蘑菇AV

LGBTQ+ influencers note drop in Pride deals: The change, attributed to pressure from the administration, could have consequences for brands.

A successful affiliate strategy means casting a wide net: Captiv8 data shared with 蘑菇AV shows that each influencer size category has strategic benefits that shouldn鈥檛 be overlooked.

TikTok Shop has emerged for many brands as a pivotal marketplace for discovery and sales. Some 50% of US consumers take product recommendation suggestions from influencers on TikTok Shop, according to February 2024 data from PartnerCentric.

The news: Lowe鈥檚 launched a home improvement creator network as part of a strategy to reach younger audiences through social media personalities. The network, which Lowe鈥檚 framed as key to deepening its connection with Gen Z and millennial consumers, features MrBeast as its first high-profile partner. Our take: Reaching younger generations is crucial for sustained growth, and as influencer marketing surges, Lowe鈥檚 strategy could prove effective at bridging the gap with young homeowners. Influencer collaborations are most likely to be effective when the creator is seen as unbiased and honest, authentic, entertaining, and educational.

Invest in marketing owned brands across the path to purchase, with a focus on key channels of stores, their ad networks, and social platforms to reach Gen Z audiences. Align loyalty program goals with the development and growth of private label brands.

Their connection to creators suggests that branded campaigns built on influencer partnerships鈥攅specially those using short-form video鈥攕tand a better chance at cutting through. Traditional media channels may struggle to resonate unless they embrace vertical-first storytelling and prioritize platform-native content.

The news: TikTok tweens and teens who make popular 鈥淕et ready with me鈥� skincare routine videos may be harming their skin. The takeaway: Amid the closer social media scrutiny, skincare health brands should be clear about products that are not made for young skin. Social media teams need to be aware and proactive when interacting with tween and teen content creators.

The news: YouTube unveiled Open Call at Cannes Lions 2025, a new platform-native feature allowing advertisers to post campaign briefs that monetized creators can directly respond to with self-produced content. The initiative removes the need for traditional influencer matchmaking, giving brands centralized control over content submissions, approvals, and performance via Google Ads. Our take: As costs rise and brand safety concerns mount, Open Call could tilt the branded content ecosystem in favor of marketers. It simplifies creator discovery, improves ROI measurement, and could lead to longer-term omnichannel partnerships. YouTube鈥檚 move positions it as a central hub for scalable, data-informed influencer marketing.

The news: A Sprout Social report found that 41% of Gen Z turns to social platforms first for finding information, ahead of search engines (32%), AI chatbots (11%), and friends and family (9%). In an exclusive conversation with 蘑菇AV, Thomas Markland, founder of creator company HYDP, discussed the shift and the need for brands to adopt a social-first strategy. Our take: As social media users, especially younger generations, increasingly turn to social for product discovery, brands that are willing to adapt and are strategic with their creator partnerships stand to gain most.

Wellness is becoming more digital, personalized, and consumer driven, with technology playing a central role in health management, fitness, and self-care.

The news: YouTube unveiled Open Call at Cannes Lions 2025, a new platform-native feature allowing advertisers to post campaign briefs that monetized creators can directly respond to with self-produced content. The initiative removes the need for traditional influencer matchmaking, giving brands centralized control over content submissions, approvals, and performance via Google Ads. Our take: As costs rise and brand safety concerns mount, Open Call could tilt the branded content ecosystem in favor of marketers. It simplifies creator discovery, improves ROI measurement, and could lead to longer-term omnichannel partnerships. YouTube鈥檚 move positions it as a central hub for scalable, data-informed influencer marketing.

Marketers don鈥檛 view livestreaming as the most effective content type within influencer programs. Giving livestreams a unique advantage through side-by-side ads, which aren鈥檛 easily replicated by competitors like TikTok and Instagram, could help curb this trend.

In 2025, US digital gamers will spend nearly as much time playing as social network users spend on social platforms each day (1 hour, 48 minutes versus 1 hour, 51 minutes, respectively). But at $8.76 billion, US gaming ad revenues will account for just a fraction of the $102.66 billion that social networks garner in ad spending.

It has partnered with mainstream celebrities and influencers like Ariana Grande, Venus Williams and Tom Brady in the past, and recently began women's college and professional athletes鈥� mental health promotions. In March, BetterHelp launched a 鈥淪top the Madness鈥� campaign with free online therapy for student athletes with women college basketball stars Kiki Rice, Zoe Brooks and Chance Gray.

43% of creators and influencers in North America say AI tools help them streamline their workflows, according to April 2025 data from URLgenius. However, nearly a third (30%) say they haven鈥檛 noticed any impact.

As college sports amateurism dies, marketers are increasingly working with student-athlete influencers.

TikTok is ByteDance鈥檚 global engine: Despite slowing growth in China, the platform continues to expand monetization and user base worldwide.

Over half (53%) of US B2B marketers have a growing dedicated budget for influencer marketing, according to September 2024 data from TopRank Marketing and Ascend2.

YouTube introduces creator marketing updates: The changes aim to position YouTube as an influencer marketing hub amid social media uncertainty.

That鈥檚 more than four times the number swayed by influencer or celebrity recommendations, suggesting that the price has to be right before would-be shoppers pull the trigger.

layers browse, click, and buy real merch inside their favorite games, ushering in a new era of immersive ecommerce.

TikTok debuts AI Alive, an image-to-video generation tool: The feature is part of TikTok鈥檚 push to maintain dominance in a competitive short-form market.

Latin America鈥檚 digital revolution is marching full steam ahead, with consumers spending more than a third of their day online. As social commerce and retail media propel the region鈥檚 digital economy to new heights, the runway for growth remains long.鈥�

The feature helps differentiate TikTok from other social platforms by emphasizing real-time, authentic engagement that drives conversions鈥攑ositioning TikTok as a must-have for broader social media strategies. This feature represents TikTok鈥檚 continued investment in the US creator economy, cementing its position as a platform committed to the US market despite regulatory scrutiny.

Creator revenue growth has slowed due to maturation of the influencer market, TikTok's volatility, and recession fears from the ongoing trade war. But bright spots remain, including more marketers turning to YouTube and brand deals expanding beyond social to TV and podcasts.