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- Influence Weekly #408 - Creator Economy Jobs September 2025: Streaming Platforms, AI Companies Lead Hiring
Influence Weekly #408 - Creator Economy Jobs September 2025: Streaming Platforms, AI Companies Lead Hiring
Made On YouTube 2025: A Breakdown Of All New AI Tools, Monetization Features, Platform Updates
Nii Ahene
September 26, 2025
Spotlight Stories
YouTube Unveils New Shopping Features To Transform Creator Videos Into Purchase Pathways
From TikTok To The Ballot Box: New Orleans Influencers Go Political
What’s Behind YouTube’s Big Livestreaming Push
Trump And Xi Set To Finalize TikTok Deal
Great Reads
Slow Ventures launched a $64 million Creator Fund in February targeting creator-entrepreneurs who build businesses beyond content production. The fund invests directly in creators' holding companies rather than specific products or platforms serving creators.
Partner Megan Lightcap, who heads the fund, said Slow evaluates creators across four criteria: entrepreneurial mindset, community quality, category potential, and business traction. The fund's first investment was $2 million in woodworking creator Jonathan Katz-Moses, who has 600,000 followers and generates mid-seven figures annually through his tool company KM Tools.
Slow's approach differs from traditional creator economy investing by focusing on creators themselves rather than platforms or branded products. Lightcap noted that while venture funding for creator economy startups declined since 2021-2022, creators continue growing independently. The fund targets creators in niche verticals with engaged communities rather than those competing for broad attention, seeking what Lightcap called "the 1% of creators" who think like founders.
Streaming platforms and AI companies drove creator economy hiring in September 2025, according to Net Influencer's monthly job market analysis. Twitch expanded creator accounting operations with a Senior Analyst role paying $60,200-$128,800 to manage creator agreements and payments.
AI video platform OpusClip, which serves over 10 million creators, recruited an Account Executive for enterprise creator partnerships at $140,000-$200,000 annually. ShopMy hired a Manager of Creator Experience following their $77 million Series B funding round, offering $100,000-$120,000 plus equity.
Entertainment companies scaled content production capabilities. Moonbug Entertainment, creator of CoComelon and Blippi, sought a Senior Content Creator for character animation. Invisible Narratives, the studio behind Skibidi Toilet IP, recruited a Marketing & Project Manager for creator-led licensing initiatives.
Other notable positions included 456 Growth Talent's Creator Partnerships Manager role managing $250,000-$500,000 monthly budgets, and Outlandish's TikTok Shop UK Account Manager position starting at £45,000 for scaling U.S. brands internationally.
Oracle will oversee TikTok's algorithm for U.S. users as part of a pending deal to transfer the platform's U.S. operations to majority American ownership, according to White House officials. The arrangement addresses concerns in efforts to place the social media platform under U.S. control.
Under the agreement, TikTok's U.S. operations will be transferred to a new joint venture based in the United States. ByteDance will provide a licensed copy of its algorithm for use in the U.S., while Oracle oversees its application and retraining on American user data.
The ownership group will include Oracle, private equity firm Silver Lake, existing ByteDance investors, and new participants including Fox Corp. ByteDance will retain less than 20% stake in TikTok's U.S. operations. Americans will hold majority board seats.
The deal awaits regulatory approvals from China. Trump plans to sign an executive order declaring the deal constitutes qualified divestiture while extending enforcement pause by 120 days. The platform serves approximately 170 million U.S. users.
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Fintech company Karat Financial, which provides financial services tailored to content creators, raised more than $100 million from investors including SignalFire, Union Square Ventures, and Y Combinator. The funding came alongside backing from creators such as Graham Stephan and Josh Richards.
Co-founder Eric Wei, who previously worked at Instagram helping build Instagram Live, identified challenges creators face accessing traditional banking and credit products. Chess streamer Alexandra Botez, who generates seven-figure annual revenue, was repeatedly rejected for business credit cards by traditional banks despite her earnings.
Karat launched with a Visa-partnered business credit card using creator-specific underwriting models that evaluate followers, engagement rates, and platform diversity alongside traditional financial metrics. The company has since underwritten over $1 billion in credit for creators.
The platform expanded to offer business banking with higher interest rates and AI-powered bookkeeping that automatically categorizes transactions for tax preparation. Karat also provides unique creator-focused perks including Times Square billboards for qualifying users with minimum deposits.
