Influence Weekly 392

Booking Moves All Creators and Affiliates To Awin: What Travel Bloggers Need To Know About ‘Termination’ Notices

Author

Nii Ahene
June 06, 2025

Spotlight Stories

  • 14 Industry Leaders Weigh In: What Publicis' Latest Creator Economy Move Really Means

  • How Creator Camp Secured A ‘Shark Tank’ Deal With Barbara Corcoran

  • Amazon Ads Unveils New Twitch Sponsorship Tools For Brands

  • NaviSavi: A Travel UGC Marketplace Creating Revenue Paths For Creators Without Large Followings

Great Reads

Publicis just made their second major creator economy acquisition in under a year—this time scooping up Captiv8 to add 15 million creators to their already massive influencer network. But what does this really signal for the future of creator marketing?

We asked 14 top industry executives from agencies, platforms, and talent management companies to share their unfiltered takes on:

→ Why mega-agencies are suddenly going all-in on creator platforms
→ What this consolidation wave means for brands and creators
→ Who they think will be the next big acquisition target

From CEOs predicting an acquisition arms race to strategists warning about authenticity at scale, their insights reveal where the creator economy is heading—and it's not what you might expect.

[Read the full expert roundtable →]

Creator Camp secured a $350,000 investment from Barbara Corcoran on "Shark Tank" for 18% equity, becoming one of few educational services to receive backing on the show. The tech-focused summer program teaches children ages 6-12 to create digital content rather than passively consume media.

Co-founder Cazden Morrison, 25, says their mission redirects children's eight-hour daily screen time toward productive creation. When their episode faced potential cancellation, Corcoran personally fought for its broadcast, demonstrating her commitment beyond the financial investment.

The rigorous nine-round selection process culminated in strategic negotiations where co-founder Kaisei Forman successfully pushed Corcoran from 25% to 18% equity. Her positive response to their negotiation skills helped cement the deal. Creator Camp operates over 30 locations with plans for 200 by 2030.

Programs include animation, YouTube creation, filmmaking, and game design taught through project-based learning. This summer introduces an entrepreneurship camp where children pitch products to teachers, bringing their "Shark Tank" experience full circle.

Tribeca Festival launches "UPNEXT Creators" on June 12, featuring 12 social media creators with over 4 million combined followers as attendance drops from 153,000 in 2017 to 145,000 in 2024. The dedicated creator event expands from last year's single panel, reflecting the festival's growing creator economy focus. Festival President Chris Brady emphasizes treating creators as storytellers rather than marketing vehicles, citing an entire generation consuming content primarily through social media. The initiative mirrors broader industry shifts, with Sundance hosting its first "Creator Day" and Cannes Lions rebranding awards as "Social & Creator Lions."

Traditional media boundaries blur as YouTube reports 150 million monthly TV viewers while Amazon Prime and FX launch TikTok creator-led television shows. However, featured creator Eric Jeng questions festival value, stating creators need themselves rather than institutional validation. Festival Director Cara Cusumano positions Tribeca as trusted curator for undiscovered online talent. The festival dropped "film" from its name in 2020, expanding into audio, gaming, and virtual reality formats.

Streak lets you track brand outreach, creators, contracts, and campaigns — all right inside Gmail.

Automate follow-ups, monitor every email, and keep your whole team aligned without ever leaving your inbox.

It’s the CRM talent agencies, creators, and marketers actually want to use.

Campaign Insights

Dove, Unilever's largest brand, rolled out its first-ever creator-led marketing campaign #ShareTheFirst, reinforcing the CPG giant's social-first marketing plans. The campaign features user-generated content from over 100 global creators aligned with Dove's purpose of building self-confidence and body positivity. With no pre-produced content, #ShareTheFirst allowed rapid execution based on creator insights into their communities.

It underscores Unilever CEO Fernando Fernandez's vision to shift 50% of ad spend to social media, particularly influencers, demonstrating the brand's evolution from broadcasters to engaging audiences through trusted voices. While embracing new channels, Dove reaffirms its commitment to its longstanding "Real Beauty" platform focusing on purpose over performance marketing.

Leasing.com has partnered with automotive influencer Tom Shorrock to create educational content aimed at demystifying the car leasing process for consumers. The collaboration involves video content breaking down complex financing concepts through practical, jargon-free guidance. Shorrock brings significant experience as an automotive media personality, hosting shows and serving as a presenter. The partnership aligns with broader industry trends of leveraging creator relationships to build trust and make information more accessible to audiences.

