Creator Economy Live

Send us Fan MailIn Episode 88 of Creator Economy Live, Keith sits down with Parker Butler—former Director of Digital Rapid Response for Kamala Harris’s 2024 campaign and now Managing Partner at Luminary Strategies, a Gen Z-led agency born out of the viral Kamala HQ movement.We dive into how political campaigns are leveraging creators, real-time content, and rapid-response social strategies to drive cultural relevance at scale—and what brands can learn from it. Parker shares behind-the-scenes insights from the Biden and Harris campaigns, key lessons from the 2024 election cycle, and why being reactive isn’t just possible for big organizations—it’s essential.Plus, we break down the latest industry news, from Instagram testing links in captions to TikTok’s move into radio, and highlight the creators and brands shaping culture right now.

Send us Fan MailWe’re going “across the pond” for a special Manchester edition of Creator Economy Live, joined by Beatrice Mustocea, Creator & Public Figures Lead at TikTok UK.With a career spanning Google, LinkedIn, and now TikTok, Beatrice breaks down how creator partnerships have evolved—and what it really takes to turn online influence into real-world impact. From building TikTok’s film and TV creator programme to working with studios and entertainment brands, she shares how the next generation of tastemakers is being shaped.We also dive into the latest headlines—from Indonesia’s under-16 social media ban to new commerce-driven ad formats on X—and spotlight standout creators and brands making waves right now.Plus: 🔥 What separates breakout creators from those who plateau 🎥 How entertainment brands are rethinking creator collaborations 📈 Overlooked growth opportunities on TikTok today

Send us Fan MailCreator Economy Live is going global 🌍 — and in Episode 85, we’re crossing the pond to the UK ahead of our upcoming trip to Manchester.Keith and Brendan sit down with Naomi Horan, marketing leader at Cloud Nine, the premium hair styling brand that’s built a powerful presence across retail, social, and the professional beauty community. Naomi shares how the brand approaches influencer partnerships, builds authentic creator relationships, and balances campaigns with long-term community.In this episode, we cover:✨ What makes Cloud Nine stand out in the competitive beauty space✨ How brands should think about gifting vs paid partnerships✨ The value of long-term creator ambassadors vs one-off campaigns✨ Differences in creator performance across the UK, Europe, and Australia✨ Where beauty influencer marketing is heading in 2026Plus, Keith and Brendan break down the latest creator economy headlines and wrap up with Creator of the Week, Brand of the Week, and Follow picks. 🎙️If you work in beauty, DTC, or creator-led marketing, this episode is packed with insights you won’t want to miss.

Send us Fan MailWant to hear these insights and more in person? Creator Economy Live is landing in Manchester 29 - 30 April. Save 20% on your ticket with code CELPOD20 and register today!When a simple jingle turns into a national commercial, you know something big happened. In this episode of Creator Economy Live, hosts Keith Bendes and Brendan Gahan sit down with Romeo—the creator behind the viral “Dr Pepper Baby, it’s good and nice!” moment that took the internet by storm.What started as a spontaneous post quickly exploded across social media, ultimately landing Romeo in a major Dr Pepper commercial during the college football national championship and launching her creator career into overdrive.Romeo joins the show to share the full story:- The backstory before the viral moment- What it felt like watching the post explode online- How brands started flooding their inbox- The whirlwind of media appearances—from the Jennifer Hudson Show to national TV- What’s next as they build a long-term career in the creator economyPlus, Keith and Brendan break down the latest creator economy news—from TikTok’s rise as a search engine to Instagram’s controversial “shop the look” dupes and why nearly half of creators plan to launch their own brands.If you want to understand how one viral moment can turn into a career—and what it means for brands and creators—this episode is a must-listen. 🎧

Send us Fan MailThis week on Creator Economy Live, Keith Bendes and Brendan Gahan are joined by Christina Le, Head of Marketing at Slate and a rising voice in the creator economy on LinkedIn.Christina has built a powerful personal brand while leading marketing for one of the fastest-growing creative tools used by social media managers. In this episode, she shares how she developed her own content strategy across platforms, the thinking behind Slate’s marketing approach, and what it’s like to operate as both a creator and the person writing checks to creators.The conversation dives into the evolving world of B2B influencer marketing, whether creator rates are getting out of control, and what brands still aren’t paying attention to heading into 2026.Plus, Keith and Brendan break down the latest creator economy news — from Snapchat testing creator subscriptions to AI video competition heating up — and wrap up with Creator and Brand of the Week.

