, many already active on platforms like Instagram, TikTok, and YouTube, seeking to professionalize their online presence. |
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LinkedIn, traditionally known as a buttoned-up professional networking site, is experiencing an unexpected transformation into a comedy platform. A new Business Insider report reveals how comedians like Ken Cheng are gaining massive followings by satirizing corporate culture and CEO behavior. |
The trend reflects a broader shift in workplace attitudes following the pandemic. While only one-third of U.S. workers report feeling engaged at work according to Gallup, comedians are finding success by mocking corporate jargon and leadership clichés. |
Ironically, this anti-corporate humor is proving valuable for career advancement. Cheng reports landing both comedy gigs and corporate ghostwriting opportunities through his satirical CEO persona. |
The platform’s editor-in-chief Daniel Roth acknowledges this evolution, noting that while LinkedIn prioritizes professional knowledge-sharing, users increasingly want to see personality and fun in their feed. |
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Creator economy startup Jellysmack, backed by SoftBank, is implementing layoffs and restructuring its business model. Business Insider reports the company is cutting 22 U.S. positions, with additional cuts planned for its French operations. The company is shifting focus to owned intellectual property, including YouTube channels like Gamology and Beauty Studio, while scaling back its Meta platform creator partnerships. |
Jellysmack cited Meta’s ‘opacity of their new monetization model’ as a key factor in this decision. This restructuring follows December layoffs and the sale of its JellyFi creator catalog licensing division to Copyright Capital earlier this year. |
The move represents a significant pivot from Jellysmack’s original model of helping creators like MrBeast monetize content across multiple platforms. The changes reflect broader challenges in the creator economy, where venture-backed startups are struggling to meet growth expectations amid changing platform dynamics. |
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The creator behind social media’s viral ‘European Kid’ character is revealing the business strategy behind his satirical success. Aris Yeager, whose parody videos of a wealthy European socialite have garnered millions of views, has parlayed his online fame into a new venture called Storytime. |
The 24-year-old Belgian-American, who gained notoriety when viewers confused him with Bernard Arnault’s son, has built a following of 2.7 million across platforms. His character ‘Louis’ has even prompted clarifications from real luxury brand heirs. |
Now, Yeager is focusing on his influencer-marketing platform Storytime, which connects content creators with small businesses. The app, launched in April with $150,000 in funding, has attracted 1,000 vetted influencers and hundreds of subscribing businesses. |
Despite his character’s luxury lifestyle persona, Yeager is targeting small business partnerships, charging businesses $100 monthly for access to localized influencer marketing. |
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In a growing trend highlighting the complexities of modern divorce, social media influencers are facing unprecedented challenges in splitting their digital assets. The Wall Street Journal reports that content creators, who earned $26 billion from U.S. advertisers in 2023, are struggling to valuate and divide their social media accounts during divorces. |
Take the case of TikTok creators Mike and Kat Stickler. Their divorce settlement hinged on determining the future value of their joint account with 4 million followers. Kat, who ultimately retained control of the TikTok account, has since grown it to 10.5 million followers, while Mike’s YouTube channel became defunct. |
With 27 million paid content creators in the U.S., industry professionals are now recommending prenuptial agreements specifically addressing social media assets. Financial expert Vivian Tu, who has 8 million followers, exemplifies this approach, having protected her digital assets through a prenup before her recent marriage. |
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Honda Motor Europe has appointed Exposure to handle its global influencer marketing campaigns, following a competitive pitch process. Exposure will drive brand perception and awareness around Honda’s electrified vehicles across multiple European markets, leveraging local creators and campaigns inspired by Honda’s “The power of dreams” tagline. |
The agency’s in-house social and influence specialists will select influencers from key markets and create culturally resonant campaigns. This expanded partnership builds on Exposure’s existing role as Honda’s lead creative agency in Europe, alongside Accenture Song’s creative duties. The influencer marketing efforts aim to connect with audiences on a deeper level and showcase how Honda’s electrified model range aligns with their life passions. |