Flipkart, India's leading e-commerce marketplace, launched its Fashion End of Season Sale (EOSS) on May 30th, featuring over 70,000 brands across fashion, beauty and lifestyle categories. As part of a multi-channel marketing campaign, Flipkart is leveraging branded influencer hauls and micro/nano influencers to promote the sale through its affiliate program.

This aligns with Flipkart's broader creator ecosystem strategy after YouTube recently launched its Shopping affiliate program in India through partnerships with Flipkart and Myntra. The EOSS offers curated seasonal collections, with Flipkart's D2C brands seeing 60% year-over-year growth. The sale aims to democratize fashion access through personalized experiences across India.

Meta has introduced new monetization metrics and advertising flexibility tools for creators and brands. The "content_monetization_earnings" metric tracks revenue from eligible videos, Reels, Stories and posts at the page and post level. The "monetization_approximate_earnings" metric shows overall earnings across sources, excluding bonuses.

Meta has also increased daily ad budget flexibility from 25% to 75% for some accounts, allowing better spend allocation on high-opportunity days. Additionally, Meta added an "Advantage+ Campaign Experience" combining automated performance optimization with full ad controls for specific goals like sales and app installs. These updates aim to provide more earnings transparency for creators and improved campaign management capabilities for advertisers on Meta's platforms.

Jack Link’s To Launch Protein-Packed Meat Snack Line In Partnership With MrBeast

Global meat snacks brand Jack Link's is partnering with YouTube star MrBeast to launch a new line of protein-packed meat snack products designed for on-the-go consumption. The multipacks will feature individual portions of beef jerky and meat sticks co-branded with MrBeast's signature branding.

The partnership aims to attract younger consumers like Gen Alpha, Gen Z, and their parents to the meat snacks category. This represents MrBeast's first co-branded consumer packaged goods deal as he expands his business portfolio beyond digital into traditional retail. His growing consumer products empire, which includes chocolate brand Feastables, generated over $400 million in sales last year and is currently profitable.

YouTube speedrunning analyst Karl Jobst launched his first official DOOM competition through Twin Galaxies, attracting top players who invested over 20 hours perfecting one-minute runs despite minimal promotion. The collaboration addresses declining creator monetization as traditional sponsorship models lose effectiveness.

Twin Galaxies, established in 1981 as gaming's world record authority, enables asynchronous competitions where participants compete on their own schedule. The platform offers four participation modes: creators, audience members, competitors, and judges who verify submissions through strict anti-cheating protocols. Karl's DOOM challenge, sponsored by Displate, requires participants to complete Episode 1 Map 1 on Ultra-Violence difficulty achieving 100% completion.

The competition features tiered prizes from $500 plus metallic art prints to $50 rewards, with submissions open until June 6. Both parties envision expanding beyond digital competitions to physical events, regionalizing top players globally. The approach provides creators sustainable monetization while offering brands authentic community engagement rather than traditional advertisement fatigue.

Amazon Ads launched Twitch Creator Sponsorships, streamlining brand collaborations with streamers through templated campaign tools that activate within two weeks. The solution includes channel skins with clickable graphics, live streamer readouts, sponsored subscriptions offering 50% discounts, and follower promotions boosting visibility. The Creator Matchmaking tool matches brands with streamers based on category, audience, location, budget, and campaign history.

Integration with Amazon DSP allows programmatic buying alongside Prime Video and other ad formats through AI-powered tools and first-party data. Twitch maintains 58.9% market share despite 6.9% viewership decline in Q1 2025, while overall live-streaming reached 8.9 billion hours watched, up 8.9% year-over-year. Amazon reports 58% of Twitch users support advertising that funds creators, with 42% purchasing tech products after streamer promotions.

The launch complements Amazon's Creator Connections program, enabling influencers to monetize content while brands access creator marketing on the e-commerce platform. Available in 17 countries, the tools provide full-funnel measurement including on and off-Amazon sales metrics alongside standard performance indicators.

Pinterest has scored its first official sports partnership with the 2024 WNBA champion New York Liberty. The collaboration will deliver exclusive content, in-game experiences, and community outreach initiatives, aligning with Pinterest's growing user base and advertising revenue.

