Hey Creatorverse readers,
For nearly a year now, I’ve felt like there’s been a language barrier between the creator economy and those in more mature industries like Hollywood and the world of advertising. It’s becoming increasingly clear that the creator industry is lacking a consistent vocabulary, and it’s leading to a lot of head scratching across the board. The vocabulary is the bridge to better understanding.
Basic terms like “creator” and “influencer” often get conflated (Remember: Creators are more focused on creating content; influencers are more focused on building audiences). Everyday realities like having a show on YouTube or live streaming are met with blank stare.
After three days of attending Advertising Week, I’m now more convinced than ever that there’s a language disconnect.
This year marks Advertising Week’s first creator track, a series of panels dedicated to educating industry leaders about one of the fastest growing fields in the ad landscape. It’s a push that doesn’t just seem helpful for advertisers; it feels like an educational course that’s vital. From conversations I’ve had with attendees, many participants on the ad side are still confused about some of the most basic parts of the creator landscape, such as how creators make a living (predominantly content monetization and brand deals).
That disconnect isn’t a one-way street. Some of the creators I’ve spoken to have expressed frustration and confusion over brand partnerships, which often single out creators out for their distinct voice and audience only to ask them to perform a generic ad read.
Of course, this isn’t the case with everyone. I’ve also spoken to marketing and communication leaders who truly understand the creator space and are pushing to be on the cutting edge of this economy, like Warner Bros. Pictures’ creator and fan-focused take for “A Minecraft Movie.” Likewise, I’ve seen and spoken to creators who either really enjoy working with their brand partners or have adapted to speaking the ad industry’s language of deliverables and KPIs. Dhar Mann’s presentation (26.1 million YouTube subscribers), which was essentially a live creation of a Gap Inc. campaign, was a good example of bridging that divide while showing off how quickly creators can work.
But it’s becoming increasingly clear that the creator industry is lacking a consistent vocabulary, and it’s leading to a lot of head scratching across the board.
That may be worrying when you consider the other major trend across advertising and entertainment: the rise of AI. Last Sunday, MrBeast (443 million YouTube subscribers) — arguably the biggest creator in the game — wondered how the rise of AI videos will impact YouTube and “the millions of creators currently making content for a living.”
“Scary times,” he wrote on X. Other creators I’ve spoken to have also echoed that unease around AI.
Now more than ever, the advertising, entertainment, tech, media and creator industries need to get on the same page about what exactly the creator industry encompasses and what it requires. At the rate everything is moving, it’s only going to get more complicated.
Now onto the rest.
Kayla Cobb
Senior Reporter
kayla.cobb@thewrap.com
What’s New
Instagram is putting a ring on creators
The platform will now be dolling out awards to Instagram creators not based on follower count but based on creativity. A panel of 13 judges, which include Spike Lee, Marc Jacobs and Olympian Ilona Maher (5.3 million followers on Instagram), will nominate the work of their favorite creators. The final winners will receive both a physical ring and a digital one for their profile. Why the marketing for this award looks like it could summon a Japanese ghost girl remains a mystery.
“Dude Perfect: The Hero Tour” grossed just over $370,000 on its opening weekend
According to Ben Odell’s Open Gardens Substack, the Dude Perfect movie’s opening weekend grossed around $371,000 after opening on over 1,200 Regal screens and regional theaters. After its second weekend, that number jumped to $500,000, which is not great. However, the movie did perform well in smaller markets like Charleston, S.C. The movie is also seeing success in the Dallas Fort Worth areas as well as Los Angeles, New York City, Atlanta, Houston, Phoenix and Salt Lake City.
This isn’t necessarily a death toll for creators’ hopes for the big screen, but it does likely mean the future of theaters isn’t going to be watching trick shots you could see on YouTube.
Epic sues Fortnite fans, and Kentucky sues Roblox
Two notable cases in the gaming metaverse. Epic Games, the company behind Fortnite, is suing two developers who used more than 20,000 bots to artificially inflate the reach of their in-game creations. Epic is stating that anywhere from 88% to 99% of these creators’ engagement was not real, and since user popularity equates to payouts for Fortnite creators, the company is not happy.
As for Roblox, the other major player in the creator gaming sphere, Kentucky Attorney General Russell Coleman is suing the company over its child safety measures. Kentucky is now the second state to sue the company after Louisiana did so in August over similar concerns. The child safety worries don’t look like they’re going to die down anytime soon.