Airbnb launched a new influencer affiliate marketing program in France, posting for a Growth & Influencer Marketing Operations Manager position in Paris. The six-month contract role offers €74,000-€93,000 annually and requires managing multiple influencer partners while tracking deliverables and analyzing performance.
The timing aligns with broader creator economy shifts. Creator Economy Jobs reported sector job listings declined 25.9% year-over-year while part-time positions increased 56.7% in the same period. France bucked European trends with a 114.3% quarter-over-quarter increase in creator economy job openings in Q2 2025, the largest gain outside the United States.
Airbnb's initiative follows industry movement toward extended creator partnerships rather than one-off campaigns. Recent hirings by Twitch, OpusClip, ShopMy, and Moonbug Entertainment demonstrate continued demand for creator-focused roles. The position requires four years of experience in influencer and affiliate marketing, fluency in French and English, and knowledge of the French market.
Hailey Bieber's skincare brand Rhode generated approximately $15 million in first-day sales during its September 4 Sephora launch across North America, setting a record for celebrity beauty brand retail debuts. The brand captured substantial market share on launch day and surpassed $10 million in revenue within two days, according to YipitData.
Rhode's performance exceeded previous launches from competing celebrity brands including Selena Gomez's Rare Beauty and Rihanna's Fenty Beauty. Multiple New York SoHo locations sold out within hours, with restocks not arriving until the following week.
The launch followed Rhode's May 2025 acquisition by e.l.f. Beauty for $1 billion, including $600 million cash and $200 million in e.l.f. stock at closing, plus a potential $200 million earnout. Approximately 60% of Rhode's Sephora buyers were existing customers, while 40% shifted spending from competitors including Ulta and Target.
Rhode debuted with 16 products at Sephora, maintaining its minimalist positioning while achieving strong performance through organic creator content rather than paid partnerships.
Sony partnered with Japanese TikToker Mumeixxx to promote PlayStation 5 ahead of the Tokyo Game Show running September 25-28. The collaboration featured four vertical promotional videos showcasing 14 upcoming PS5 titles including "Ghost of Yōtei" and "Dragon Quest 1 & 2 HD-2D Remake."
Mumeixxx, 20, brought nearly five million TikTok followers and over one million YouTube subscribers to the campaign. The creator gained recognition for transformation videos featuring choreographed dances with changing makeup and outfits, typically posting content lasting a few seconds to 20 seconds.
The promotional content marked a departure from Sony's traditional high-concept marketing approach, instead adopting formats aligned with social media consumption patterns. Mumeixxx began posting content in 2020 during high school and expanded into music in 2024 with the electronic dance track "Put Your Hands Up" under Pony Canyon.
The collaboration represents Sony's strategic shift toward influencer marketing to reach younger gaming audiences in the Japanese market.
Influencer Paige Lorenze has transformed viral merchandise into Dairy Boy, a fast-growing clothing brand with 160 percent year-over-year revenue growth. Starting with $30 "Dairy Girl Summer" hats in July 2021 that sold out immediately, Lorenze leveraged her two million social media followers to build the business without investors or formal business plans.
The brand capitalizes on the cottagecore aesthetic through monthly limited-inventory drops featuring sweaters, coats, and accessories priced $25 to $185. Dairy Boy draws 200,000 website visitors per drop day and recently sold nearly 9,500 units at a single SoHo pop-up event that created two-block lines.
Lorenze expanded from three employees including her mother to 15 staff members, adding a CEO and chief brand officer six months ago. The company recently launched its first permanent collection, moving beyond drop-model exclusivity while maintaining customer connection through authentic engagement and transparent communication.
Wired Magazine launched its largest brand marketing campaign in years this week, featuring wall-size murals, wheatpasted posters across major cities, and nearly 20 digital billboards to promote its upcoming politics issue. The campaign includes QR codes directing viewers to subscription pages.
Under global editorial director Katie Drummond, who joined in September 2023, Wired transformed its content strategy by making journalists the faces of coverage across social platforms. The publisher launched six new talent-led video series and shifted to vertical video featuring staff members.
The results drove Instagram views up nearly 800% and reach by 33%, while TikTok comments increased 163%. YouTube series featuring Wired journalists became top-performing content, with investigative reporter Andy Greenberg's HackLab series surpassing 1 million views on one episode.
Wired relaunched its subscription offering in July with prices raised two to three times higher than before. Despite higher costs, subscriptions rose 31% month-over-month, with new subscription starts up 94% year-to-date through September 2025 compared to the same period in 2024.