Data shows substantial growth in WNBA-related searches on Pinterest, with terms like "WNBA aesthetic" up 1,295% and Liberty players becoming style influencers. As Pinterest's user base reached a record 570 million in Q1 2025 and revenue increased 17% year-over-year, the platform is expanding through strategic partnerships.

While Pinterest currently occupies a small portion of advertisers' media budgets, agency executives report investment is steadily increasing as the platform appeals to performance-focused marketers. The Liberty deal signals Pinterest's entry into sports and its strategy of growth through collaborations rather than acquisitions.

NaviSavi: A Travel UGC Marketplace Creating Revenue Paths For Creators Without Large Followings

NaviSavi is a travel UGC marketplace that allows creators of any following size to monetize their travel video footage. The platform connects travel brands seeking authentic destination content with creators who can upload short video clips capturing real travel experiences. Creators get paid upfront for approved videos and earn ongoing revenue shares when their content is licensed by brands.

NaviSavi's model provides an alternative revenue path for creators beyond influencer marketing, while giving travel companies a trusted source of user-generated video content that drives higher engagement than professional marketing materials. With a streamlined licensing process and growing library of geolocated footage, NaviSavi aims to become the go-to platform for "the future of video content in travel" as demand increases for immersive digital experiences.

The Big 3 Podcast - May Recap Podcast Now Out!

Join us for The Big 3 by Influence Weekly, where hosts Ceci Carloni and Nii Ahene deliver expert commentary on the creator economy's most impactful business developments. Each month, they offer insider perspectives on industry-shifting stories, unpacking what these changes mean for brands and marketing professionals in the creator economy

Interesting People

Brett Dashevsky, founder of Creator Economy NYC, is reimagining the creator economy as a new era of small businesses. His community focuses on helping creators build sustainable businesses through strategies like monetizing owned channels and intellectual property rather than chasing viral fame. With a background in healthcare media and platforms like Kickstarter, Dashevsky emphasizes the need for creators to have a business mindset.

Creator Economy NYC hosts carefully designed events centered on practical education and networking, creating an environment where creators can be vulnerable about their struggles. The goal is to provide the training and community support for creators to move beyond just surviving to thriving as entrepreneurial small businesses deserving of institutional resources.

Kai Cenat, Twitch's top showman, hosted "Streamer University" - a multi-day reality show event where 120 rising streamers lived in a dorm, vying for attention and clout. The chaotic event, held at the University of Akron, brought pranks, parties, and actual classes, blurring the line between content and reality. With fights, expulsions, and nonstop streaming, it attracted tens of millions of views.

Participants recalled foul smells, hazings with condom-covered hot dogs, and rooms coated in baby oil and noodles. While heavily manufactured, the spectacle offered insights into the modern creator economy. Tylil James emerged as the valedictorian, praised for Cenat's ability to let creators shine. The boundary-pushing event exemplified Cenat's mastery of turning chaos into compelling content.

Golf influencer Paige Spiranac has joined the front office of the Grass League golf competition. She will focus on brand development, digital marketing, fan engagement, and talent acquisition for the league. Spiranac aims to balance competitive play with personality-driven content, citing successful PGA Tour players who have built followings through behind-the-scenes access. The high-stakes par-3 league is expanding to new venues like Goat Hill Park in Oceanside, California, with events airing on Golf Channel. While taking an executive role, Spiranac will continue creating content and is set to appear in the Netflix movie "Happy Gilmore 2" in July.

How One Influencer’s Campaign Led To UK Vape Ban

Environmental influencer Laura Young's 2022 TikTok video sparked a UK-wide ban on disposable vapes now taking effect. Young, known as "Less Waste Laura," posted about vape litter while walking her dog in Dundee, Scotland. The video garnered 10.5 million views and transformed local concern into national policy. Within five weeks, Scottish government commissioned an urgent report revealing 2.7 million vapes littered annually on Scotland's streets.

Environmental hazards include spontaneous combustion from lithium-ion batteries, which destroyed an Aberdeen recycling facility in 2022. Scotland initially planned an April 2024 ban but delayed to align with UK and Welsh governments' nationwide approach. Young says the campaign raised awareness about disposable technology's environmental impact beyond vaping.

Cloudflare CEO Matthew Prince has warned that AI search patterns are disrupting the economics for content creators. Data shows the ratio of content scraped by search engines to visitors sent to creator sites has increased dramatically, with Google scraping 15 pages for every one visitor currently, and OpenAI scraping almost 1500 pages per visitor.

