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- Influence Weekly #418 - Automotive Corporation Stellantis Criticizes Influencers Over ‘Unprofessional’ Jeep Recon Video
Influence Weekly #418 - Automotive Corporation Stellantis Criticizes Influencers Over ‘Unprofessional’ Jeep Recon Video
Australian Football League Shifts To Creator-Led Content Strategy With Major Media Restructure
Nii Ahene
December 05, 2025
Spotlight Stories
Creator Economy Events Pack January 2026 Calendar
EA Launches ‘Battlefield 6’ Season 1 Twitch Drops With Exclusive Creator Window
Beyond MrBeast: YouTube Spotlights Mark Vins, Cleo Abram, Trevor Noah To Win TV Dollars
Automotive Corporation Stellantis Criticizes Influencers Over ‘Unprofessional’ Jeep Recon Video
Great Reads
Eight creator economy events scheduled for January 2026 span multiple cities and countries, targeting different segments of the industry. The 1 Billion Followers Summit in Dubai January 9-11 features speakers with a combined 2.3 billion followers, including MrBeast, with tickets ranging from $54.46 to $1,633.76.
CES in Las Vegas hosts Digital Hollywood January 5 and the CES Creator Space January 6-9, offering networking opportunities and expert sessions. Affiliate Summit West draws over 7,000 attendees to Caesars Forum January 12-14, with free registration for affiliates. Creator Economy Live West runs alongside, offering free registration to the first 500 brand attendees.
Tastemaker Conference targets food content creators in Los Angeles January 9-10 with tickets from $699 to $899. Content Americas in Miami January 19-22 focuses on Latin American content markets at $999 registration. Podfest Expo celebrates its 12th anniversary in Orlando January 15-18, while an academic conference on social media marketing takes place in Texas January 28-29.
A study published in Scientific Reports found that only 2% of Instagram users meet clinical criteria for addiction risk, despite 18% self-identifying as addicted. The research, conducted by the California Institute of Technology and University of Southern California, surveyed 1,204 U.S. adults using the Bergen Instagram Addiction Scale, which assesses six clinical symptoms including withdrawal and life conflict.
The study revealed participants who viewed their usage as addiction rather than habit reported lower control and more past attempts to manage their Instagram use. Researchers found that media coverage heavily favors addiction narratives, with 4,383 "social media addiction" articles receiving 71,981 social engagements compared to 50 "social media habit" articles with 464 engagements from November 2021 to November 2024.
An experimental component showed users who reflected on addiction messaging before rating their usage reported higher self-perceived addiction and lower feelings of control. The findings suggest approximately 2.4 million Instagram users nationwide may be at clinical risk based on the platform's 121.4 million American users, though researchers noted this figure may be inflated by media exposure.
YouTube hosted its first Creator Premieres event in November 2024, bringing 100 advertising buyers from agencies including WPP and Omnicom and brands like Verizon and LVMH to preview content from top creators. The event showcased upcoming videos from Mark Vins, Cleo Abram, Trevor Noah, Julian Shapiro-Barnum, Deestroying, Brittany Broski, Dhar Mann, and Ms. Rachel.
Google president of Americas Sean Downey said the event responded to advertisers' desire to see content earlier for planning purposes. YouTube vice president Tara Walpert Levy noted that buyers know few creators and don't understand the breadth of episodic content or that creators now operate studios rather than individual channels.
YouTube announced tools in 2024 allowing creators to organize videos into seasons and episodes, plus features to optimize content for television viewing. The platform emphasized brand sponsorship case studies throughout the event, with creators like Abram highlighting partnerships with Formula 1 and IBM. YouTube plans additional Creator Premieres events aligned with advertising and entertainment industry gatherings.
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Campaign Insights
Stellantis criticized Los Angeles-based content creators "The Middle Lane" after their TikTok video disassembled parts of a Jeep Recon display vehicle at the Los Angeles Auto Show, calling their actions "destructive and unprofessional." The video, which accumulated over one million views, questioned the $65,000 SUV's build quality by showing loose interior panels and gaps.
Stellantis spokesperson Kaileen Connelly stated the vehicle was a pre-production show car built exclusively for events and not intended to demonstrate final production quality. These prototype units are typically hand-built, she explained.
