Creators aren't a channel. They're becoming the media

This year's Cannes Lions felt different. 

With a dedicated creator programme, creator-led sessions across the Festival and creator-first thinking woven into conversations about media, commerce and creativity, Cannes reflected a wider industry shift: creators are no longer a specialist discipline, they're becoming a core part of the media ecosystem. And that's a shift every corner of our industry needs to understand. 

For a long time, discussions about creators have largely been confined to influencer marketing. But today's reality is much broader. Creators are shaping entertainment, commerce, publishing and advertising in ways that extend far beyond social media. 

For a long time, conversations about creators sat firmly within influencer marketing. Today, that feels increasingly outdated. Creators are influencing how entertainment is commissioned, how products are discovered, how audiences engage with publishers and how media businesses think about growth. Streaming platforms are investing in creator-led programming, podcasting has become a natural extension of creator businesses, retail media is embracing trusted creator voices to drive commerce, and publishers are increasingly collaborating with creators to reach new audiences. The boundaries between 'creator' and 'media owner' are becoming increasingly blurred. 
 
In other words, this is no longer a conversation for influencer teams alone. Every media business, platform and publisher needs to think about how creators fit into their future. 

But as the creator economy matures, so too must the standards that support it. 

As creator marketing continues to mature, brands are investing more strategically in creator partnerships, and with that investment comes higher expectations around professionalism, transparency and compliance. Creators need to understand advertising regulation, disclosure requirements and how to build trusted relationships with both audiences and brands. Equally, agencies and marketers need confidence that they're working with creators who understand the responsibilities that come with commercial partnerships. 

That's why raising standards across the industry has never been more important. 

At IAB UK, we've developed the Creator Qualification Programme to help creators build exactly those skills. The programme provides practical guidance on advertising rules, compliance, commercial best practice and what brands expect from successful partnerships. It's designed not only to help creators navigate an increasingly professional marketplace, but also to give brands greater confidence in the people they choose to work with. Better-informed creators create better campaigns, stronger partnerships and better outcomes for the entire industry. 

The conversations at Cannes made one thing clear: creators are helping define the media industry’s future. The opportunity now is for every part of our ecosystem to understand how to work with creators effectively, responsibly and sustainably. 

We'll be exploring all of that at the IAB Creator Growth Summit, where creators, brands, agencies, publishers and media owners will come together to share ideas, tackle challenges and explore what's next for this fast-evolving sector. 

If you're thinking about the future of media, this is a conversation you can't afford to miss. We hope you'll join us at the Creator Growth Summit.