Previsão 2025: economia

de criadores
A economia de criadores está se infiltrando na vida do
consumidor, redefinindo a criatividade, a comunidade, o
consumo e o comércio. Entenda o futuro deste setor com
base na metodologia STEPIC da WGSN.

Cassandra Napoli
10.17.23 - 12 minutos

Em inglês

George Milton / Pexels

Executive summary
From digital care culture to bracing for a post-abundance internet, we forecast how the creator economy
will mature and identify the opportunities for brands.

Opportunity Key Ideas

Experts predict the number of global content creators ranges between 50 million and The future of work: brands must help emerging creators develop income streams
303 million. In 2025, creators will become key business leaders and purveyors of
Decentralised influence: creators will push back against Big Tech and operate
purpose and activism, with the power to convert audiences.
independently
The creator economy spans every generation, country and person contributing to The abundance dichotomy: there will be two sides to digital fashion content, one
online ecosystems, from teenage TikTok fashion consultants to knowledge curators on
focused on values and another on value
LinkedIn. Despite threats of a potential ban, TikTok will remain the epicentre of
culture, where 1 billion people co-exist in a melting pot of niche interests. The contents Care-scrolling: doomscrolling will be replaced as governments, platforms, brands
of in-app culture across platforms will change amid evolving consumer priorities for and creators aim to protect young users
sustainability. The fatigue of being online will catch up to consumers and appetites for The audio creator economy: audio content creation ushers in a new era for
care will see user safety prioritised. New technologies will redefine content creation advertising and commerce
and transform storytelling.
Synthetic creativity: generative AI will redefine brand and creator content and level
Need to know: the creator economy is set to value $480 billion by 2027 and will become the playing field for participants
a key aspect of brand strategy, especially as creators sway discovery and purchase
decisions for US consumers at 64% and 66% respectively. It is, however, imperfect and
has many of the same socioeconomic problems as the physical world.
Key industries: all
Key consumers: as the intergenerational internet unfolds, the creator economy will
reflect the diversity of society and impact all ages.
STEPIC forecasts: The Caring Economy, Decentralised Digital Culture, Good Growth,
Neo Altruism, The End of Abundance, Strategic Imagination

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Society: the future of work
Brands should uplift lower and middle-class creators and guide them to
meaningful income streams.

Need to know: Gen Z is pushing back against traditional 9-to-5 jobs as 45% in the US
want to make money from online content. Platforms, however, are rife with inequality
and pay disparity and algorithms lead to burnout. Creators at the top tend to thrive while
emerging creators suffer.
Most creators earn less than $50k annually (below the US middle-class line), but there
may be new potential as brands double down on investments; influencer spend in the
US is set to rise to $7.1 billion in 2024. The intergenerational internet is the future and
Creative Class (US) says 75% of full-time creators are older than 30 and 50% are older
than 40. Creators need to foster strong community ties to enter the middle class.
In protest of inequality and burnout, creators will attempt to unionise (hundreds are
already organising in a Discord group). The SAG-AFTRA union has welcomed creators
since 2021, but amid the Hollywood strikes has said it will not permit entry to those who
take on studio work. This could be an inflection point as writers and actors push back on
streaming sites and turn to social media to unveil binge-worthy content. Netflix has seen
TikTok as a competitor since 2020 and the strikes could accelerate social media as a
threat. YouTube already beat streaming giants in April as the preferred site for Gen Z.
Strategy: brands need to pay creators fairly to uplift the creator middle-class and direct
attention to new possibilities for partnerships, such as US student athletes. Sponsor
learning courses such as Duke's Building Global Audiences, which upskills students with
5k followers on how to navigate social media.
Ketut Subiyant / Pexels

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In action:

Creative Juice Ron Lach / Pexels

Black creators drive digital culture, outperforming other groups in follower growth, interaction and Taking cues from China's livestream economy (a top paying job for youth), influencer agencies are
media value, but their efforts are often unacknowledged. Creator funding and banking tool Creative teaming with TikTok to help global creators make the most from each in-app stream. TikTok Live's
Juice (US) launched an incubator project committing $25k to the investment and development of tipping tool, which facilitates micro transactions, can reap rewards. Look to sleep creators and NPCs
five Black creators via mentorship like Canada's PinkyDoll who earn $2k to $3k per stream

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Technology: decentralised influence
There is an emerging backlash against the power of Big Tech, which will cause the
influencer landscape to fracture further.