Luke Miani, founder of "The Middle Lane," disputed the "destructive" characterization, noting the video showed parts that were already loose and easily removable without damage. The controversy highlights the growing influence of creators in automotive marketing, with inBeat research showing over 36% of auto shoppers incorporate influencer marketing into purchase decisions and 46% view automotive influencer content as trustworthy information sources.
Electronic Arts launched a Twitch Drops program for "Battlefield 6" Season 1 on December 2, featuring an exclusive 48-hour creator window before expanding to all streamers. The program granted four selected creators exclusive access from December 2 through December 4, based on their participation in EA's Battlefield Creator Program launched in October.
EA selected Cpt_Caty, 小葉喔 (NCCHFPS), ottr, and YourBigBrotherSteve for the exclusive window. The program expanded to all "Battlefield 6" streams from December 4 through December 9. Viewers earned rewards through time-based progression, requiring cumulative viewing hours to unlock four items including vehicle decals, weapon stickers, player cards, and a shotgun package.
The initiative builds on EA's October creator program, which uses challenge-based rewards including digital items, merchandise, cash payments, and experiences. That program requires creators to meet audience thresholds of 50 average concurrent livestream viewers, 3,000 average views on long-form content, or 2,000 social media followers.
The Australian Football League restructured its media operations to prioritize external content creators over traditional in-house production, according to Ministry of Sport reporting. The AFL decommissioned its primary production facility Studio A at AFL House and reduced its internal production team.
Content creation shifted to strategic partners including independent creators, specialist production agencies, and broadcast collaborators. The league established the AFL Digital Network to oversee content strategy across owned media channels, focusing on social and editorial output.
The restructure responded to changing consumption habits as fans moved toward social platforms, short-form video, and creator-driven content. The strategy aimed to accelerate the AFL's content footprint across highlights packages, behind-the-scenes storytelling, fan-generated media, podcasts, and real-time social content.
Redundancies occurred across production and support functions, though front-facing journalism and commentary roles remained unaffected. The move represents a shift from traditional sports media production to creator-led content distribution across digital platforms.
Zohran Mamdani's New York City mayoral campaign used the Instagram chatbot platform Manychat to automate influencer outreach during the final weeks of his race. The chatbot distinguished between regular Instagram users with fewer than 20,000 followers and content creators with follower counts reaching up to 35 million.
Digital consultant Gabriella Zutrau customized the chatbot with conditional flows that sent automated replies to smaller accounts while directing larger influencers to fill out Google forms for direct campaign engagement. This automation eliminated the time-consuming process of manually tracking down individual creators and their representatives.
The creator program was led by former Democratic National Committee press secretary Emilia Rowland, who joined Mamdani's team to handle new media operations. Mamdani defeated former Governor Andrew Cuomo by nearly 200,000 votes in the mayoral election, with voters aged 18-29 accounting for 35 percent of total turnout. The campaign's digital strategy focused heavily on content creation and creator partnerships to mobilize young voters.
Snapchat launched an AR Winter Village featuring three luxury brands for holiday shopping, marking what the company described as a first-of-its-kind global AR collaboration for luxury brands. The experience, which runs through December 31, unites Chopard, Lancôme, and BOSS in separate branded boutiques accessible through dedicated AR Lenses.
Users can explore each brand's virtual space and complete purchases through the brands' e-commerce sites. Creative studio Atomic developed the three boutique experiences. Chopard's space features a paper-like interpretation with ivory textures showcasing watches and jewelry.
Lancôme presents the Lancôme Express, a train-inspired fragrance experience set above snowy mountains featuring products including Vanille Nude and La Vie Est Belle. BOSS introduces its Augmented Factory with copper walls and conveyor belts highlighting the BOSS x Steiff collection.
The experience launched in France, the United States, the United Kingdom, Germany, the Nordics, Benelux, and the Middle East. Users can access the Winter Village through the Lens Carousel or each brand's Public Profile on Snapchat.
The Media Ecosystem Observatory found that political influencers dominated social media engagement during recent Canadian elections, accounting for 47 percent of political content during the 2025 federal election compared to 28 percent from news outlets and 18 percent from politicians. During British Columbia's 2024 provincial election, political influencers generated 63.9 percent of all political engagement on social media platforms.
