We are only a few short days out from launching our new and improved site and I cannot wait to share it with you guys. We've made it easier than ever before to book sessions with established creators from all backgrounds, we've updated some pricing models to make it more affordable for budding creators, and we've even created a mentor matching survey. Exciting things on the horizon, all in the hopes to make the world of content creation easier for creators of all sizes!

Now onto this week's creator economy news. 😎

Are Influencers Responsible for Scams? 🚩

In a stream, creator Hasan Piker was raising money for relief efforts for the recent earthquake in Turkey.

Going to support the cause, streamer IShowSpeed went to donate tens of thousands of dollars. He then received messages from his viewers saying that Hasan was only raising money as a scam. This ultimately ended in IShowSpeed deciding not to donate the money.

Now, the drive was legitimate, and raised well over $1M, but this scenario pushes an important question into the spotlight: are influencers responsible for scams they run into?

Short answer? Yes, absolutely. But the other side of this answer can lead to moments like this; people genuinely wanting to do good, but also scared because of the implications of such a large sum of money.

In our most recent YouTube video (linked below), Alex dives into this situation and tackles the question: should influencers be responsible for scams they're related to?

What do you think influencers can do to save themselves from getting caught in a potential scam? Let us know your thoughts in the comments on the video!

[Watch video]

Super Bowl Featuring Creators 🏈

While last year it seemed that crypto was running the show, this year, many of the world's favorite creators were peppered into this year's Super Bowl.

Kicking off (pun absolutely intended) with PRIME Energy, I found that KSI & Logan Paul's commercial stood out from the other commercials as the editing style seemed to embody a YouTube highlight reel. Being that YT is their main platforms, it makes sense that the brand took this approach with their advertisement. Surrounding the ad was hyped up music, action shots of WWE & UFC, shots of crowds going crazy; a perfect amalgamation of KSI & Paul's brands. Oh, and we can't forget another creator, Markiplier, being featured as well! With this being the first ever creator product running an ad in the Super Bowl, high standards have ben set for other creators launching big products.

But KSI & Paul weren't the only creators featured in this year's big game. The big man himself, MrBeast, was spotted in an NFL commercial being far too casual in a less-than-casual situation, as per usual. Myself and others seem to have gotten excited at this one, seeing the comments under the video giving Beast all the praise. As one commenter mentioned, "I love how just a couple years ago MrBeast snuck a sign into the Super Bowl, and now he’s big enough that he can be a guest star in a commercial."

And finally (if I'm not mistaken, if there are more please send em over!), Airrack got a cheeky nod from Pizza Hut with the largest pizza commercial. Seems a bit weird to me that they wouldn't showcase the World's Largest Pizza event that the creator did in LA, but alas.

What creator do you wish you saw during this year's big game? Next year, I want a Babish commercial. Who's with me?

Creator Economy News 🚨

This week in the creator world, Facebook rolls out some new creator tools, TikTok loses the big game,

• Facebook will be releasing some new comment moderation tools for creators. The coolest feature? Taking control of comments by searching "keyword, date, emoji and more – and [to] take bulk actions around them, such as liking or hiding them."

• While there was lots of YouTube talk during this year's Super Bowl, TikTok's shine seemed to be a bit lackluster. PR Week breaks down why TT isn't the place to be for brands during the big game.

• TikTok reportedly testing paywalled content. Now personally, I'm a fan of paywalls for creators, but I can see the abuse of this feature already. Buzzy influencers will make more money while pushing out the same content, all while putting a negative eye on paywalls from viewers who feel they didn't get enough. But maybe I'm just being negative.

You should see these 👀

• KSI & Paul continuing on their PRIME success journey by shutting down an Australian street with thousands of fans.

• Trying to figure out what to charge for a sponsored post? Hashtag Pay Me launched a 'sponsored post calculator' to help you crunch those numbers. We see you out here earning the most, IG creators. 👀

• Newly launched creator led gaming brand, Moist ESports, just won an Apex Legends tournament. We love to see creator led brands pushing the limits!

Creator Spotlight 🔦

Calling all readers!!

I spotlight amazing creators every week. From people with less than 100 subs to those with millions, covering passionate and hungry content creators has become a massive passion of mine. But after 30 issues of this newsletter, I'm sure you'd like to see some familiar faces. So, I invite you to share some creators you think I should spotlight!

Have a friend who is killing it and you think deserves more viewers on their content? Maybe you're obsessed with a creator brand and you want to share their mission with other creators. Or maybe your content is crushing it and you want the spotlight, I invite it!!

No matter the size, background, or niche, I want to hear who gets you feeling inspired on a regular basis. Shoot an email to [email protected] to share your top picks, I can't wait to see who gets you inspired. 🤝

Want to go even further? 🚀

If you’d like to keep learning about topics like the ones shared above, stick around! But more importantly, check out the links below to further your development as a creator. 😎

1. Join our free creator community

2. Find a personal mentor to learn from

3. RSVP for our weekly webinar