Need to know: amid a truth dilemma and record-low trust, internet users are aware of
the dangers of being chronically online. Many parents are reconsidering ‘sharenting’
culture as AI threats loom over their kids’ futures, while some youth adopt 'lo and no'
tech lifestyles and power log off movements.
We may see a shift from FOLO (fear of logging off) to JOLO (the joy of logging off). Ex-
wellness creator @leefromamerica (US) is in pursuit of a more average life and is leading
a fringe post-influencer movement. In March, she launched a Goodbye Influencing
Zoom workshop to help others leave the industry and gain financial freedom from
brands, with another session in June proving demand. The workshop demonstrates how
influencer skills transfer in the workplace; many creators pivot to PR, marketing and
entertainment.
Creators will aim to diversify and own their content streams, expanding into books,
podcasts and products, potentially powering the Fortune 500 list. "In the next 10 years,
all the biggest brands will be made by creators,” said Mae Karwowski, CEO of influencer
marketing firm Obviously. Look to Sweden's Matilda Djerf, who built her empire sans
business plan in 2019 and reportedly earned $20m in 2022. By 2025, every influencer
could have an online shop via Flagship, which lets them curate a store and earn without
having to deal with logistics.
Strategy: creators will evolve into business leaders across lifestyle and culture, opening
up opportunities for brand collabs. Look to Call Her Daddy podcaster Alex Cooper (US)
Polina Tankilevitch / Pexels
who launched The Unwell Network to support other creators with podcasts.
Mr. Beast's manager, Reed Duchscher (US), launched a management firm to fund creator-led
businesses dabbling in IYKYK commerce that speaks to niche communities

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In action:

JellySmack Infinite

Jellysmack (US) launched creator production studio JellySmash to power 'micro Oprahs' (niche As niche becomes the new norm, it will bleed into commerce. Alyssa Coscarelli (US) launched
creators with macro appeal to their communities). It helps them expand into new mediums by Infinite, a platform where indie brands are launched in drops, not seasons. Infinite Studios is a space
filming and funding content for creators to book shoots, small community events and off-sites

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Environment: the abundance dichotomy
As consumers become more mindful of the planet's finite resources, displays of
abundant consumption will fall out of favour. On the flipside, however, new in-app
shopping tools will push creator commerce to new heights.

Need to know: by 2025, environmental shocks from the climate crisis will put an end to
the era of abundance, whereby depleted resources no longer meet rising demand. This
will trickle into the internet through sustainability content, leading to a consumption
reckoning. This is emerging via de-influencing, which is surfacing alongside anti-
capitalist attitudes, as creators encourage viewers not to buy viral items.
Creators will lean into good growth, becoming more mindful of how a brand treats its
workers and respects Earth’s resources, but this will not be true everywhere. In China,
86% of social media users purchase a product because it's been endorsed by an
influencer, and lifestyle bible Xiaohongshu has become the epicentre of consumption,
prompting the government to crack down on "wealth flaunting."
Bytedance is experimenting with running fast fashion businesses and its US counterpart
TikTok could be gearing up for something similar as it hires people to sell pre-owned
luxury goods and offers cash bonuses to those using its Shopping tool. TikTok's culture
will fracture as a result, with consumption and anti-consumption content side-by-side.
Gen Z are driven by sustainability but are led to seek value during a cost-of-living crisis,
which could persist with knock-on social commerce effects.
Strategy: while influencers have been used to communicate sustainability claims in the
past, these stunts have often backfired. A new report proves influencers can push
audiences to rethink their relationship with the planet, justifying these types of
Cottonbro Studio / Pexels
partnerships if they’re treated with care. 75% of surveyed individuals in the US, UK and
Canada are likely to adopt planet-saving behaviour after seeing it online. As Gen Z treats Brands must take care in influencer trips, as displays of wealth and waste could turn youth with a
TikTok as a preferred search engine, it’s no surprise 86% of youth see apps like TikTok Reductionist mindset away. Embrace radical transparency, hold yourself accountable and pay
and Instagram as good places to get sustainability advice, but brands must vet attention to shifting legislation like the FTC’s Green Guide