The study analyzed social media content from January 2024 to July 2025, covering five provincial elections and one federal election. The Media Ecosystem Observatory operates as a collaboration between the University of Toronto and McGill University focused on digital threats to democracy.
Researchers defined political influencers as individual content creators including activists, journalists, and social media users who built audiences through political content, rather than organizational accounts. The study found 42 percent of all Canadians interact with political content accounts, rising to 64 percent among people aged 18 to 34. The shift occurred as Meta banned news organization accounts and links from Facebook and Instagram due to Canadian legislation requiring platforms to pay news producers.
Interesting People
Three food influencers shared insights on pizzeria collaborations in PMQ Pizza Magazine. Simone Hanlen, who runs @nycmuncher with 100,000-view posts, offers paid services and advises pizzerias to provide clear communication about desired content focus and ensure staff know about planned visits.
Anthony Pizzi operates @localpizzi and runs the New Jersey Pizza Alliance with 30-40 influencers. He emphasized that content creation involves 6-8 hours of editing after visits and recommended pizzerias offer travel expenses as marketing costs. Pizzi's post for DeLucia's Brick Oven in Raritan generated over 100,000 views, with one pizzeria reporting they sold out of dough by Tuesday following his coverage.
Stephen Winters (@thepizzahulk) works without payment and focuses on "pizza reveal" content. The influencers warned against collaborating with accounts showing low engagement despite high follower counts and poor content quality. They advised pizzeria owners to communicate their unique story and specific menu items they want highlighted, while being prepared to promote the influencer's content in return.
Tech YouTuber Marques Brownlee announced that his wallpaper app Panels will shut down on December 31, 2025, fifteen months after launching in September 2024. The app reached 900,000 lifetime downloads and generated $95,000 in consumer spending across iOS and Android, according to app intelligence firm Appfigures.
Panels ranked number one on iOS and Google Play charts for photo apps during its launch month but failed to maintain momentum. By November 2025, the app received only 3,000 downloads and $500 in consumer spending, falling too low to rank on U.S. app stores.
The app partnered with artists to sell high-resolution wallpapers through subscriptions priced at $50 annually or $12 monthly, with artists receiving revenue cuts. Brownlee cited development team changes and inability to find suitable collaborators as factors in the shutdown.
Users with active annual subscriptions will receive refunds when the app closes. The company will make the app code open source for developers to build upon the existing framework.
Las Vegas content creator Serena Neel accumulated more than 200 million views on videos documenting her Angel Tree gift purchases for children and seniors through programs run by organizations like The Salvation Army. Neel started the practice three years ago and has now shopped for more than 50 Angel Tree recipients.
The programs place paper tags on Christmas trees in store lobbies listing recipients' names, ages, and gift requests. Shoppers select tags, purchase requested items, and return them to customer service for distribution.
Neel's viral success coincides with broader trends in creator-led charitable giving. Recent Tiltify research found that 67% of Gen Z respondents increased their giving since the pandemic, with nearly one-third contributing through creator-led charity fundraisers. The survey showed 85% of Gen Z and 77% of Millennials would likely donate if prompted by their favorite creator, compared to 57% of Gen X and 34% of Boomers.
U.S. charitable giving totaled $592.5 billion in 2024, yet fewer than half of American households now report making charitable contributions annually.
Joe Barnard, creator of BPS.Space and a Berklee College music graduate, transformed his model rocket hobby into a full-time creator business built around replicating SpaceX-style vertical takeoff and landing technology. Barnard founded BPS.Space in 2015 and began monetizing through flight computer sales by 2017 after burning through savings during the first two years.
The creator operates as a one-person studio handling design, testing, scripting and editing while receiving assistance from friend Tiff on social media and short-form content strategy. Revenue streams include YouTube ad revenue, Patreon support, and brand sponsorships, with Barnard represented by talent management agency Ziggurat XYZ.
BPS.Space has grown into an educational engineering channel where Barnard documents rocket building failures and successes, maintaining audience engagement through transparency about his development process. The creator plans to eventually send a rocket to space while documenting the entire process, positioning his content as both entertainment and inspiration for aspiring engineering creators.
