Hey Creatorverse readers,
Cannes Lions is happening next week, and you better believe I’ll be there for TheWrap. Last year, over 400 creators flooded the beaches of France during the global advertising festival. And this year is supposed to be even bigger. Around 500 YouTube creators are expected to attend.
The Cannes creator takeover is one of the biggest examples of how the creator economy is changing entertainment. Previously, celebrities would appear at Cannes Lions as brand ambassadors. Now it’s more of a mutually beneficial relationship for entrepreneurial creators. Brands get to showcase these celebrities with massive followings to prove their cultural impact, while creators get to directly appeal to the CEOs and marketing heads of massive corporations. As one creator with millions of followers told me, it’s a must-attend event for creators, who get to be a small, coveted fish in a massive marketing pond.
Several big name creators are already confirmed to attend this year, including Unwell founder and “Call Her Daddy” host Alex Cooper (which averages 10 million listeners per episode), Dhar Mann (27 million YouTube subscribers), “The Broski Report” and “Royal Court” host Brittany Broski (1.2 million YouTube subscribers), celebrity chef Nick DiGiovanni (41 million subscribers), Adam W (21 million subscribers), Haley Kalil (17 million TikTok followers) and “Diary of a CEO” Steven Bartlett (17.5 million YouTube subscribers). Tubefilter, Comscore, Whalar Group and Gospel Stats also compiled what they’ve dubbed The Creator List to help Cannes attendees sort through the talent this year.
I’ll also be moderating two panels at Cannes this year.
On Monday, I’ll be moderating “The Edit Never Changes: Building a Brand That Outlasts the Algorithm,” a discussion between home organizational company The Home Edit founders Joanna Teplin and Clea Shearer as well as DoorDash’s Executive Creative Director Kirsten Rutherford about how to build sustainable brands in a constantly changing environment. That will take place at 3:25 p.m. on UTA Beach.
Then on Tuesday, I’ll be talking to Kudzi Chikumbu, vice president of creator partnerships at Tubi, Dawn Yang, global head of entertainment partnerships at TikTok, and Alex Maystrik and Pablo Hernandez, the creators behind the channel Durafest2 (785,000 TikTok followers) about how creators are turning fandoms into franchises. “Tubi x TikTok: From For You Feed to Big Screen” will take place at 3:30 p.m. at the Tubi Cabana.
When I’m not on stage, I’ll be covering the festival on the ground. Feel free to come say hi!
And I’m not the only Wrap reporter who will be out and about. My colleague Tess Patton will also be covering VidCon in Anaheim next week.
Now onto the rest.
Kayla Cobb
Senior Reporter
kayla.cobb@thewrap.com
What’s New
Unwell isn’t doing super well
A lot of news on the Alex Cooper front this week. Let’s start with the positives: Cooper’s media company Unwell launched a bi-weekly newsletter on Substack called Unsaid, which will feature contributors like influencer Isabel Timerman. Cooper is also executive producing a series based on Hannah Grace’s best-selling novel “Icebreaker” for Netflix.
But the real reason Cooper is getting attention is because of a Vanity Fair expose that accuses Unwell of fostering a toxic workplace culture and allowing inappropriate behavior. Vanity Fair spoke to 40 sources for the article, 30 of whom are either current or former Unwell employees, and Cooper’s husband Matt Kaplan comes up a lot. Specifically, employees call his leadership style “volatile” and “caustic,” which is pretty sharply at odds with Unwell’s whole uplifting women vibe.
The U.S. is requiring international World Cup creators to get a work visa
International creators coming to the U.S. to cover the World Cup have to obtain a work visa. Without a visa, creators will not be legally able to monetize their content on social media, according to a statement released by Customs and Border Protection and the Department of Homeland Security. Visa requirements for creators is nothing new, but this may impact FIFA’s broadcasting strategy, which has agreements with TikTok and YouTube creators. Unlike other sporting events, the World Cup is really depending on creators for its distribution strategy. For example, the only way for viewers in Brazil to watch every game is through creator livestreams, as Scalable found. Consider this a global test ahead of the LA Summer Olympics in 2028.
Britain is banning users under the age of 16 from TikTok, YouTube, Instagram and Snapchat
Britain is following in Australia’s footsteps as the latest country to ban underage users from social media platforms. By next spring, UK users under the age of 16 will no longer be able to access social media apps like Snapchat, TikTok or YouTube, Prime Minister Keir Starmer said Monday.
It all comes down to child safety concerns. People pushing for age bans on social media argue these platforms are designed to be addictive to children and that they allow for online grooming. On the other side, people arguing that social media can give children access to vital resources and safe communities, especially LGBT+ kids. It’s all very confusing, and no one can agree on how to solve this problem.
Platform Updates
Half a billion people are using Threads every month
After three years, the Meta-owned Threads has over 500 million monthly active users. Threads has been quietly become a social media force. Last September, Threads beat X in terms of daily active users, and it’s held onto that lead. In April, Threads saw 136 million daily average users compared to X’s 127 million average, according to Similarweb data. To celebrate the milestone, Threads unveiled Your Algo, an algorithm customization option that lets users privately control what conversations they see in their feeds.
Substack expands its creator tools, and Reddit adds video commenting
Substack launched Creator Kits on Tuesday, a way to build shareable media kits to attract brand partners through Substack’s native sponsorships program. Eligible publishers will be able to turn on their Creator Kit to show that they’re interested in working with brands. If there’s a possible match, the Substack team will reach out. It’s a move that continues the trend of platforms making it easier for creators to partner with brands.