YouTube launched new shopping features designed to convert creator videos into purchase channels, with rollouts scheduled through 2026. The platform announced dynamic brand segments allowing creators to replace sponsored content slots in long-form videos after deals conclude, launching in 2026.
AI tagging will automatically identify products in creator voiceovers, images, and inputs, rolling out over the next year to eligible U.S. creators. For Shorts creators, new brand links will connect directly to sponsor websites and provide conversion data, with testing beginning later this year and broad release in 2026.
Research from Precise TV showed YouTube's dominance among Gen Z, with 91% of teens aged 13-17 watching the platform and 66% watching Shorts. YouTube demonstrated stronger purchase influence than competitors, with 67% of teens reporting YouTube as the source of ads for items they requested from parents, compared to approximately 50% for TikTok, Facebook, and Instagram. Among teen boys, 51% made purchases after watching YouTube Shorts ads versus 44% for TikTok.
Claudia Bish, founder of The Blogger Agent, has built a UK-based talent management agency focused on sustainable creator careers rather than quick monetization deals. The agency, launched when Bish was 19, represents beauty and lifestyle creators including Odd Muse founder Aimee Smale and creators Giorgina Juanita and Liana Tambini.
The company has secured partnerships with luxury brands including Prada, Dior, Armani Beauty, and Skims. The Blogger Agent differentiates itself by providing comprehensive management services including brand positioning, career mapping, financial oversight, and usage rights protection rather than focusing solely on brand partnerships.
Bish emphasized the agency's selective approach, maintaining a focused roster instead of pursuing volume-based growth. The company provides dedicated account management and boutique-level service while operating at full-agency scale.
Beyond her management work, Bish announced plans to launch "Bishness As Usual," a podcast scheduled for fall 2025. The show will feature conversations with founders and creatives about entrepreneurship challenges and building sustainable businesses.
Canadian influencer marketing agency Maison Made In launched a results-driven business model that guarantees campaign outcomes for clients. Founded in 2012 by Aurélie Sauthier, the agency commits to specific view and impression targets for all campaigns, including gifting initiatives.
The Montreal-based company works with brands including National Bank of Canada, L'Oréal Group, Crown Laboratories, Bel Group, Dairy Farmers of Canada, and fashion retailers like Aldo and Lacoste. For PanOxyl acne treatment, the agency delivered one million organic views across Canada through paid campaigns and another million through mailer campaigns.
Maison Made In operates offices in Montreal and Paris, serving both French-Canadian and European markets. The agency's approach focuses on measurable metrics like reach and views rather than follower counts, with detailed engagement analysis including shares and saves.
Sauthier is developing AI-powered workflow tools to address scalability challenges in influencer marketing, particularly for regulatory compliance and content review processes. The agency promotes always-on influencer strategies rather than one-off campaigns, positioning content creation as ongoing brand building similar to SEO maintenance.
LTK and Northwestern University released a study showing creator marketing became the top investment priority for CMOs in 2026. The research surveyed 204 senior marketing decision-makers from companies with revenues exceeding $10 million in July 2025.
Ninety percent of brands now use creator marketing strategies, with 97% of those brands planning increased budget allocations. Creator marketing ranked ahead of AI-driven search, paid social, and gaming investments for planned spending increases.
Brands worked with larger creator networks, with 65% partnering with more than 50 creators annually and 41% engaging over 100 creators. This represented a shift toward always-on strategies rather than campaign-based approaches.
Creator platforms became the second-largest social media investment area for marketers, behind Facebook but ahead of YouTube, Instagram, and TikTok. Ninety-two percent of brands used creator content in social media advertising, allocating 20% of creator budgets to content amplification.
The study found 77% of creator content was used by general marketing departments, creating cross-departmental integration challenges as multiple teams accessed creator materials without centralized coordination.
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Interesting People
Asante Madrigal built a media business around entertainment news commentary after COVID disrupted his journalism career plans at San Diego State University. The creator now commands over two million followers across Instagram, TikTok, and YouTube, focusing on pop culture coverage that blends social activism with celebrity news.
Madrigal established King Asante LLC in January 2023 to formalize his operations and separate personal finances from social media earnings. The business structure supports a growing team including finance specialists, photographers, managers, and production crew members. Brand partnerships represent his largest revenue source, supplemented by hosting opportunities and platform monetization.