Matt Balthasar, a Wisconsin father of three teenage daughters, created a TikTok account to embarrass his children and connect with them on their preferred platform. His daughters, ages 17, 15, and 12, refused to help him set up the account, assuming he would not follow through.
Balthasar began filming mock influencer videos using the catchphrase "Hey, what's up guys?" while the family visited restaurants and attended events. His first viral video, filmed at Mallard's restaurant, accumulated over 3 million views. His most popular video, featuring a Mexican restaurant review with a "6-7" joke, reached nearly 5 million views.
The account @heyguys8233 gained substantial followers after the content went viral. What began as a parental prank to gain attention from his busy daughters evolved into actual influencer status. Balthasar told Fox6 that he does not fully understand social media terminology but has learned about his daughters' digital environment through the experience.
Industry News
Acast, a podcast company, launched a UK program combining audio and video podcasts through a partnership with Little Dot Studios. The program launched in December 2025 with over 20 UK podcasts representing 45 million monthly plays across audio feeds and YouTube channels.
Launch partners included Fearne Cotton's "Happy Place," Peter Crouch's "That Peter Crouch Podcast," and Ed Gamble's "Off Menu" among others spanning news, comedy, sports, wellness and parenting genres. The partnership gives Acast access to Little Dot Studios' 11 billion monthly YouTube views across channels including Team GB, Gordon Ramsay, and The Jonathan Ross Show.
The program offers creators YouTube infrastructure, growth support, and scaled ad inventory while providing advertisers access to integrated campaigns combining audio sponsorships with YouTube video ads. Acast holds approximately 60 percent of UK podcasting market share. The beta program launches in January 2026 with plans to expand to all eligible UK creators later in 2026 before rolling out to other Acast markets.
Meta mandated that Instagram employees in the United States work five days per week in an office starting February 2, 2026. The policy applies only to Instagram and not to Meta's other properties including Facebook and WhatsApp, according to a company spokesperson.
Instagram chief Adam Mosseri announced the change in an employee memo, stating the mandate aims to foster creative collaboration. Mosseri also plans to reduce meetings at the photo-sharing unit and wants employees to debut more product prototypes instead of formal written documentation.
The move represents a shift from Meta's current company-wide policy implemented in September 2023, which requires employees to work at least three days per week from physical offices. Meta has not disclosed how many Instagram employees the new mandate affects or whether remote workers will need to relocate.
The policy change comes as Instagram continues competing for creator engagement across social media platforms. Other technology companies including Amazon, AT&T, Boeing, and Dell Technologies have implemented similar five-day office requirements.
Social media consultancy Viralect released research showing 64% of UK journalists lack substantial audiences on Instagram, TikTok, or YouTube, with only 0.6% commanding followings above 20,000 across all three platforms. The study examined 526 UK journalists across six platforms between August and October 2025.
The research found 93% of journalists maintain public X accounts, making it the industry's primary platform. Nearly half fail to build audiences above 5,000 followers on any platform despite being active on three to four networks. Only 13.5% have grown audiences on TikTok or YouTube.
The analysis identified 72 journalists who built sizeable audiences on at least three platforms, forming what researchers called a "multi-platform elite." Male journalists averaged three times the total following of women across platforms, with Instagram being the only platform where women showed advantage.
Viralect founder Sophia Smith Galer described the situation as a "visibility crisis" as audiences increasingly turn to video platforms for news consumption, particularly those under 35.
TikTok commissioned research firm Ipsos to study virtual gift spending on TikTok Live, revealing that over 60,000 U.S.-based creators earned more than median part-time monthly income from gifts in 2025. TikTok takes approximately 50% of gift revenue, with virtual items costing viewers between 1 cent and $560 each.
The June-July 2025 study surveyed 500 people aged 18-49, finding that 68% of TikTok users tried gifting on TikTok Live and 50% planned to gift within the next month. Viewers cited content appreciation (35%) and community engagement (34%) as primary motivations for sending gifts.
The platform requires creators to be 18 or older with 50-900 followers to begin livestreaming and monetizing, compared to millions needed for traditional sponsorships. One-fifth of U.S. creators received gifts during their first livestream. Baker Vanessa (@deliciousnessbakery) tripled her audience and increased gift receipts six-fold within six months, reaching 123,000 followers while building her sweets business around TikTok Live baking shows.