individuals before engaging.

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In action:

Knorr Wolford

Food and beverage brand Knorr launched a campaign to show how its ingredients are planet- Austrian lingerie brand Wolford appointed Doina Ciobanu, a Moldovan sustainability creator with 1.3m
friendly. It tapped 11 creators for a game of truth or dare, sharing sustainability facts and encouraging Instagram followers, its inaugural sustainability officer to rethink its greenvertising strategy and avoid
audiences to rethink their choices greenwashing. London-based Ciobanu also worked with Kering to centre sustainability in its YouTube
series

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Politics: care-scrolling
Alongside the rise of the caring economy, harness care-scrolling as Big Tech,
brands and creators work to protect users.

Need to know: the pandemic accelerated doomscrolling and calls for joyscrolling. 2025
will usher in new digital behaviour that centres care. The link between youth mental
health and social media is becoming clear and we're likely to see more lawsuits in the
years ahead; a number of US schools are suing Big Tech for being addictive, dangerous
and damaging kids' self-esteem.
Platforms must invest in digital care and prioritise user safety, while brands and creators
should rethink how they operate and communicate online. TikTok is paving the way by
planning a youth council to create a safer platform. It's also rolling out resources to help
families discuss digital safety. Instagram, meanwhile, launched kindness nudges in 2022
to curb bullying, which saw 50% of users delete or edit their messages to be respectful.
More governments will propose regulations aimed at reducing harm caused by social
media. In June, France passed a law requiring influencers to disclose camera filters on
promoted posts and banned the marketing of cosmetic surgery. China has proposed a
'minor mode' all businesses will have to abide by that aims to prevent young people from
accessing digital media between 10pm and 6am. Belgium, meanwhile, developed a trust
label on influencer content to ensure promotional posts comply with government
regulations.
Strategy: look to brand leaders such as Dove, which embraces actvertising to commit to
digital wellness. Much of the conversation that links social media and self-esteem is
focused on data sets of young women but young men are also suffering. Increased
Kampus Production / Pexels
screen time is connected to muscle dysphoria (feeling weak despite being fit) and brands
can leverage creators to help audiences develop healthier ideas around self-image.

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In action:

1,000 Blind People See For The First Time

Cottonbro Studio / Pexels

While performative altruism has triggered backlash, care-focused stunts generate notable On TikTok, RandomActsOfKindness has 778.5m views while 'double it and give it to the next person'
engagement. Mr Beast paid for 1,000 eye surgeries treating blindness, which went viral with 154m videos, which see people accept money/an item or pass on the good fortune to the next person are
views. India's Harsha Sai does good deeds for unsuspecting people and has millions of views, though ripe for partnership, though this content can be inauthentic
he's been accused of treating poor people as props

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Industry: the audio creator economy
Work with sonic creators for new ad and commerce possibilities that offer respite
in a period of visual overload.