TikTok selected Madrigal as one of 27 creators to cover the Paris Olympics, where he interviewed Snoop Dogg after meeting the rapper's manager on his flight. The creator tailors content strategies for each platform, posting frequently on TikTok while offering behind-the-scenes content on Instagram and longer-form videos on YouTube. His next project involves launching "Hyperfixating: The Show," a talk show targeting Gen Z audiences.
REACH, a creator economy company that began as a University of Southern California student organization, appointed marketing veteran Daniel Yi as Chief Marketing Officer in September 2025. The company now operates across 100 universities with 5,000 active student members commanding 500 million collective followers and 1,000 alumni with 800 million followers.
REACH runs five divisions: student organizations, a marketing agency serving over 200 brands monthly, talent management representing 50 creators with 5+ million followers each, a ventures division with equity stakes in 25 seed-stage companies, and a film/TV studio. The company employed over 25 people as of September 2025.
TikTok selected REACH as one of four agency partners for its TikTok Live initiative, with TikTok approaching the company rather than REACH applying. Within six weeks of launch, REACH enrolled 300 creators in the program pipeline. The company previously helped Triller achieve 1 million downloads in three days during TikTok's January 2025 ban and generated $1 million in earned media value for Amazon Prime Video through a Los Angeles creator screening event.
Patrick Starrr's One/Size beauty brand achieved its On 'Til Dawn setting spray becoming the top makeup product in the U.S., selling once every seven seconds according to YipitData. The Luxury Brand Partners-owned cosmetics brand, co-founded with beauty influencer Patrick Starrr, tripled its sales in recent years with 90 percent of revenue coming from shade-agnostic products including setting sprays, powders and primers.
Brand president Juliette Tang credited growth to focusing on priming and setting products that serve as "top coat and base coat" for makeup routines. The strategy proved effective during COVID-19 when the indie brand faced scaling challenges, with colorless and universal products driving each year's biggest launches.
One/Size announced plans to expand into Sephora's European Union stores next year alongside other unspecified global markets. The brand has built a creator network of over 150,000 affiliates on TikTok Shop. For Luxury Brand Partners, which previously focused on hair brands including R+Co and IGK, One/Size now represents a major portion of the portfolio after starting as a small business segment.
YouTuber Arun Maini, known as Mrwhosetheboss, built one of YouTube's most successful technology channels after starting with a phone review video at age 14 in 2011. The British creator now operates 21.6 million subscribers on YouTube with 7.6 billion total views across 1,800 videos, averaging 4.2 million views per video.
Maini also maintains 2.5 million TikTok followers, 1.8 million Instagram followers, and 1.7 million followers on X. He recently won a Guinness World Record with fellow YouTuber Matthew Perks for building the world's largest iPhone replica.
Before YouTube success, Maini ran an eBay business selling Beyblades at age 13, generating enough profit to purchase 400 units before the account was banned. His first viral YouTube video, "How to turn your smartphone into a 3D hologram," gained unexpected traction while he was attending university studying economics. He abandoned a consulting career path after an internship at Price Waterhouse to focus on content creation full-time. Maini now operates from his London home with a 12-person team, with his wife serving as general manager.
Content creator Kelsey Grennan built a digital community around binge eating recovery documentation through her multi-platform presence as @kelssjourney. Grennan launched her TikTok account in 2022 and grew to more than 184,000 followers by sharing unfiltered content about eating disorder recovery, mental health, and plus-size fashion.
The creator rebranded from beauty tutorials to vulnerability-focused content after posting a "what I eat in a day" video that included a binge eating episode. The authentic approach resonated with audiences and became her content cornerstone. Grennan expanded her Instagram following to over 100,000 in one year through cross-posting strategies across TikTok, Instagram, and YouTube platforms.
Her content operates on five pillars: plus-size fashion, beauty and skincare, lifestyle and body positivity, cleaning and home content, and eating disorder recovery. Grennan appeared on mainstream media including The New York Times and "Dr. Phil" to discuss binge eating stigma. She monetizes through selective brand partnerships while maintaining audience trust through balanced sponsored and organic content.
New Orleans political campaigns deployed influencer marketing strategies to reach younger voters ahead of the October 11 mayoral primary election. Helena Moreno's campaign hosted "Creator Krewe" events for months, connecting with content creators through Delta Current Strategies, a political consulting firm founded by Lauren Loisel.
The campaigns did not pay influencers, with both Moreno and Oliver Thomas confirming creators volunteered their time. Delta Current Strategies focused on building relationships with creators who post content about food, entertainment, and local topics to their established audiences on Instagram, TikTok, and X.
