Creator Vision

CALLING ON CREATOR MARKETING B2B EXPERTS: Creator economy M&A is heating up, signaling a growing recognition of its long-term potential. A recent Business Insider article highlighted 15 major M&A deals in the creator economy over the past 12 months, “creator startups that offer business-to-business solutions are better targets for M&A than those that cater just to influencers as customers.” This trend emphasizes the increasing value of B2B solutions—especially in measurement and analytics. However, to unlock the creator economy's value, we need trusted, reliable resources in the B2B space to sustain and accelerate this growth. In partnership with Jason Birke East Wind Advisors Creator Vision we are identifying the best-in-class partners driving the industry forward. Which companies help brands understand creator effectiveness? Which partners are critical to measuring campaign success? Who provides the tools to measure and optimize their investments? We want to hear from you. Want to help us build this list of leading measurement and analytics partners? Please drop me a DM for the survey link and more details. We are closing the survey and want to hear your expert opinions. Article here:

LOST LEARNING: 85% of creators NEVER hear back from brands about how they evaluate their work? What a missed opportunity. For everyone. 82% say Diversity is not a Label and brands must be consistent using diversity or it feels less trustworthy 81% see brands LOSING SALES because of poor coordination between content and the checkout experience. Thank you Payouts.com for the chance to share insights from my recent research with The Harris Poll https://lnkd.in/gMnXcC99 And thank you Rubi Lebovitch for the convo. 🔥🔥🔥

CREATOR MARKETING MOMENT: The momentum and signals are clear: Creator Marketing is capturing attention AND bigger budgets. Consider these milestones: -Publicis acquires Influential for $500M 🔥 -People are spending 30% more time watching content online vs TV -Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity features a dedicated creator pass and content track MEASUREMENT IS CRITICAL As we move into the next phase of growth, rigorous measurement solutions and reliable partners will be essential. In partnership with Jason Birke and East Wind Advisors we’re on a mission to identify the best-in-class B2B resources and partners. Do they measure creator marketing effectiveness? Does their solution help marketers make better decisions about investments in content or creative execution? Are they helping identify creators and understand their communities? WHO SHOULD WE INCLUDE? We would love your help to build this list. WANT TO PARTICIPATE? Send me a DM, and I’ll share the study link and more details. Let’s elevate Creator Marketing together!

THEY HATED MTV TOO! In 1981, critics called the launch of MTV “a gimmick.” It could never displace established (legacy) entertainment channels. 😳 FALSE: Not only did it spark a cultural revolution, but MTV also became a key business partner… For movies, soundtracks, fashion AND OF COURSE advertising. Along the way, MTV directors (CREATORS) such as DAVID FINCHER, SPIKE JONZE & MICHAEL BAY become SUPERSTAR movie directors. Their style of storytelling and editing captured the attention of young audiences—the same way CREATORS (ie Yes Theory, Michelle Khare , Justin Flom Coco Mocoe and many more) understand how to reach and influence millions of fans Is Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity and their new dedicated creator track a sign of the tide turning towards creators as respected marketing partners? Writing a new column for Forbes ⬇️⬇️⬇️ to share thoughts about what’s next for creators and marketers. Check it out and let me know what you think.

CREATORS WITH IMPACT: There’s nothing quite like seeing the real-life reactions of fans when they spot a creator “in the wild” to truly understand the power of creators. Yes Theory, the legendary YouTubers, have built a global community of 9 million strong around their mission to “SEEK DISCOMFORT” as a way to foster personal growth. And my from my first-hand experience , their impact is unmatched. Everywhere they go, fans don’t just recognize them - they thank them, hug them and share their personal stories of transformation. It was incredible to see creators, marketers and fans alike share how YES THEORY inspired them to change their lives. (Even Jay Shetty gave them a shout out from the stage during his own talk.) During our Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity panel “How to Build an Empire” which included their incredible business partner and manager, Zack Honarvar, we wanted to demonstrate the power of the SEEK DISCOMFORT platform. We challenged the audience to find someone with the same birthday in order to receive a very special reward. It was chaos and madness with people talking to complete strangers and searching for their match. Thanks to BLADE, the helicopter service, FOUR lucky birthday buddies won helicopter rides to the airport (Cannes to Nice) a nice reward for seeking discomfort! When you bring people together with a shared passion and mission its a strong reminder that there’s nothing like the impact of a creator with a truly committed community. #creatoreconomy #YesTheory #SeekDiscomfort

WHY? vs WHY NOT? There’s no question that brands must evolve their marketing strategies to embrace creator marketing. Especially as people move to private, unreachable spaces. But for many marketers, this shift requires a change in organizational design, staffing and creative execution - which can be daunting even in the most stable economic environments The risk is that relying on outdated, one-way communication means missing out on the chance to engage in private spaces where people share, discover new products and most importantly build trusted relationships with their community. If you are still thinking “WHY SHOULD I CHANGE” & “HOW DO I ADAPT” Check out new research “The Creator Rosetta Stone” from Creator Vision The Harris Poll Pearpop 👇👇👇 https://lnkd.in/gnhtcjU8 #CreatorEconomy #CreatorStrategy

