Data-Labor-Technology

The creator economy is growing rapidly, but the technology infrastructure required to manage and scale it has yet to catch up. It’s a problem that some creator platforms are now trying to solve.

Major creator platforms CreatorIQ and Captiv8 expanded their measurement and AI functions last week for creator vetting and brand safety for brands and agency users working with creators. Other creator platforms are also expanding in their own focus areas, like Upfluence integrating with Shopify or Grin recently adding social listening and affiliate tools. Other platforms, like shopping app LTK or creator marketplace Aspire, are pitching themselves as specialists in creator commerce and affiliate marketing management.

The moves come as major marketers continue to increase their influencer marketing spending; Unilever said this year it plans to work with “20 times” more influencers. Meanwhile, the creator industry is projected to reach some $480 billion in size by 2027 from $250 billion in 2024, per Goldman Sachs.

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Tariffs are creating confusion in the marketplace, and retailers and advertisers alike are anxiously waiting to see how they will impact the economy. In this edition of the Digiday+ Research Briefing, we examine the impact of tariffs on consumers, retailers and advertisers. As uncertainty remains, we look at some different predictions and their impacts.

A University of Pennsylvania Wharton study noted the increase in economic uncertainty driven by tariffs: “Economic policy uncertainty can be quantified using the Economic Policy Uncertainty (EPU) Index, a measure designed to capture uncertainty surrounding economic policy decisions. By the end of March, the EPU reached its highest point since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, doubling in value from the start of January.”

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This week’s Media Briefing looks at publishers facing the slow erosion of search referral traffic amid the shift towards generative AI search experiences — and the pressure to plan more proactively for that future.

• With AI-driven updates coming for search referral traffic, publishers are starting to plan for a more “zero-click” future.
• The Washington Post’s leadership struggles to find cohesion, L.A. Times owner doubles down on presidential endorsement decision, and more.

Publishers face a ‘zero-click’ future

Search is in flux. 

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Creators might be playing cameo roles in this year’s TV and streaming upfront marketplace – but give it time. The spotlight’s inching closer. 

What started as a YouTube sideshow is creeping onto the main stage. From the talent in the room to the lingo in the air, creators cast a long shadow over this year’s weeklong industry parade.

TelevisaUnivision rolled out vertical video mini telenovelas and a creator-artist festival at its upfront. 

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Microsoft plans to shutter its demand-side platform, with the Advertising division informing clients the ad tech unit no longer aligns with its AI priorities. The company hinted at this in March. The
goal was to help businesses enter a new era, “where websites can talk and ads become highly personalized and naturally integrated into conversational experiences.”

The trade group World Federation of Advertisers says Texas courts lack jurisdiction over Musk’s ad boycott allegations.

In Q1 2025, linear TV ad impressions totaled 1.54 trillion – down 4.3% vs. the previous year – while national TV linear ad spend was estimated at 4% higher.

A medical comedy adapted from a PBS staple, and a drama series about a hitman with Alzheimer’s were two of the new shows announced at the Fox Upfront.

In response to X user queries about everything from sports to Medicaid cuts, the xAI chatbot inserted unrelated information about “white genocide” in South Africa.

For the first time, YouTube, the official NFL home of NFL Sunday Ticket, will be broadcasting a full game for free in the app.