Send us Fan MailJessica Dove, Director of Social Media & Influencer Marketing at MGM Resorts, joins us to unpack how one of the most iconic hospitality brands in the world approaches creator partnerships.With over 10 years at MGM, Jess shares how influencer marketing has evolved from room trades to fully integrated, experience-driven strategy across properties like Aria, Bellagio, Cosmopolitan, Mandalay Bay, and Luxor.We break down:What MGM’s influencer strategy really looks like at the highest levelHow major events and activations factor into creator partnershipsWhy experiences outperform simple brand dealsHow hospitality brands can think beyond “free stays for posts”What makes creators want to partner with MGMPlus, we cover the latest industry headlines:Super Bowl creator integrations (NFL hosted 160+ creators 👀)MrBeast x Salesforce + Whatnot’s $1M livestreamAI social platforms like MoltbookInfluencer ads emerging as buyers’ top priority for 2026UpScrolled’s rise amid TikTok uncertaintyAnd of course, our Creator and Brand of the Week picks.If you care about where influencer marketing is headed — especially in experiential and hospitality — this one’s a must-listen.

Send us Fan MailThis week on the Creator Economy Live Podcast, we’re joined by Dana Paolucci, Head of PR & Influence for Dove North America. Dana walks us through a decade-long evolution of Dove’s influencer strategy—from one-off campaigns to always-on, community-driven creator programs. We dig into standout activations (Crumbl, the GRAMMYs, Bridgerton), the rise of earned creator content, and why “influencer in every zip code” isn’t about follower count—it’s about trust.

Send us Fan MailWe’re live from Las Vegas at Creator Economy West for a fast-paced episode packed with news, hot takes, and a standout guest. Keith and Brendan break down what MrBeast’s viral hiring spree really signals, whether AI streamers are the future of Twitch, and why Spotify is suddenly all-in on podcast advertising.Then we’re joined by Brittany Lamp, Senior Director of Brand Content & Community at Life360, to unpack how the brand built a massively engaged Gen Z and Gen Alpha audience on TikTok. Brittany shares how social listening fuels their voice, why giving social teams full autonomy drives speed and scale, how their ambassador program has evolved, and what “casting” creators means for Life360’s influencer strategy heading into 2026.Plus: wild community stories, why TikTok content centered on kids outperforms everywhere, Creator & Brand of the Week picks, and a look at why nostalgia-core and social-first mini shows are about to be everywhere. 🎰🎤

Send us Fan MailIn Episode 80 of Creator Economy Live, we’re joined by Kara Salazar, who leads influencer marketing at Southwest Airlines. Kara breaks down how the brand’s creator strategy has evolved over the past four years — from launching and scaling Southwest Creator Day (including its international expansion to Cancun) to managing major cultural moments like the assigned seats announcement and the massive social response that followed.We also dig into what makes influencer marketing in the airline industry uniquely challenging, whether “free flights for posts” is really a thing, and how Southwest balances brand storytelling with real-time community feedback. Plus, Keith and Brendan unpack the latest creator economy news — from TikTok’s Branded Buzz payouts to Instagram’s hashtag limits and YouTube’s new AI creator tools.

Send us Fan MailWant to hear this content and more LIVE? Join us at Creator Economy Live, January 13 - 14 2026 in Las Vegas! Save 20% off your ticket with code CELPOD20 at checkout.On the 12 months of 2025, the social platforms gave to thee… a booming creator economy.It’s our annual holiday special, and we’re back with the 12 Stories of Social—a festive, no-holds-barred look at the biggest moments that shaped creators, brands, and platforms this year. From age bans and algorithmic control to episodic content, creator media empires, livestream shopping, and the return of the written word, we’re breaking down what really mattered in 2025.This year, we’re switching things up and inviting friends to the table to wax poetic, sip some eggnog, and debate the state of the creator economy with us, including Aneesh Lai, Kerry Flynn, and Monica Khan.Together, we crown Creator of the Year and Brand of the Year, revisit the rise of creator content everywhere (yes, everywhere), and ask the big question as YouTube turns 20: is monoculture officially dead?Hit play for laughs, hot takes, and a definitive look back at the year that supercharged the creator economy - and what it all means heading into 2026 🎄🎧