Inside the big business of the creator economy, with the agents making it happen

2026-07-06 · Source: The Verge · Field: Business & Management — Entrepreneurship & Start-ups, Marketing, Branding & Advertising, Corporate Strategy & Leadership · Depth: Novice, quick

Summary

An interview with Ali Berman and Raina Penchansky, co-heads of United Talent Agency's (UTA) Creators division, recorded at Cannes Lions, highlights the evolving creator economy. The division, celebrating its 20th year and formed from a digital department and the 2019 acquisition of Digital Brand Architects (DBA), represents major influencers like Charli D'Amelio and Markiplier. UTA moves beyond traditional brand deals, providing infrastructure and bespoke strategies. They help clients launch multi-million dollar businesses, including physical products and real-life experiences. This approach ensures sustainable growth amidst changing algorithms and the rise of AI-generated content.

Key takeaway

For entrepreneurs or marketing professionals building creator-led ventures, sustainable growth demands a multi-platform, direct-to-consumer strategy beyond mere brand deals. Focus on developing physical products or real-life experiences that genuinely align with your audience and content. Avoid solely relying on platform algorithms. Prioritize strategic partnerships and a clear content-market fit to avoid the "influencer cliff" and build long-term enterprise value.

Key insights

Sustainable creator businesses require platform-agnostic, multi-platform strategies and direct audience relationships beyond traditional brand deals.

Principles

• Stars transcend platforms and distribution.
• Discernment shapes a creator's career.
• Decisions blend magic and data logic.

Method

Agencies build bespoke strategies for clients, conduct regular meetings (weekly/bi-weekly/monthly), and iterate quickly based on content and market shifts to achieve long-term goals.

In practice

• Diversify content across multiple platforms.
• Launch physical products or real-life events.
• Ensure content-market fit for new ventures.

Topics

• Creator Economy
• Talent Management
• Influencer Marketing
• United Talent Agency
• Digital Brand Architects
• Content Monetization
• Brand Partnerships

Best for: Entrepreneur, Marketing Professional, Consultant

Related on AIssential

• The creator economy’s ad revenue problem and India’s AI ambitions — Creators are diversifying beyond ad revenue into product lines and business acquisitions to build sustainable empires.
• 88 Blog Posts To Learn About Creator Economy — The creator economy is rapidly evolving, driven by Web3, AI, and new monetization models.
• Companies and Billionaires Are Buying & Building Influencers — AI-driven fake credibility makes verifiable trust the scarcest and most valuable online asset, prompting brands to acquire authentic creators.
• The Ultimate Guide to Building Your Self-Help and Skills Empire — Transform personal development into a scalable business by leveraging structured content and strategic skill acquisition.
• Will Europe’s VCs catch up to the influencer craze? — Europe's VCs are two years behind the US in influencer-investor adoption, seeking new strategies.
• Snap alums unveil Ghost Angels fund — The next generation of social media is splitting into AI-driven "social" connections and "media" creation, moving beyond ad-centric platforms.

Open in AIssential →

Editorial summary, takeaway, and curation by AIssential. Original article published by The Verge.