In September, We Are Social will be launching a new report outlining the trends defining a new era of brand and creator collaboration: Next Gen Influence. Here, we preview one of the five trends that will feature – Influential Allies.
Few would say today’s society has nailed ‘equality’, but advocating for a fair and equal world for all is a popular party line. In keeping with this, in recent years we’ve seen creators engage in acts of altruism to demonstrate their “nice guy” credentials – a trend embodied by Mr. Beast’s loud charitable endeavours, like funding mass sight-restoration surgery for the blind.
But in this context, there’s increasing concern that philanthropy is being used for the purpose of online clout. As audiences become sceptical of moral posturing, creators are shifting away from talking about values, and are instead opting for work that actively disrupts or challenges the status quo – whether by reclaiming online spaces for the under-represented or helping audiences imagine alternative societies or other possible futures. For example, AI TikTok creators are reimagining history from a decolonised perspective, asking questions like “What if India ruled Great Britain?”, finding tongue-in-cheek ways to challenge people to think through a non-Eurocentric lens.
For creators, performative altruism is out; allyship and passing-it-on is in.
Discover what’s driving the trend, the breakthrough creators who personify it, and how brands can use it in the Next Gen Influence report. Register here now to receive it on 10th September.
If you’re attending the DMexco conference in Germany in September, schedule a meeting with us and bookmark our exclusive global presentation of the report now.
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