The news: Entertainment brands are partnering with influencers to drive engagement with Hollywood properties, according to an Advertising Week New York panel of film and TV industry leaders and creators.

Among the panel’s key insights:

• Many media brands are set in their ways and still prioritizing celebrity partnerships, neglecting the shift in where audiences consume content, commented EMARKETER analyst Emmy Liederman.
• But the shift in where audiences are aggregating means brands should turn to social because creators are now the conduit to audiences, said president of QYOU Media Glenn Ginsburg. Productions have to be on social platforms to get audiences in theater seats.
• As social makes gains and influencers become authoritative sources, creator-first entertainment will only grow in value, according to creator Joe Mele—and more creators will become the faces of entertainment properties like movies and TV shows.
• Media giants are investing in the trend. According to Paramount’s VP of digital marketing, Brandon Nichols, Paramount is partnering with creators who generate awareness among audiences like Gen Zers who may be more difficult to reach through traditional advertising methods.

Creators become media channels: Creators are reshaping entertainment, parlaying their vast reach into long-term business partnerships.

• Creators are partnering with brands and entertainment leaders for long-term collaborations, using platforms like YouTube to reach audiences with short-form content that acts as a gateway to longer, movie-related formats.
• Creators can use their large online followings to promote Hollywood productions, generating buzz and extending the reach of movie marketing campaigns beyond social media to TV and other channels.
• And creators’ influence stretches beyond film—brands across the board are collaborating with influencers to generate excitement and press, such as Taco Bell’s TV ads with food stylist and creator Ash Xu.

What brands can do next: While partnering with creators for Hollywood productions is especially important amid volatile box office revenues struggling to reach pre-pandemic levels, the panel’s insights stretch to all marketers working with influencers.

But even as influencers help drive audience action, there are considerations to keep in mind during collaborations:

• The driving force behind successful creator collaborations is authenticity. Mele said this is the most important part of any influencer-brand partnership—and audience preferences echo this reality. Working with influencers who aren’t genuinely passionate about the properties they represent won’t drive value.
• For brands, remaining selective is critical. Finding creators whose content already aligns with the brand’s existing narrative will ensure content resonates with audiences, while striking a balance between fresh talent and long-term creator relationships to sustain growth.