Creator and influencer trends brand marketers need to know about right now

Welcome to Ad Age’s influencer marketing news roundup. Each week, we’ll be highlighting the latest developments at the intersection between brands and the creator economy, including new partnerships between brands and creators, notable new features across social media platforms and the growth of creator-led businesses. Sign up for our influencer marketing newsletter here. Have tips or news to share about influencer marketing and the creator economy? Email Gillian Follett at gillian.follett@adage.com. New deals Taco Bell and Ashley Xu: Brands getting creators to produce social media ads is now standard practice—but Taco Bell is one of the first brands to extend that strategy to the realm of TV advertising. Last month, the restaurant chain tasked creator and videographer Ashley Xu with directing a TV commercial promoting its Cantina chicken menu items. Xu, who has an audience of more than 2.8 million across TikTok, YouTube and Instagram, shared a behind-the-scenes look at her “first-ever TV commercial directing gig” and showed off the finished product. Creative agency Laundry Service worked with Taco Bell on the effort. @ashhasacamera just wrapped up my first TV commercial directing gig for @tacobell - holy cow, what a privilege it was to be chosen for this campaign. i keep getting reminders of how lucky and grateful i am to be here. i've been meeting SUCH amazing people, working alongside hella marketing baddies, and getting to actually DO what i’ve always dreamed of. four years ago, going into film school and not remotely knowing what i was doing, i NEVER would’ve thought i’d make it this far—but here i am, largely thanks to Y’ALL, my audience. THANK YOU!! ENDLESSLY !!! 🌮🌮🌮🌮🌮🌮RAAAH🦅🦅🦅🦅🦅🦅 #TacoBellPartner ♬ original sound - ash Waterboy and Ken Eurich: Waterboy, a water additive brand, bucked the schmaltzy, feel-good advertising typical of the holiday season in its partnership with comedy and lifestyle influencer Kennedy “Ken” Eurich. In her sponsored video, Eurich declares, “The holidays aren’t about love or peace. It’s about violently chugging Waterboy. Because those six glasses of wine aren’t going to down themselves,” while tearing a box of Waterboy out of a roasted turkey. @ken.eurich Out: cranberry sauce, dry turkey, green bean casserole In: Waterboy ♬ original sound - Ken Eurich Google and Jimmy Kimmel, Robin Thede, Eric André, Kelsey Plum and more: Google last week debuted a social media game show called “Can You Gift It?” to promote its shopping platform in the lead-up to Black Friday. The five-episode series, hosted by Jimmy Kimmel, featured a slew of celebrity contestants, including comedians Robin Thede, Eric André and Roy Wood Jr. and WNBA stars Kelsey Plum and Kahleah Copper. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Shop with Google (@shopwithgoogle) Cheez-It and Kordell Beckham: Cheez-It yesterday appointed Beckham, one-half of the winning couple from the most recent season of “Love Island USA,” as its “Chief Fantaseez Officer.” Beckham’s new role is part of a broader campaign tied to the Cheez-It Citrus Bowl that invites college football fans to apply for a chance to have one of their “football fantaseez” fulfilled during the game, from exchanging wedding vows on the field mid-game to reporting from the sidelines while sitting in a massive bowl of Cheez-Its. The collaboration builds on Cheez-It’s existing partnership with Beckham after the reality TV star proclaimed one of his “long-term goals” was working with the brand. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Kordellbeckham (@korde1ll) Also: How Pop-Tarts plans to top its edible mascot stunt Hershey Co. and Anabel Curb, Bryan Lambillotte and more: Hershey is bringing its iconic “Christmas Bells” TV ad—in which an ensemble of Hershey’s Kisses perform “We Wish You a Merry Christmas”—to TikTok this year with the help of several creators. The candy manufacturer partnered with a mix of family vloggers such as Bryan Lambillotte and the “Family Fun Pack” and creators such as Anabel Curb (aka @christmas.dreaming) who center their content on Christmas to promote a new AR experience (or “branded effect”) on TikTok that allows users to tap on Hershey’s Kisses to re-create the 1989 TV ad. @itsbryanandchris #sponsored The iconic @Hershey’s holiday jingle brings back so many memories. Try out their new festive filter today and create new memories this holiday season with HERSHEY'S KISSES Bells. #playKISSESbells #hersheys #hersheyskiss #iconic #holidayseason #memories #chocolate #dadsofinstagram #holidaycheer ♬ original sound - Bryan Lambillotte Social media screenshot Meta sponsors influencer events: Over the past two weeks, Meta has partnered with influencers such as Serena Kerrigan and Natalie Shine to fund in-person events such as Kerrigan’s “Friendsgiving” dinner (sponsored by Facebook) and one of Shine’s “Big Silly Trivia Game” events (sponsored by Instagram and Threads). These sponsorships reflect a growing interest among marketers in expanding their influencer collaborations to include experiential moments. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Facebook (@facebook) Australia passes a social media ban: The Australian government last week passed a sweeping law that bans children and teens under 16 from using social media. The new law, which is set to take effect in December 2025, will prevent those under the age of 16 from using Snapchat, TikTok, Facebook, Instagram and X (formerly Twitter), according to Michelle Rowland, Australia’s communications minister, but platforms that can be accessed without a user account (such as YouTube) likely won’t be impacted. Creating businesses “Beast Games” premiere announced: MrBeast’s reality competition show “Beast Games” will premiere on Amazon Prime Video on Dec. 19. Last week, the YouTuber, whose real name is Jimmy Donaldson, shared a teaser for the upcoming show on his social channels. However, Donaldson and Amazon are currently facing a lawsuit from several contestants on the show who accuse Donaldson of “chronic mistreatment” and sexual harassment on set. View this post on Instagram A post shared by MrBeast (@mrbeast) TikTok of the week @naomi.concep I NEED IT @Spotify #spotify #spotifywrapped #spotifywrapped2024 #ineeditnow #fyp #upage #naomiconcep #whenisspotifywrappedcomingout #urlate #viral #relatable ♬ Hinoki Wood - Gia Margaret TikTok users are impatiently awaiting the arrival of “Spotify Wrapped,” the streaming platform’s annual marketing campaign offering Spotify users an overview of their listening habits from the past year. Spotify has been teasing the campaign’s highly-anticipated rollout since last Wednesday with a series of social posts, and Spotify users have taken to TikTok and other social platforms to demand the platform unveil the campaign’s release date—or to simply express their despair at the fact that Spotify has yet to provide any additional info on its “Wrapped” campaign, as in the video above. NextGen Marketing Summit Join us for a crash course on Gen Z, DTC marketing and the creator economy Register today Threadspotting View on Threads Many brands, including Bath & Body Works, Benefit Cosmetics, Glossier and Anthropologie, incorporated Threads into their Cyber Monday and Black Friday marketing strategies this year. Follow us on social media X Bluesky Instagram LinkedIn YouTube

Creator and influencer trends brand marketers need to know about right now

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