This trend creates challenges for creators who rely on advertising or subscriptions, as fewer visitors translates to reduced revenue opportunities. However, Prince suggests exclusive, specialized content will remain monetizable, as AI companies may be willing to pay for access to such premium original content. While disruptions occur, Prince is optimistic that highly valuable content will become more valuable long-term.

OnlyFans founder Tim Stokely has launched a new creator platform called Subs, aimed at helping influencers build sustainable careers and earn more income through subscriptions, long-form video, video calls, and future AI tools. While offering similar features to OnlyFans, Subs positions itself as more brand-friendly with a focus on nurturing genuine influence rather than chasing viral trends.

However, the saturated creator economy landscape and influencer fatigue pose challenges for Subs to stand out. Stokely believes providing multiple income streams and using AI ethically to enhance creativity can help creators achieve long-term success on the platform as the market continues growing. The 200-word limit allows me to summarize the key points concisely.

Identity Theft: Influencer Discovers Deepfake AI Account Stealing Her Wedding Photos

Identity theft influencer Kelly Stranick recently discovered an AI-generated Instagram account using her wedding photos with a digitally altered face, highlighting transparency concerns as AI adoption accelerates in the creator economy. The account, with over 60,000 followers, used Stranick's wedding images to promote a photo filter app without her consent.

While AI tools are increasingly utilized by over 80% of creators, incidents like this raise issues around disclosure when AI-generated content is presented as authentic human testimony, potentially misleading audiences. As deepfakes become more sophisticated, the line between real and artificial blurs, emphasizing the need for transparency to maintain trust with consumers, 75% of whom want disclosure when AI creates the content they consume.

Button CEO Michael Jaconi reveals a major attribution problem costing creators millions in revenue. Apps and the web don't communicate seamlessly, leading to broken user experiences when followers click creators' affiliate links. Button's technology solves this by using dynamic linking that increases revenue 100-150% for creator campaigns across platforms like Instagram and TikTok.

Jaconi sees opportunities for growth by expanding to brand manufacturer participation beyond just retailers and moving to auction-based creator compensation models. These changes could make the creator economy worth hundreds of billions more in the future as it replaces traditional media.

Carnival Cruise Line permanently banned TikTok influencer Courtney Murley after she posted a video allegedly showing alcohol smuggling during a March cruise aboard Carnival Conquest. The video, which garnered over 300,000 views, showed her checking luggage for alcohol hidden in feminine product packaging and shampoo bottles.

Carnival's official letter stated Murley was banned for "smuggling of alcohol onboard" and "subsequently posting about it on social media platforms." The cruise line monitors social media for rule violations and warned future booking attempts would result in cancellation and deposit loss. Murley now claims the video was fake entertainment content made with juice rather than alcohol, demanding an apology from Carnival and suggesting legal action. She insists she has integrity and won't accept accusations of rule-breaking she didn't commit.

King Willonius, a stand-up comedian, harnessed the power of AI to create the viral hit "BBL Drizzy" during the Drake-Kendrick Lamar feud, earning recognition from Time Magazine and Will Smith. While the industry debated AI's role, Willonius committed to weekly AI creation as a practice, building technical mastery that enabled his breakthrough.

He views AI not as replacing human creativity but as an intricate instrument demanding genuine artistic vision. By channeling consistent exploration into a culturally resonant moment, Willonius demonstrated how AI can unite audiences through clever artistry. His success has inspired bigger dreams of expanding into new creative realms like AR/XR experiences.

 

Industry News

The Creators Guild of America (CGA) has released the "CGA Rider," a standardized legal document designed to protect creators' rights in the influencer marketing industry. This rider addresses longstanding issues like predatory payment terms, content ownership disputes, and AI usage concerns. It provides clear guidelines on payment timelines, defines creators' rights over their content, includes AI protections, and ensures access to performance analytics.

Developed through an 18-month consultation process with industry stakeholders, the CGA Rider aims to level the playing field for individual creators by giving them the same negotiating tools as those with expensive legal teams. The CGA envisions the rider as a first step towards establishing much-needed standards and equity in the rapidly growing creator economy.