AsqMe, a Los Angeles-based AI-powered creator platform, shut down operations in December 2025 after failing to secure a strategic buyer despite raising more than $1 million in funding since its January 2023 launch. The company provided audience relationship management tools for creators to monetize and respond to questions across multiple social media platforms.
AsqMe developed two core AI features: First Draft, which generated responses to audience questions using creators' own content, and Question Intercept, which identified questions in comments and posted replies with affiliate links. The platform aggregated questions from YouTube, Instagram, TikTok and other platforms into a single interface.
The company had secured integrations with creator tools including Beacons, Kit, Komi and Pillar, and held two issued patents for its technology. Co-founders Paul Shustak and James Alexander, both former Adobe executives, cited the challenging funding environment as the primary factor in the closure despite what they described as strong creator adoption and technology validation.
Denmark advanced legislation that would grant individuals copyright over their appearance and voice to combat AI-generated deepfakes. The bill would prohibit sharing deepfake content without consent and establish removal processes for digital platforms. Danish Culture Minister Jakob Engel-Schmidt said platforms failing to act on removal requests could face penalties.
The proposal would create two new copyright law sections covering performing artists and the general public. Legal analysis by firm Schjødt outlined that individuals could issue takedown notices and seek compensation without proving reputational damage. The framework includes exemptions for parody, satire, and social criticism.
The World Economic Forum reported that deepfake incidents doubled in frequency, with cases involving political misinformation and financial fraud resulting in substantial losses. The legislation targets systemic platform failures rather than individual users. The bill has broad lawmaker support and is expected for consideration early next year.
Denmark is also advancing separate proposals to restrict social media access for children under 15, requiring electronic ID verification and imposing potential EU-mechanism fines for non-compliance.
Malaysia announced plans to ban social media access for children under 16 starting in 2026, following similar measures by Australia and European nations. Communications Minister Fahmi Fadzil cited concerns about cyberbullying, financial scams, and child sexual abuse as reasons for the restriction.
Australia's ban took effect December 10, requiring Facebook, Instagram, Kick, Reddit, Snapchat, Threads, TikTok, X, Twitch, and YouTube to prevent users under 16 from maintaining accounts. Courts will determine final platform eligibility, with fines up to AU$49.5 million for non-compliance. Pinterest received an exemption from the restrictions.
Meta identified approximately 450,000 underage account holders across Instagram and Facebook in Australia, while TikTok counted 200,000 and Snap identified 440,000. Platforms confirmed they will implement automated behavior-tracking software to identify potentially underage users claiming to be over 16.
France, Spain, Italy, Denmark and Greece are jointly testing an age verification app template. Indonesia announced similar plans in January but later implemented less restrictive content filtering requirements instead of age bans.
Brazilian social media users now follow news creators and influencers more than traditional media brands, according to a Reuters Institute study released in November 2024. The research found 33% of Brazilian respondents follow creators for news compared to 30% who follow established news brands and journalists.
Brazil was the only Latin American country where respondents paid more attention to individual creators than traditional outlets. The study attributed this shift to Brazil's high social media dependence for news, with 54% using platforms weekly for information and 35% citing social media as their primary news source.
The top five mentioned news figures included federal congressman Nikolas Ferreira, former TV Globo presenter Alexandre Garcia, lifestyle influencer Virgínia Fonseca, celebrity journalist Leo Dias, and former president Jair Bolsonaro. Pedro Doria, a former traditional journalist, launched YouTube channel Meio which gained 356,000 subscribers.
Sérgio Lüdtke from Brazil's News Atlas confirmed the trend matches his research findings. The Reuters Institute noted creators excel at political commentary, explanatory content, and specialized coverage while adapting better to algorithmic platforms than traditional newsrooms.
Italy's tax authority confirmed that digital creators earning income from adult content must pay a 25% surcharge on that revenue under the country's flat-rate tax system. The Agenzia delle Entrate extended the "tassa etica" ethical tax to freelancers in Italy's regime forfettario, affecting creators on platforms like OnlyFans.
Italy introduced the ethical tax through Law 266/2005 for businesses producing or distributing adult content. The country has approximately 85,000 OnlyFans creators, with over 45,000 operating under the flat-rate regime now subject to the additional levy.
