Vibes over metrics: Why more creators are holding IRL events to own their audience

The creator economy’s massive growth has led to a rise in IRL creator events as brands look for more ways to reach their large, hyper-engaged fanbases. But these events are no longer just brand activations; they’re becoming a key part of how creators build and position their own brands.

Whether they’re putting on massive stadium shows, conducting meet-and-greets at branded pop-ups, or working a shift at a local shop, creators are increasingly using in-person events to engage with and own their audiences off of social media platforms.

“It’s about curating moments that get talked about on-screen, offline, and that stick in our memory bank for years,” said Brooke Berry, head of creator development at Snap. 

Those special, off-platform moments are why companies like Snapchat started holding IRL workshops called “Snap School” to not only teach creators how to thrive on the platform, but how to build relationships off-platform, as well. 

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Marketing strategists search for a solution to AI’s all-too predictable outputs

Surprisingly early in the era of AI’s influence on the creative process, a problem is arising: sameness and homogeneity. Besides not using AI to help, are there other workarounds?

Marketing strategists are now habitual users of generative AI. But as tools like ChatGPT and Claude embed deeper into the work of agency execs and freelancers, more strategy practitioners are finding that the predictability of their responses is putting a lid on productivity gains.

And as they search for a workaround or architectural solution to the so-called “sameness trap”, ad execs are confronting questions over how they add value for clients, as well as how much they take — and expect — from AI tools, and who gets credit for originality. 

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