Prediction... 2026 will be the year of Creator Marketing

I’ve been thinking a lot about how to keep this newsletter interesting enough to keep my readers happy and continue to add value. One of these changes will be to the formatting of news, shifting the focus on headlines rather than paragraphs of info. This, like everything, is a work in progress. 

I am also adding a section which is focused on subjects worth thinking about with a bit more depth and curiosity. Whether thats current affairs, big changes in the industry or even just a topic discussed around my own family kitchen table. Sparking some discourse is always healthy, regardless of the context. 

Happy reading and lets go get it ✨! 

Headlines:

• Only 24% of sports organisations know their fanbase, according to The Anonymous Fan Index, this is a seismic growth opportunity for sports brands💰 GOOD IDEA HERE

• Sports dominated the US most watched telecasts 📺 of 2025, with NFL 🏈 being the most watched in the top 200 spots, followed by college football GOOD IDEA HERE

• NBA European League 🏀 is gaining momentum, and coming to Europe as early as 2027 with a 16-team league, with 10 permanent teams. Bayern Munich, PSG, Barcelona, Real Madrid have all been name dropped but not confirmed GOOD IDEA HERE

• Pokémon x Natural History Museum 🦖 revealed it’s ‘Pokécology’ theme and products for its sold-out Pop-Up and it’s simply magic. Tickets booked 🎟️ and wallet at the ready 🦕 GOOD IDEA HERE

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• Cadillac preview’s their first F1 car at Silverstone 🏎️💨, great new entrant for the sport and to bring a new brand onto the grid GOOD IDEA HERE

• Netflix announced it is releasing a video podcast 🎥 which is the first of it’s kind, the host will be Pete Davidson from his garage 🚗 GOOD IDEA HERE

2026 is the year of the creator brand campaign 

In 2026 we’re going to see creators and influencers turn to in-person live events. The reality is, the connection with fans in person will always be deeper than anything online 🫠🤌🏻💗. The community can gather and build online, but IRL is where the magic happens. This is a winning opportunity for brands to drive up ROI and brand love. The sentiment of brands being able to facilitate those moments for creators is a huge value add. Given how fast and far brand spend is reaching into the creator sphere, this should come as no surprise. 

Influencers will probably aim to do the same but the hunch is they just won’t deliver in the same way because the community focus isn’t as strong. The quicker brands learn and differentiate their creator strategy from a branded influencer strategy, the faster they will see measurable impact on their investment. Influencers simply don’t hold the keys to the community kingdom in the same way. Audiences are tiring fast of being sold to, they want to be connected with. Part one is differentiating and turning up in the right community, part two, arguably the more important part is how. 

Noteworthy numbers:

• $260-$314b estimated value of the total creator economy in 2026 🚀

• 20-26% yoy growth in the creator economy 📈

• 40-50% of the total creator revenue comes from brand partnerships and sponsored content, 25-30% from creator tools and platform monetization, and the final 10-15% from merchandising 📊