With Cannes Lions, SXSW and The Podcast Show all approaching, it feels like the creator economy is about to have a huge moment, and we’ll be at all three! On the surface, they might seem like completely different events, together, they tell a very clear story about where the creator economy is heading...
Creators are no longer a niche part of the industry, they are becoming the main event. For years, creators were viewed as an extension of marketing campaigns, brought in to promote products, drive engagement or help brands connect with younger audiences. That conversation has shifted massively, with creators no longer simply supporting brands, but increasingly becoming brands in their own right.
That change is becoming impossible to ignore at events like Cannes Lions. Historically known as the annual meeting point for some of the world’s biggest names in advertising, creativity and media, Cannes is now seeing creators take centre stage in a very different way. They are arriving not just with audiences, but with influence, scalable businesses and long-term commercial value behind them. The conversations happening there are no longer about whether creators matter, but instead how brands, platforms and investors can build meaningful, long-term relationships with them.
For us at Viewture, that is exactly why Cannes feels so important this year. We’ll be there from the 21st-25th June, not just to attend, but to be part of the conversations shaping the future of creator partnerships, funding and digital businesses!
SXSW reflects another side of this same shift. It has consistently been one of the first major events to recognise internet culture as real culture, and we are so excited about its presence in London. What has become increasingly clear at SXSW is that the lines between creator, entrepreneur and media owner are continuing to blur. The people speaking on those stages are no longer just talking about content creation, they are discussing how to build companies, launch products, own audiences and develop long-term businesses around their communities.
One theme continues to appear throughout all of these conversations, and that is ownership. The creators building sustainable businesses are often the ones retaining control of their intellectual property, audiences and revenue streams. More creators are recognising the long-term value of ownership, rather than chasing short-term opportunities that may limit them later down the line. It is something we have believed in from day one at Viewture, because funding creators should never mean taking away the very thing that makes their business valuable 🤔
At the same time, podcasting continues to demonstrate just how powerful creator-led media has become. Despite years of predictions that the market would become oversaturated, podcasts are continuing to grow rapidly. Audiences remain highly engaged, advertisers are investing heavily, and creators are increasingly recognising the value of building communities on platforms that are not entirely dependent on algorithms.
When you look at these events the wider pattern becomes very clear. Creators are no longer being treated as internet talent sitting outside the media industry, they are increasingly being recognised as business owners, media brands and long-term investment opportunities in their own right.
At Viewture, we have built around this shift from the very beginning. Flexible funding structures, retained IP and long-term creator growth have always been central to how we work, because the creators who succeed long term are often the ones who maintain ownership of what they have built. The world’s finally recognising what the creator economy has been building for years, and the wider industry is now beginning to catch up 👀