CREATORS AS STRATEGY: LEARNINGS 1. PLAY WITH YOUR BRAND: Brands are loosening up and having fun with their image. The Coca-Cola Company, CeraVe and Specsavers are brilliant examples of how to successfully embrace humor and flexibility, allowing creators more input over their brand expressions but in a brand safe and successful way. This is the future. Thank you to the brilliant James Robinson, Head of Customer Success for Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity for a detailed tour of the work and sharing his insights. 2. FOLLOW THE MONEY: The content supply chain and how creator/agency payments are made (or not made) is critical. Payment terms, transparency in pricing, AI’s impact on content expectations are all vital to the health of the (still young) creator economy. Creators Agents/Managers Creator Marketing Agencies Platforms Other Agencies Brands - It’s clear that understanding who controls what is key to navigating this emerging ecosystem. 3. BUSINESS EMPATHY: Being “Brand Ready” for creators and “Creator Ready” for brands is essential. Becky Owen from Billion Dollar Boy Victoire Binet (MSc) from Unilever Julie Bogaert from Snap Inc. creators Nikki Lilly & Alanna Doherty highlighted the need for deeper brand-creator relationships. With 85% of creators NEVER receiving feedback from brands about how they evaluate their work, we all have a big opportunity to improve collaboration. Let’s keep pushing the boundaries and evolving together! 🚀 #CreatorEconomy #BrandStrategy #IndustryInsights #CreatorsAsStrategy

CREATORS AS STRATEGY (BUSINESS RESULTS) Creators can drive massive impact but the key is focus: HAVE A SPECIFIC BUSINESS OUTCOME. Specsavers (UK) faced a unique challenge: how to let the UK know they were the largest source for hearing tests — despite being BEST KNOWN FOR EYEGLASSES. The answer? A nationwide “RICKROLL” featuring the one & only Rick Astley that brilliantly captured earned media and resonated deeply with the cultural zeitgeist. “The Misheard Version” campaign re-recorded Astley’s iconic “Never Gonna Give You Up” with intentionally incorrect lyrics ( “Run around with dessert spoons”), Specsavers created an unavoidable nationwide hearing test. The result? Within just eight hours, over 20 million plays and a doubling of online searches related to hearing loss. This propelled the campaign to become a nationally trending topic in the UK. The impact was undeniable: • 1220% increase in hearing test bookings • 138% rise in searches related to hearing loss Massive congrats to Golin for securing the first ever PR Lions Grand Prix awarded to a PR agency with sole creative credit. Alex Wood, CCO, Golin EMEA, shared “An Incredible result. This was an earned-first idea that started in laughter, but ended up changing how Brits hear” The key takeaway? Successful creator campaigns MUST be tied to one specific business outcome. In this case, it was expanding Specsavers’ reputation from eyeglasses to hearing tests, demonstrating the power of focused strategy and brilliant creativity. Congrats! #cannesLions #CreatorsasStrategy

CREATORS CO-CREATING AS STRATEGY: or more accurately COKE-creating. Most brands are hesitant to let creators alter their brand, especially the logo. However, The Coca-Cola Company took a bold step by embracing co-creators. Instead of strictly controlling their storied brand assets, they leaned in to celebrate the unofficial versions and the co-creators of Coca-Cola’s logo found in street art and local shops around the world. “Thanks for Coke-Creating” developed by WPP Open X and led by VML with support from EssenceMediacom and Ogilvy PR, recognized the creativity of bodegas, shopkeepers, and local artists, and let them participate in the brand. And look at the results 3 Golds, 4 Silvers and 1 Bronze and winning most creative brand of the year. “These visuals are so meaningful and impactful. Signs for local businesses capturing colors of cultures and personalities of communities. We're proud to celebrate and embrace their work.” Islam ElDessouky, Global Vice President Creative Strategy & Content at Coca-Cola More proof that even global brands can pivot and good things will happen. #CannesLions #CreatorsAsStrategy

LOST IN TRANSLATION: Brands and creators have been collaborating for years but we still have a lot to learn - from each other. Basic communication is still a challenge - 85% of creators NEVER hear FEEDBACK from brands. (Ask any creator to verify this is true) so despite, AI, bigger budgets and massive audiences, we don’t speak the same language. Say HELLO to the Creator Rosetta Stone, a “hot off the press” research study from Creator Vision The Harris Poll featuring insights and data from Pearpop’s verified creators. DATA HIGHLIGHTS: 89% say they have audience insights that brands fail to access 79% believe brands are losing sales because the content and checkout experience are inconsistent DIVERSITY IS NOT A LABEL: 82% their communities want to see themselves reflected in brands campaigns; and if brands do not use diversity consistently, it feels less trustworthy. Check out the full research study here 👇👇👇 https://lnkd.in/gnhtcjU8 Can’t wait to share more next week at the Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity #research #creatoreconomy