Need to know: a new era of music marketing and fame has emerged on TikTok as
creators serendipitously go viral from their homes. Some pop stars such as Meghan
Trainor lean into the app and earn new fans and streams, while others like Halsey have
protested it. TikTok is gearing up to be a major player in the music business via Elevate,
which plans to support emerging talent. It has also rolled out TikTok Music, a streaming
service available across Indonesia, Brazil, Australia, Mexico and Singapore.
The rise of generative AI democratises who gets to be an audio creator and is powering
the co-creator economy in which everyday users work in tandem with AI to make
content across disciplines. BrandLab is a music-creation app that leverages AI to power
SongStarter, a tool that adds prompts to generate lyrics. Boomy is another AI tool
assisting artists with creating songs.
Strategy: the evolution of platform tools on TikTok and Spotify offer creative possibilities
for brands, but emerging platforms can reach new content consumers. Look to Trebel,
which has 13m MAUs in Latin America and offers fans the ability to download free
music by watching ads (an inventive for cash-strapped listeners and the Time Keepers
cohort who see time as currency).

Brett Sayles / Pexels

TikTok helps brands engage trending sounds and artists earn a cut via its Artist Impact Program.
This could benefit advertisers as 73% of users are more engaged with ads with audio

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In action:

Spotify Ron Lach / Pexels

Ghanna has a burgeoning creator community with local and global impact; for every stream of a Fortnite rolled out Unreal Editor for Fortnite, a PC application making it easier for creators to develop
Ghanian creator locally, there are six more globally. In March, Spotify donated to Vibrate Space, a new types of in-game island experiences for socialisation, concerts or brand sponsored events. Its
recording studio and educational hub for the next generation Creator Economy 2.0 enables creators to earn from these spaces

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Creativity: synthetic creativity
Take part in the Imagination Age by using AI tools that democratise creative
output and redefine who gets to participate.

Need to know: AI is transforming marketing and media, helping creators manage their
workflows and reimagine content. A survey of 660 US creators revealed 94.5% use AI to
generate visuals and text captions. Creators will tap into digital duality, leveraging digital
twins to offload work; for example, Giselle Ugarte, a US performance coach, plans to use
her double to onboard new clients.
By 2025, brands and audiences will be familiar with AI offerings, but ethical questions
will persist. AI could amplify privacy threats, with the most famous creators at increased
risk. Look to the fact someone created an AI replica of xQc, a Twitch streamer with 11m
followers, using online footage. The bot could converse in real time and although it was
not designed for nefarious applications, the ability to do so presents a threat.
AI is accelerating a post-truth 2.0 world with the power to warp reality at scale, which is
dangerous considering 90% of online content could be AI-generated by 2026. Distrust is
already the default so it's understandable that 34% of US consumers will trust AI-
generated influencer content the same amount, but this will place a greater emphasis on
transparency in future.
Strategy: experiment with generative AI, which can transform creativity and rewrite the
rules of advertising. It's crucial brands and creators remain aware of the risks and
ethical concerns.

Steve Johnson / Pexels

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In action:

Aloud: Let's overcome the language barrier in videos toget…

toget…

Viber

Following China's lead, where AI influencers command air time as livestream hosts and news anchors, Dubbing can translate YouTube content and expand creator reach; MrBeast translated 11 top-viewed
messaging app Viber tapped AI influencer Kuki AI (who has worked with H&M) to double as a friend videos into 11 languages. In July, YouTube integrated Aloud into its offering, a free tool using synthetic
to users by offering horoscope readings or a chance to hang out voices, democratising access to AI translation by helping small creators go global

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Action points

Lean into niche as the new norm Anticipate a shift to good growth Expect care-scrolling to Brace for the AI co-creator
dominate economy

A shift from mass to micro culture will Good growth is measured, ethical and As more people become aware of the Pay attention to emerging tools that can
drive a rise in interest-based creators, mindful of people and planet, and impacts digital media can have on redefine efficiency and creativity.
which brands can engage with to lure audiences will demand content reflect wellbeing, platforms, brands, Anticipate a creator economy with
their loyal communities this. Work with sustainable creators, but governments and creators must work in digital doubles helping to offset
move with caution tandem to protect users workloads

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