Yes, this is very much the time of year where you’ll see a whole lot of clickbait telling you all the trends you need to know for the year ahead… and here we are, doing the same. The difference? This is your no BS breakdown of what you really need to know within the creator space.

Community

Like authenticity, community is one of the most overused buzz words within the creator space. Everyone talks about the need and desire to build their community… and (rightly so) those with loyal followings leverage their communities when pitching for new opportunities. But let’s be very clear, there is a very big difference between having a following and having a community. Followings though important, aren’t totally meaningful because they can be amassed with gimmicks, paid tactics or just over time – and followers aren’t a sign of engagement. Community on the other hand is nurtured, built from trust and two-way conversations, and those followers are highly engaged. They’re the audience you want. 

A great example of community-led marketing right now is Refy, the Manchester-based beauty brand led by Jess Hunt. Jess started out as a creator herself, before turning her community into a £20m revenue generating business. With a deep understanding of how important connection is – Jess has created a business that invests in and makes its community feel like they’re at the very centre of the brand. It recently whisked away eight highly engaged customers (picked from its broadcast channel) for the type of brand trip normally only accessible to high profile influencers, and has since then launched Refy World – a membership style programme where customers can progress through levels and unlock rewards when they shop.

Another way creators are nurturing their audiences (and their future fortunes) is – and yes this sounds a little retro – with newsletters. The very thing that gave us GOOP – the humble newsletter has become a way for influencers and celebrities to have an ownable, creative outlet that’s all theirs. Where importantly the insights they get from engaging with their biggest fans allows them to understand more about what that audience wants to see, engage with and ultimately, buy. Two very different but equally valuable ones to subscribe to? Stacey Solomon’s ultra-successful one here and Thrive in Chaos by Hurr Founder Victoria Prew here.

Creator Brands

No, this is nothing new. But this current cohort of brand owners are not just slapping their name on some once-off fast fashion collections – they really mean business. There’s Grace Beverly who started with her fitness app Shreddy then naturally progressed to launching Tala activewear, The Productivity Method and now Retrograde, an AI-powered tool for content creators. All of which makes perfect sense for who she is, her interests and her expertise. It is – and yes it hurts me to say this – completely authentic.

What will look different in 2025 is that now the talent agents want in – eager to use their existing resources to fuel and accelerate these Creator businesses. From YMU to InterTalent, they are looking at their talent, their audiences (and windows of opportunity) and building brands around them to unlock new revenue streams. Rumour has it, YMU passed on the opportunity to invest in Rochelle Humes’ brand My Little Coco, perhaps the reason she has subsequently set up her own talent agency, and taken her business firmly away from YMU. An opportunity they’ll likely move fast to not repeat again. 

Of course, not all Creator brands are thriving. Or even surviving. And who knows what will happen to Djerf Avenue which last week faced a huge backlash following claims of bullying its founder the mega-successful Swedish influencer Matilda Djerf. Proof perhaps that great Creators don’t always make great leaders – and in those instances the right team needs to be in place for these brands to succeed.

Web3

No musings on the future of creator marketing would make sense without mentioning AI. But – in a world where authenticity and human connection is all-important, where do AI influencers fit in? I acknowledge they’re not a new concept but brands continue to be nervous when it comes to actually using a machine learning, virtual person to represent them or their products. But – some bold and brilliant brands are leading the way. 

We’ve already seen virtual gigs in Roblox, racing against F1 drivers in Fortnite and PUMA AI Creator allowing fans to design and customise kits using AI prompts. An interesting and for many contentious area of growth is using AI models for campaigns that Creators are less than forthcoming to star in – for example to promote erectile dysfunction pills like Viagra or GLP-1 weight loss injections like Ozempic. All big business products that benefit from being recommended by a trustworthy and relatable face – even if it’s not a real one.

As well as perhaps doing the gigs that real life creators don’t want – AI influencers are a way to streamline the production process and crucially cut costs. Wherever you stand on the ethics of that, brands that begin to play in the space will gather important learnings if and when the time is right to go big.

While many more trends will emerge – probably even between now and the close of play for Christmas – the Creator space continues to be a cash cow both for the brands they collaborate with and for the talent’s own ventures. But as always, only the very best will survive. Here’s to 2025.

Sedge will be writing a regular column on the Creator Economy for MAD//Insight throughout the year.