Corporate Synergy
Underscore Talent launches a comedy division that will include “Subway Takes” host Kareem Rahma
The creator-focused talent agency Underscore Talent launched a comedy division this week led by Michael Green, who previously co-founded The Firm and Studio71 (formerly known as The Collective). Already the division has some promising stars in its ranks including the host of the viral talkshow “Subway Takes” Kareem Rahma (1.6 million Instagram followers), Zachariah Porter (1.2 million Instagram followers) and Kendahl Landreth (3 million TikTok followers).
News Creator Corps announces its inaugural class for its 2025 program
I’ve covered News Creator Corps before, the nonprofit dedicated to educating influential creators about journalism to help combat the spread of misinformation. This week the organization announced the 20 creators who will be part of its inaugural eight-week program. These creators came from 12 states, and many were chosen because they cater to underserved communities. Members include creators like Nikki Sapiro Vinckier (67,000 Instagram followers), an OB/GYN physician assistant as well as the founder of the reproductive healthcare source Take Back Trust, and Alandya Warren (59,000 TikTok followers), who spotlights Black women and history. Check out the full roster here.
Gap launches a creator affiliate program
Creators can now earn a commission from engaging with Gap Inc. brands like Old Navy, Gap, Banana Republic and Athleta. Members of the newly announced affiliate and advocacy program will gain early access to new releases, exclusive promotions and content collaboration opportunities. This creator-focused push comes on the heels of Gap’s viral “Better in Denim” campaign with Katseye, which generated over 600 million views and 8 billion impressions on social media. Gap now joins the ranks of Walmart, Target and Ulta as another major brand that’s betting on creators.
Movers and Shakers
Amelia Dimoldenberg launches a new interview series with Formula 1
“Passenger Princess” will follow host producer, writer and host Amelia Dimoldenberg as she interviews her most daring subjects to date: Formula 1 drivers. Throughout the four-part series top drivers like George Russell, Ollie Bearman, Oscar Piastri and Carlos Sainz will also teach Dimoldenberg how to drive these heart-pounding vehicles. The series will premiere on Oct. 15 on YouTube with new episodes airing weekly.
“Good Mythical Morning” hosts Rhett and Link join Agentio as company advisors
The hosts of “Good Mythical Morning” (19.4 million YouTube subscribers) Rhett McLaughlin and Link Neal have joined Agentio as company advisors. Agentio is an ad platform for creator content, and in their new role, the duo will help educate marketers about the benefits of the platform when it comes to brand partnerships. As we covered up top, it’s coming at a good time.
“Lemonade Stand” podcast heads to Vox
The hit business podcast “Lemonade Stand” is coming to the Vox Media Podcast Network in the company’s first deal with Twitch-centric creators. Launched earlier this year, “Lemonade Stand” is hosted by Doug Wreden, aka DougDoug (3 million YouTube subscribers); Brandon Ewing, aka Atrioc (875,000 YouTube subscribers); and Aiden McCaig (26,000 Instagram followers). McCaig also co-hosts the comedy podcast “The Yard.”
Who to Watch
Baron Ryan
If there is such a thing as an auteur creator, Baron Ryan (2.9 million TikTok followers) may be it. Both deeply introspective and dreamily distant, his musings on TikTok are often framed as conversations with himself that capture how surreal it feels to be online in the modern age. And now he’s coming out with a movie produced by Camp Studios.
“Two Sleepy People” was made in 100 days with a $100,000 budget and is being touted as the debut of “internet cinema.” Inspired by Ryan’s own breakup, the romantic drama follows two co-workers who keep appearing in each other’s dreams as a married couple. So far, the movie is set to premiere in select theaters in Seattle, San Francisco, Los Angeles and New York. But there’s interest for additional screenings in at least 20 other U.S. cities. Get to know Ryan’s work on TikTok before he becomes an indie darling.
Bonus Content
- MrBeast: Reacting to “Hi Me In 10 Years” (via YouTube)
- How a Travel YouTuber Captured Nepal’s Revolution for the World (via Wired)
- Marie Claire UK may have taken down its piece on MAGA beauty, but Jessica DeFino has receipts — Erika Kirk’s Memorial Glam (Or, A Definitive Guide To MAGA Aesthetics) (via Flesh World)
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This report provides a weekly deep dive into the creator economy. It highlights key trends, political and technological developments, data points and industry leaders all with the goal of making you smarter about this constantly evolving space.