Speaking of trends, Reddit is upping its video game. Commentators will be able to respond to posts via video. Response videos are big business on YouTube and TikTok, and now the people’s platform is getting in on the action.
Three-fourths of creators say creative AI is part of how they work
Roughly 75% of creators say that creative AI is either integral or essential to how they work. That stat is from Adobe’s Creators’ Toolkit Report, which surveyed more than 16,000 creators about how they use and think about AI. Though creators are largely using AI in their workflow, most creators (57%) say that AI content requires moderate to extensive editing and nearly all (85%) believe the final decision about how to incorporate AI should remain with the creator.
Notable Cannes Lions Events
Adobe at Lions Creator Beach
This year, Adobe is the first headline partner of Lions Creators. To celebrate their place on Creator Beach, the company is rolling out a content studio, a podcast studio and programming that will include Steven Bartlett and David Wadhwani, president of creativity and productivity at Adobe. Adobe’s events will take place Monday through Thursday from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m.
UTA Creators Dinner
UTA is also investing heavily in Cannes Lions this year. In addition to setting up the inaugural UTA Beach, it will host a dedicated lounge for creators and UTA and DBA will bring over 70 creators to the event. Then on Wednesday, UTA Creators and Claude will host an exclusive dinner, which will include Keith Lee, Katie Fang (6.6 million TikTok followers) and The Home Edit’s Joanna Teplin and Clea Shearer.
YouTube Creator Club
YouTube has always been one of the creator kings of Cannes. But this year, the platform is mixing up its approach. Rather than brands inviting creators to come to events, YouTube is launching the Creator Club, a dedicated hub for creators to connect and become brand-deal ready. Now, brands will be coming to creators rather than the other way around, further cementing the fact that creators are essential and equal creative partners for the industry’s biggest brands.
YouTube expects over 200 creators will attend throughout the week, which will include panels about building long-term brand partnerships and how to make the most of AI creation tools. It’s hard to pick out a “top” event for YouTube. But if you’re interested in creators, their beach is a must stop.
Movers and Shakers
MrBeast surpassed 500 million YouTube subscribers
Jimmy Donaldson, aka MrBeast, broke another YouTube record on Monday, surpassing 500 million subscriberson the platform (he’s now at 502 million subscribers). Donaldson livestreamed the moment on his channel and took a second to thank his fans, encourage them to create and pledge to make his content even better.
“I feel like the best YouTube videos are still coming, like my greatest works, my top stuff, it hasn’t come out yet. I feel like I’ve got at least another 20 to 30 years in the tank of making YouTube videos,” Donaldson said on the stream. True to MrBeast form, the team then surprise dropped a new special to celebrate the achievement.
Kevin Cate’s “Open Door” will be adapted into a movie, and Disney+ acquires the streaming rights to “Gracie’s Corner”
In the wake of “Obsession” and “Backrooms” still dominating the box office, Kevin Cate’s short “Open Door” is getting a feature length adaptation in a six-figure development deal. Cate, who is a former Obama spokesperson, is more of a filmmaker who posted on YouTube than a creator. But since this movie is happening because “Open Door” saw nearly 15 million views across social media, it kind of counts.
But you know who are creators? The Hollingsworth family. Disney+ acquired the streaming rights to their children’s YouTube channel, “Gracie’s Corner” (6.3 million subscribers). As part of this deal, Disney plans to debut 120 shorts and 18 video compilations from the show on its platform.
Kai Cenat’s Streamer University and Amelia Dimoldenberg’s Dimz Inc. Academy are coming back
Two major creator-led incubatory programs are coming back this summer. Kai Cenat’s Streamer University is accepting both online and in-person submissions for the summer. Last year, Streamer University brought 120 creator students and 18 professors to the University of Akron as part of a four-day crash course.
Also, Amelia Dimoldenberg’s Dimz Inc. Academy is coming back. The program is open to London-based young adults between 18 and 24 years old and consists of a four-week free program. It will also offer paid work placements.
@chat_n_chops In this episode, we learn how to thicken sauces naturally deglaze pans, use emulsification and other culinary techniques to make a perfect dish for under five dollars. It’s filling it stretches a long way and your family will love it. Use it as a blueprint. Add what you want. Take away what you don’t. #chefmoe #cooking101 #budget #foodie #homecooking ♬ original sound – Chef Moe
Who to Watch
Chef Moe
There are a lot of food creators out there, but few truly deliver on the promise of their recipes like Chef Moe (1.7 million TikTok followers) does. Repeatedly, he’s promised to teach people how to make a family meal for under $5, and he does exactly that. What’s great about Chef Moe is that he never assumes his followers have kitchen staples that can quickly add up like butter, olive oil or specialty spices. The only things he assumes people have are the food they purchased, salt, pepper and basic cooking equipment. Especially with grocery prices on the rise, it’s a wholesome channel that offers practical ways for people to eat flavorful food without breaking the bank.
Bonus Content
- Why YouTube Isn’t Afraid of Creators Leaving in the Wake of ‘Obsession’ and ‘Backrooms’ Box Office Sweep (via TheWrap)
- They Tried to Catch a Predator. They Trapped Themselves Instead (via New York Times)
- How Roku Will Supercharge Fox’s Streaming and Advertising Businesses | Analysis (via TheWrap)
Want more? Explore WrapPRO now.
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.