As TikTok Shop generates billions in sales, opportunities remain untapped in categories like pet products, home decor and board games. Entrepreneur Rafay M.H. of UpTik mentors brands on leveraging TikTok's three traffic levers - borrowed, paid and owned - to succeed on the platform. His approach filters for visually demonstrable products offering transformations that resonate with passionate audiences. By understanding creators' motivations and challenges, brands can foster collaborative relationships beyond just promotion.

UpTik's methodology covers three phases - cold start, boosting and rapid growth - with the goal of generating a self-reinforcing flywheel effect that attracts inbound creator interest. While TikTok Shop is the current focal point, Rafay sees it as an early wave of the larger social commerce opportunity that requires developing systems across platforms and potentially integrating AI for content volume. The window remains open in 2025 for brands to capitalize on TikTok's still underpriced attention before increased competition.

Dutch Media Authority To Supervise Micro-Influencers Starting June 16

The Dutch Media Authority will expand its oversight to include content creators with fewer than 500,000 followers starting June 16, 2025. This move aims to ensure a safe online environment for young people by requiring transparency about advertising, consideration of minors, and identity disclosure. The new rules apply to creators who maintain accounts on major platforms, post regularly, earn money from their content, and are registered businesses.

Initially focusing on education, the authority will eventually enforce regulations through fines. The guidelines categorize commercial content and require clear labeling for ads, sponsorships, and product placements. This expansion aligns with a broader European trend toward greater influencer marketing oversight, with several countries implementing certification programs in 2025.

Digital marketing agency Moburst acquired Denver-based podcast booking specialist Kitcaster in April, marking its second acquisition in five months. The deal integrates podcast expertise into Moburst's PR division, targeting 584 million global podcast listeners and a projected $4.46 billion advertising market. Kitcaster connects SaaS, tech, and VC-backed companies with strategic podcast placements rather than random bookings.

Founders Brandy Whalen and Ryan Estes will continue leading operations while expanding services to 52 clients who gain access to Moburst's 27-service portfolio. CEO Gilad Bechar emphasizes podcast appearances build executive credibility and thought leadership while digital marketing drives traffic and visibility. Success metrics focus on business outcomes including website traffic, qualified leads, and sales rather than download counts.

Upside Down Talent, a talent management agency, prioritizes the human experience in the increasingly commoditized creator economy. With a curated roster, they focus on building genuine, sustainable relationships between creators and brands. Their approach addresses common challenges like creator burnout and complex contracts. Upside Down provides education, advocates for realistic deadlines and fair compensation.

They recently launched the "Upside Down Community" platform to foster community among creators. With a people-first philosophy, sustainable growth through relationship building is key. Upside Down plans to develop educational resources empowering creators in storytelling and community building. The founder expects increased regulation and a continued rise of micro-creators in the coming years.

Kovalee, an app publisher, has built a thriving creator community of over 3,000 active content producers for its health, fitness, productivity and education apps. Instead of treating creators transactionally, Kovalee emphasizes human relationships - providing feedback, guides, and a collaborative Slack channel.

This people-first approach drives authenticity, which directly impacts performance. Kovalee combines human insights with data analytics to continuously refresh content and avoid creative fatigue. Looking ahead, the company plans to further invest in creator development tools and technology, recognizing creators as professionals with long-term career trajectories in the booming creator economy.

Twitch, the leading live streaming platform, unveiled major product updates at its 10th anniversary TwitchCon event in Rotterdam. The announcements focus on enhancing mobile experiences and creator monetization opportunities. Key features include vertical streaming, dual-format broadcasting, 2K streaming in open beta, and right-to-left Arabic language support.

Additionally, Twitch introduced "Combos" for escalating viewer support effects and streamer-led gift subscription promotions. The platform revised Affiliate requirements for more accessible monetization and added functionality like rewind and Mobile Mod View. While Twitch maintains market leadership, alternative platforms like YouTube Gaming and Kick are driving industry growth, with non-gaming solidifying as the most-watched content category.

The UAE's live streaming industry is projected to grow from $1.9 billion to $3.4 billion by 2030, according to a new TikTok report. The broader MENA region's live streaming market is expected to reach $17.8 billion by 2030, up from $8.1 billion currently. With 115,000 UAE social media users livestreaming daily, the format is gaining accessibility and popularity across entertainment, education, and niche content. The growth aligns with the UAE's digital economy goals and rising creator earnings on platforms like YouTube. However, only around 10% of MENA livestreamers currently work with agencies, compared to 80% in China, indicating room for growth.