Political content creators including Gary Chambers, JD Carrere, Reggie Ford, Byron Cole, and Alexx Robinson increased their political posting activity. The strategy faced challenges when candidate Royce Duplessis received criticism from influencers after his campaign website published talking points about targeting specific voter demographics.
Orleans Parish recorded 27 percent voter turnout in the 2023 gubernatorial primary. Early voting for the current election cycle began September 28.
Content creator Vi Luong disclosed spending $13,067 to attend New York Fashion Week in September 2022, breaking down costs in a TikTok video. Luong, who has over 1 million followers across TikTok and Instagram, paid $4,519 for seven nights at ModernHaus Soho hotel with a press discount and $3,000 for a publicist to secure invitations to shows and after-parties.
Additional expenses included $2,008 for hair and makeup services over two to three days, $1,025 for private transportation across Manhattan and Brooklyn for two days, and $1,000 for styling three outfits. Round-trip economy flights from Los Angeles cost $1,014, with approximately $500 spent on food.
Luong noted that her styling fee represented a discount since the stylist was a friend, and that costs could be lower for creators already living in fashion week cities. The disclosure provides transparency into the financial investment required for influencers to participate in fashion week events without brand sponsorship.
Industry News
Lunar X and Theorist announced the complete creator lineup for Creators in Fashion, scheduled for October 9 at VidSummit in Dallas. The event features creators representing over 100 million combined subscribers, including The Try Guys, Safiya Nygaard, POPFLEX's Cassey Ho Vinh, and Sydney Morgan.
MatPat, Theorist co-founder with 1.6 million Instagram followers, will host alongside Amy Roberts, Creative Director of Style Theory with 2.8 million YouTube subscribers. The runway show will stream globally through Style Theory with live shopping capabilities powered by YouTube and Shopify.
The event marks the first runway presentation for TheoryWear, part of Theorist's new e-commerce platform TheoryVerse launching September 19. Featured collections include Winter Indoors, Film & Game Capsule, and a Poppy Playtime collaboration with Mob Entertainment.
Theorist, founded in 2012 by MatPat and Stephanie Patrick, expanded from Game Theory to include Film Theory, Food Theory, and Style Theory. Style Theory gained 2.5 million subscribers in its first year. Lunar X acquired Theorist in 2022.
Social Protect, an Australian comment moderation technology company founded in January 2021, launched automated protection services for content creators across multiple social platforms. The company operates through social media APIs to remove abusive comments in under one second using a database of two million harmful terms across 100 languages.
The platform integrates with Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, Discord, YouTube, and X, though X access costs $42,000 monthly through the platform's API fees. Social Protect offers three tiers: a free mobile app for one account, Premium at $3 monthly for multiple accounts, and Pro for high-profile creators with larger followings.
The company reported removing 1.17 million comments in 2024 and 800,000 comments in the past 30 days, projecting 10 million removals in 2025. Social Protect documented average engagement increases of 21% after implementing automated moderation. The service gained attention during the Paris Olympics when Australian breakdancer Rachael Gunn used the platform to manage harassment following her viral performance.
Creator economy consultant Lindsey Gamble and Patreon's Head of External Affairs Courtney Duffy launched the Boston Creator Economy Collective in May after recognizing Boston lacked networking opportunities despite having creators, agencies, universities, and investment capital. The initiative addresses isolation issues common among creators who typically work alone.
The collective hosted its first mixer at Bell in Hand downtown, followed by a second event at Tia's Waterfront on August 26. Events attracted established creators with hundreds of thousands of followers alongside newcomers seeking their first thousand followers, facilitating mentorship exchanges during networking sessions.
The founders plan quarterly mixers starting with a November event and are exploring additional programming including subject-specific sessions, small group dinners, and digital community platforms. They measure success by helping creators transition to full-time status rather than attendance metrics.
Boston represents a model for regional creator economy development, demonstrating that creators can build sustainable careers outside traditional media hubs like Los Angeles and New York when proper community infrastructure exists.
The fwd. network, a female-focused podcast platform owned by AdLarge, secured exclusive advertising sales rights for "Stockton Street," a biweekly podcast from tennis champions Serena and Venus Williams. The podcast launched in September 2025, publishing Wednesdays on X and Thursdays across podcast platforms.