The surcharge applies only to income from content classified as explicit by tax authorities, creating calculation challenges for creators producing mixed content. The tax contrasts with U.S. policy, where Congress created a tip deduction allowing digital content creators to deduct up to $25,000 from taxable income through 2028.
Pokimane and HasanAbi praised China's technology and urban lifestyle during a recent Twitch livestream, with Grammy-winning producer Finneas O'Connell joining the conversation. Pokimane claimed Chinese cities were five to 10 years ahead of the West, citing on-demand Instagram photographers available through mobile apps as her primary example.
The streamers focused their discussion on fashion, lifestyle services, and app-based conveniences in Chinese megacities. They described these cities as efficient places where digital platforms integrate seamlessly with daily services. The conversation avoided political topics or human rights issues.
The stream reflects a broader trend of Western influencers creating China-focused content. Multiple creators have recently traveled to China and produced content about the country's infrastructure and urban development, with Ludwig Ahgren announcing his own China tour. Critics noted that influencers typically see curated versions of countries during organized trips, staying in premium hotels and visiting showcase locations.
AI influencer Aitana Lopez earned up to $11,000 per month through brand partnerships with Amazon and other companies, according to her creator agency The Clueless. The digitally generated personality has a detailed backstory and will soon offer paid five-minute conversations with fans via platform Fanvue in December.
AI-generated musicians topped music charts, with gospel singer Solomon Ray reaching number one on Billboard gospel charts with "Find Your Rest" and attracting over 500,000 monthly Spotify listeners. Country AI artist Breaking Rust also climbed the country charts, prompting backlash from human musicians who called it concerning for the industry.
Major brands including Calvin Klein, Prada, Samsung and YouTube have used AI influencers for campaigns. AI influencer Lil Miquela faced criticism after posting about a leukemia diagnosis in a sponsored partnership with bone marrow donation organization NMDP. Hollywood also reacted negatively to AI actress Tilly Norwood, unveiled at the Zurich film festival, with actors and unions opposing her potential to replace human performers.
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TikTok announces a 37.7 billion dollar investment to build its first Latin American data center in Brazil. The facility will be developed near the port of Pecém in northeastern Brazil, partnering with data center developer Omnia and renewable energy provider Casa dos Ventos. The project will run entirely on wind energy, marking a significant commitment to clean power infrastructure.
Brazil positions itself as an attractive data center hub due to abundant renewable energy sources, an interconnected grid, and extensive fiber optic networks. The investment comes as TikTok faces potential bans in the United States over national security concerns, with the company expanding its global infrastructure footprint. Brazil's President Lula signed incentives in September allowing tax-free equipment imports for data center projects.
Major corporations are shifting strategy by hiring employees as in-house social-media influencers. Starbucks' Green Apron Creators program enlisted 53 baristas since 2024, paying them per approved post. Delta launched a 15-person influencer initiative with pilots, flight attendants and customer-service agents. Portillo's Maxwell Street Mavens program selected 15 staffers for content creation focused on the chain's national expansion.
The strategy targets young, digital-native workers who gain career visibility, professional development opportunities and résumé credentials. Starbucks employees receive per-post compensation, while Portillo's explores merchandise incentives. Companies provide editing support and content prompts tied to promotions and brand initiatives.
This reverses past corporate policy—firms previously disciplined employees for unauthorized workplace posts. Authenticity remains critical; overly scripted content undermines the grassroots marketing appeal.
ByteDance's Doubao app dominates China's consumer AI market with 172 million monthly active users, outpacing DeepSeek's 145 million. The all-in-one chatbot, photo and video tool captured 11.4 million downloads in October—five times more than DeepSeek. ByteDance's success stems from focusing on multimedia experiences and consumer-friendly design rather than just text capabilities.
The company follows OpenAI's approach, keeping advanced technology proprietary while offering some open-source models. ByteDance's private valuation recently hit 480 billion dollars, approaching OpenAI's 500 billion dollar mark. However, monetization remains challenging—Chinese AI apps generated just 500,000 dollars in iOS sales over twelve months compared to ChatGPT's 1.7 billion dollars. The outcome suggests winning AI platforms prioritize user engagement over raw intelligence.