Portugal's consumer protection agency has called for tighter regulations on influencer marketing due to transparency concerns. The agency cited issues with hidden ads for risky products targeting vulnerable audiences and wants clearer rules plus stronger monitoring.

This follows similar pushes across Europe, like France implementing labeling laws, the UK addressing persistent compliance problems, and the Netherlands expanding oversight to micro-influencers. While influencer marketing's effectiveness is acknowledged, the agency emphasizes brands and creators must prioritize transparency, including through public education campaigns on how influencer promotions work.

Influencer brands face heightened risk as founders serve as both spokesperson and owner, creating "key person risk" when scandals threaten entire businesses. Fashion Law Institute's Susan Scafidi warns that influencer followings are "built on shifting sand" where reputational issues can cause the "whole sandcastle to crumble."

Recent examples include Swedish influencer Matila Djerf's Djerf Avenue facing employee mistreatment allegations, while historical precedent traces back to Lady Duff-Gordon's 1912 Titanic survival scandal that damaged her Lucile fashion line. Smart brands create separation between personal and professional identities. Emma Chamberlain's coffee company exemplifies this approach through pared-down founder presence versus constant self-promotion.

Successful brands like Toteme and Anine Bing don't lead with founder imagery, following The Row's pioneering model. Economic turbulence intensifies scrutiny as consumers blame fashion for excessive lifestyle displays on social media. Creator economy expert Lia Haberman predicts micro-influencers will dominate due to relatability, while mega-influencers survive scandals through sheer scale.

TikTok is globally launching its 'Manage Topics' feature that allows users to control how often videos related to specific categories like sports, travel, humor, and dance appear on their For You feed. The setting won't eliminate topics entirely but can influence recommendation frequency as interests evolve.

TikTok is also expanding its keyword filtering capabilities, using AI to block not just entered keywords but related terms as well, with plans to support over 200 filtered keywords per user. These changes give users more control over their feed content while still allowing discovery based on evolving preferences.

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Elf Beauty acquired Hailey Bieber's Rhode skincare brand for $1 billion, marking the first major celebrity beauty exit after market fatigue dampened enthusiasm for star-backed products. The deal includes $800 million upfront and $200 million in performance-based payments over three years. Rhode's premium positioning complements Elf's mass-market focus, with average price points of $29 versus Elf's $6.50. The acquisition multiple of 4.7 times sales matches L'Oreal's Aesop purchase but requires sustained growth to justify the premium valuation.

Celebrity beauty brands faced headwinds as inflation-conscious consumers became more discerning. Coty's mixed results with Kardashian investments highlight execution risks, including a $71 million loss on Kim Kardashian's beauty stake. Bieber joins as chief creative officer while Rhode expands to Sephora this fall. Elf faces additional challenges including slowing growth, tariff pressures from 75% China-based manufacturing, and a $1 global price increase starting August.

TikTok's early success in driving massive free organic traffic and sales for sellers on its e-commerce platform TikTok Shop is fading. The company previously boosted visibility for merchant videos to attract brands, resulting in viral hits and surging orders for some sellers. However, TikTok is now prioritizing paid advertising, forcing merchants to invest in promoted content to gain significant views.

While over 80% of traffic remains unpaid according to TikTok, the era of easily going viral without ads is ending as the platform matures and pursues an ad-driven model like competitors. This shift creates challenges for small businesses that joined seeking low-cost marketing opportunities but must now spend on paid promotions.

Creators increasingly partner with FAST channels as streaming services court online talent, seeking new audiences without cannibalizing existing followings. Samsung TV Plus recently signed licensing deals with YouTubers Dhar Mann and Mark Rober for continuous 24/7 video feeds, while Roku partnered with creators including Alan Chikin Chow for his first off-YouTube content. Samsung's Sarah Nelson calls creators "television now for so many consumers, especially younger audiences," emphasizing their mainstream appeal.

Roku, reaching 145 million U.S. users, offers creators access to potential new fans while seeking partnerships in sports, home, and food niches according to content VP Jennifer Vaux. Creators prioritize retaining content ownership while licensing to platforms, mirroring Taylor Swift's strategy of buying back album rights. Pocket.watch CEO Chris Williams, who works with 13-year-old YouTuber Ryan Kaji, advocates for licensing deals that provide adequate compensation while preserving creator ownership.