The partnership targets the growing female podcast audience, which increased from 15% monthly listenership in 2015 to 45% in 2025. Edison Research reported that 55% of Americans now listen to podcasts monthly, with 40% tuning in weekly. Female audiences demonstrate an 85% brand recall rate on podcasts, according to Sounds Profitable research cited by fwd.
The Williams sisters' podcast covers their journey from Compton to global recognition, featuring content on resilience, wellness, and pop culture. Jessica Steindorff, Caroline Currier of Nine Two Six, and Isha Price produce the show.
AdLarge brings nearly 15 years of audio advertising experience to monetize the Williams partnership as podcast advertising effectiveness grows, with 44% of weekly listeners purchasing products after hearing ads.
TikTok reached 183 million monthly active users in the United States in August, surpassing Instagram and Facebook's individual user bases, according to Similarweb data. The platform recorded 16% year-over-year growth and 102 million daily users, approaching Facebook's 107 million daily users.
Meanwhile, Oracle will oversee TikTok's U.S. algorithm operations under a pending acquisition deal. The arrangement transfers TikTok's U.S. operations to a joint venture with majority American ownership, while ByteDance retains less than 20% ownership and provides a licensed copy of its algorithm.
Oracle, Silver Lake, and reportedly Fox Corp. will participate in the ownership group. Oracle will monitor content delivery to U.S. users and review the algorithm code provided by ByteDance. The deal requires regulatory approvals, with President Trump expected to sign an executive order declaring the arrangement meets divestiture requirements and extend enforcement pause by 120 days.
Lumina Media invested a seven-figure sum in Arcade, the management company behind YouTube collective The Sidemen, taking a minority stake announced September 24, 2025. The deal provides Arcade with capital and strategic expertise to expand across Europe, the Middle East, and Africa.
Arcade, founded in 2021 by Jordan Schwarzenberger, Sam Uwins, and Aaron O'Neill, manages The Sidemen collective, which includes British YouTuber KSI. The group has accumulated over 130 million YouTube subscribers and generated 40 billion views across its content.
The partnership aims to help The Sidemen expand globally while extending Arcade's creator-led business model to additional talent. Arcade has already launched six businesses with The Sidemen, including fan membership platform Side+.
This represents Lumina's twelfth investment since Thomas Benski launched the company in late 2024. Lumina's portfolio companies collectively generate over $100 million in combined revenues. Lumina secured mid-eight-figure funding from investors including Magnus Rausing's BFK and Charles Dorfman's Dorfman Media Holdings when it launched in December 2024.
YouTube announced at its Made On event that it launched dynamic brand sponsorship tools for long-form videos. The feature allows creators to insert brand sponsorships into videos for set time periods, then replace them with new sponsors or offer slots to multiple brands across different markets.
The system enables creators to monetize existing video libraries repeatedly instead of relying on one-time sponsorship deals. Once a campaign ends, the same sponsorship slot can be resold to different brands, turning old content into ongoing revenue streams.
YouTube also expanded its Creator Partnerships Hub within Google Ads to help advertisers find creators. The company said it will use AI to suggest creator matches for brands and connect more partnerships at industry events.
The move positions YouTube to compete with TikTok and Instagram's brand integration tools while focusing on long-form content monetization. YouTube stated that brands seek creator partnerships for authenticity and trust, prompting the platform to facilitate these connections more efficiently.
Audioboom appointed Craig Eastwood as Vice President, International, to lead the podcast company's global expansion efforts. Eastwood previously served as Commercial Operations Director at British podcast network Adelicious, which Audioboom acquired in July for an undisclosed amount.
The acquisition created a combined network reaching 40 million unique listeners with more than 135 million monthly downloads and video views. Eastwood will oversee Audioboom's five-year international roadmap, focusing on commercial partnerships, operational strategies for new territories, and identifying merger and acquisition opportunities beyond current U.S. and UK markets.
The appointment follows Audioboom's reported growth milestone of surpassing $325 million in creator payments worldwide. The company doubled its video revenue in the first half of 2025, with video content now representing 13% of its overall business. More than 60% of Audioboom creators now produce video podcasts, and the network hosts 12 of the top 100 video podcasts in the U.S. according to Podscribe data.
YouTube announced new features at its Made On YouTube event focused on pushing creators toward livestreaming content. The platform introduced tools to make live streaming easier and more profitable for content creators, representing a shift in YouTube's content strategy.
The company also unveiled new AI-powered analytics tools to help creators understand audience preferences and optimize their content performance. YouTube rolled out AI dubbing capabilities and other automated features designed to streamline content production workflows.
These announcements came as YouTube continues to expand beyond traditional video uploads into real-time content formats. The platform's moves mirror broader industry trends where live content generates higher engagement rates and advertising revenue compared to pre-recorded videos.
YouTube's emphasis on livestreaming puts it in direct competition with platforms like Twitch and TikTok Live. The company's AI integration follows similar moves by competitors who have added automated content creation and optimization tools for creators seeking to scale their operations.
Billion Dollar Boy, a UK-founded creator agency, announced six senior-level hires for its US operations between May and September 2024. The agency hired Roxanne White as senior creative director from Viral Nation, where she served as VP of creative and content strategy. Brantley Doyle joined as senior director of project management from Ogilvy, where he directed operations for the IBM account.
The agency also appointed Anthony Bayter as senior project manager and three senior strategists. Billion Dollar Boy works with clients including Heineken, Nike, Unilever, PepsiCo and L'Oréal.
The hiring expansion preceded a predicted 36% growth in the global creator economy. Billion Dollar Boy reported 30% US workforce growth and 99% increase in regional EBITDA over the past 12 months. The agency operates creator education program FiveTwoNine and brought 20 creators to Cannes Lions in 2024.
Future, the global media company behind Marie Claire and other lifestyle brands, launched a creator network called "Collab" in September 2025. The initiative establishes six franchises across Future's portfolio, including Style at Large on Marie Claire, Editors in Residence on Who What Wear, and By Design on Homes & Gardens. Creators receive flat fees as contributors and produce long-form articles promoted across websites, newsletters, and social channels.
The program addresses declining website traffic as publishers compete with social platforms for audiences. Sprout Social research showed 41% of Gen Z users turn to social platforms first for information, compared to 32% who use traditional search engines. Future's approach follows similar moves by Condé Nast, which announced creator-led shopping platform Vette for 2026, and Vox Media's partnerships with creators like Tefi Pessoa.
Hillary Kerr, Future's SVP of Women & Luxury, described the initiative as a "long-term partnership model" focused on mutual success rather than volume-based content production.
Capital One settled a class-action lawsuit with social media creators over allegations that its Shopping browser extension diverted affiliate marketing commissions from content creators. The settlement notice was filed September 18 in Alexandria, Virginia federal court, with both parties expected to submit terms for preliminary approval by November 17.
Creators alleged Capital One Shopping made purchases appear to originate from the bank's referral links rather than creators' original affiliate links at checkout, allowing Capital One to collect commissions that belonged to bloggers, influencers, and YouTubers. The practice involved overriding tracking codes and cookies that showed shoppers had engaged with creators' content first, exploiting "last-click attribution" rules where the final content interaction before purchase receives commission credit.
Capital One acquired the browser extension through its 2018 purchase of online shopping startup Wikibuy. The bank denied wrongdoing and stated its service, used by millions for finding discounts, will remain unchanged. Similar litigation has targeted Microsoft Shopping and PayPal Honey extensions, indicating broader industry concerns about browser extensions interfering with affiliate marketing structures.
Podcast studio QCODE launched Daylight Media, a creator services division, and closed a growth funding round from Eldridge Industries, the company announced. QCODE, founded in 2019, produces scripted podcasts featuring actors including Matthew McConaughey, Kerry Washington and Demi Moore.
Daylight will handle ad sales, distribution and marketing for creators while QCODE continues producing content. Ben Curtis, an early QCODE investor, became Daylight's president. The division employs 20 people compared to 10 at QCODE's studio arm.
Daylight exclusively manages ad sales for "The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart" and partners with podcasts including "The Chris Cuomo Project" and "And That's Why We Drink." QCODE previously raised $6.4 million in Series A funding led by Sonos in 2024.
The launch reflects podcasting's shift toward video content and multi-platform operations. Amazon restructured Wondery earlier this year, separating narrative podcasts under Audible from personality-driven shows in a Creator Services division.
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Meta has initiated discussions with major media companies including Axel Springer, Fox Corp, and News Corp about licensing content for its artificial intelligence tools. The Facebook parent company is seeking to secure news articles and other publisher content to power its range of AI products, including various chatbots across its platforms.
This represents a notable shift in Meta's relationship with news outlets and publishers, moving from previous tensions over content usage to formal licensing negotiations. The discussions focus on integrating licensed media content across Meta's AI-powered products and services.
The move comes as tech giants increasingly compete for high-quality training data to improve their AI capabilities. Content licensing deals have become crucial for AI companies seeking to enhance their models while addressing copyright concerns from publishers. Meta's approach signals the growing value of premium content in the competitive AI landscape.
Blizzard Entertainment Chief Marketing Officer Monica Austin has restructured the gaming giant's marketing strategy around "tentpole moments" and global regionalization since joining from Netflix a year ago. Austin consolidated 80 percent of resources toward major launches like expansions and BlizzCon, moving away from scattered live-service support across World of Warcraft, Overwatch, and Diablo.
The company's creator marketing program spans 800 creators for World of Warcraft alone, with Austin emphasizing partnerships with vocal critics rather than only favorable voices. Blizzard recently partnered with NBA star Luka Dončić, leveraging his top-500 Overwatch ranking for authentic co-created content including custom game modes and collectibles.
Austin focuses on markets where over half of Blizzard's revenue originates outside the US, launching World of Warcraft's Midnight expansion at Germany's Gamescom and partnering with K-pop groups in Asia. The strategy treats creators as co-developers rather than promotional tools, bringing them into early development feedback loops while maintaining careful vetting for bad actors versus legitimate critics.
Meta launched new smartglasses with built-in displays and AI capabilities at its annual Connect conference, priced at $799 and available September 30th. CEO Mark Zuckerberg demonstrated the glasses, which users control through small hand movements via a Neural Band wrist strap. This marks a significant upgrade from Meta's previous Ray-Ban collaboration that sold over two million pairs since fall 2023.
EssilorLuxottica plans to scale production capacity to 10 million pairs annually by 2026, signaling strong market demand. The glasses feature conversation focus technology, photo/video recording, and an AI assistant that processes visual and audio input. Meta also announced updated Ray-Ban models and new Oakley athletic versions.
The launch intensifies competition in AI wearables, with OpenAI, Google, Snap, and Amazon developing competing devices as companies race to create smartphone alternatives or complements.
YouTube star Jimmy Donaldson, known as MrBeast, has hired CEO Jeff Housenbold to transform his content empire into a profitable entertainment conglomerate. Beast Industries generated $450 million in revenue last year but lost over $110 million due to expensive video production, with each main channel video costing $3-4 million.
Housenbold, former eBay and Shutterfly executive, targets $100 million in cost savings while scaling beyond Donaldson's direct involvement. The company employs 450 people across video production, Feastables chocolate business, and new ventures including animation studios and gaming platforms. Beast was valued at $5.2 billion in 2024.
The strategy focuses on reducing Donaldson's operational burden while maintaining his 430 million YouTube subscribers and billion quarterly viewers across platforms. Housenbold has negotiated sponsorship deals, optimized production costs, and hired experienced executives. The company expects to break even this year and turn profitable in 2026, positioning for a potential public offering.
Kylie Jenner marked the 10th anniversary of Kylie Cosmetics in September 2025, with the brand's net sales reaching approximately $350 million. The brand launched in November 2015 with three $29 lip kits that sold out in seconds.
Coty Inc purchased a 51 percent stake in Kylie Cosmetics for $600 million in 2019. Net sales dipped to $160 million in 2020 due to COVID-19 and reformulation efforts but recovered through global expansion. The brand now operates in 65 markets, with the U.S. comprising 37 percent of sales.
At Ulta Beauty, Kylie Cosmetics holds about 3 percent of lip share according to YipitData. The brand's Cosmic fragrance became the top-selling new women's fragrance launch by volume in Q1 2024, per Circana. Anna von Bayern serves as CEO of Kylie Cosmetics and chief corporate affairs officer at Coty.
The brand's social media momentum increased 58 percent year-over-year on TikTok, reaching $20.4 million in earned media value in July 2025.
President Trump and Chinese leader Xi Jinping held a phone call Friday to finalize a deal preventing TikTok's ban in the United States. The agreement would separate TikTok from Chinese parent company ByteDance through a spinout of American operations with new US investors, including Oracle, to dilute Chinese ownership.
Trump announced the framework Tuesday, stating the US would receive a "tremendous fee" for facilitating the deal. This follows the Trump administration's recent pattern of taking equity stakes in corporate transactions, including 10 percent of Intel and a golden share in US Steel's sale to Nippon Steel.
The deal resolves national security concerns about Beijing's potential access to American user data and propaganda channels. China's commerce vice minister said the agreement "serves the interests of both sides." Trump has extended the TikTok deadline four times this year, with the current extension running through mid-December.
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