Ian Schafer on Why Creators Might Need Upfronts
11/14/24 • 21 min
Next in Creator Media spoke with Ian Schafer, co-founder and president of Ensemble, on how he's trying to help brands connect with the top 1% of creators, while helping those folks build out full fledged media businesses.
Takeaways:
• Unique Positioning of Ensemble: Ensemble differentiates itself in the creator economy by focusing on a curatorial approach to creators, similar to a studio, instead of a marketplace model.
• Equity in the Creator Economy: Schafer highlights a systemic inequality in brand partnerships, with creators from underrepresented communities getting fewer deals.
• 0.1% of Creators: In the creator economy, only about 0.1% of creators achieve significant success.
• Shift to Long-Term Brand Integrations: Schafer observes a shift from treating creators as media inventory to viewing them as collaborative partners.
• The Importance of Infrastructure for Creators: Schafer notes that while creators have management, they often lack a structured infrastructure to help them scale.
• Potential for Original Programming: Ensemble is developing episodic series and original shows that incorporate brand sponsorships.
• Demand for Audience-First Content: Schafer emphasizes the need for content that resonates with audiences before brands.
• Future of Creator Partnerships in Advertising: Ensemble and Schafer envision a future where brands can lock in annual or seasonal "slates" of creator-led series, similar to TV upfronts.
Guest: Ian Schafer
Host: Mike Shields
Sponsor: VuePlanner
Producer: FEL Creative
Next in Creator Media spoke with Ian Schafer, co-founder and president of Ensemble, on how he's trying to help brands connect with the top 1% of creators, while helping those folks build out full fledged media businesses.
Takeaways:
• Unique Positioning of Ensemble: Ensemble differentiates itself in the creator economy by focusing on a curatorial approach to creators, similar to a studio, instead of a marketplace model.
• Equity in the Creator Economy: Schafer highlights a systemic inequality in brand partnerships, with creators from underrepresented communities getting fewer deals.
• 0.1% of Creators: In the creator economy, only about 0.1% of creators achieve significant success.
• Shift to Long-Term Brand Integrations: Schafer observes a shift from treating creators as media inventory to viewing them as collaborative partners.
• The Importance of Infrastructure for Creators: Schafer notes that while creators have management, they often lack a structured infrastructure to help them scale.
• Potential for Original Programming: Ensemble is developing episodic series and original shows that incorporate brand sponsorships.
• Demand for Audience-First Content: Schafer emphasizes the need for content that resonates with audiences before brands.
• Future of Creator Partnerships in Advertising: Ensemble and Schafer envision a future where brands can lock in annual or seasonal "slates" of creator-led series, similar to TV upfronts.
Guest: Ian Schafer
Host: Mike Shields
Sponsor: VuePlanner
Producer: FEL Creative
Previous Episode
What's it like for Advertisers to Wait Around for the DOJ, and Google
Next in media spoke with Megan Jones, Chief Digital Officer at Digitas, about what she tells clients about a possible Google break up, and the never ending cookies saga. Jones also talked about why it's so hard to bake creators into traditional media planning, and what's really going on with sustainability.
Takeaways:
• Post-Cookie Environment: Despite long discussions around a "post-cookie world," urgency has waned due to delays.
• Challenges in Connected TV: The fragmented CTV landscape lacks unified audience targeting and measurement standards.
• TikTok's Growing Influence: As TikTok remains a cultural hub, Digitas advises clients to use it actively and authentically.
• Creator Economy and Social Strategy: Digitas leverages creators through its S.W.A.T. (Share worthy and Trending) program, which identifies trends and pairs creators with brands to produce authentic, real-time content, with a focus on diversity and cultural relevance.
• Integrating Media and CRM: There’s a significant, underutilized potential in linking CRM with media for seamless customer engagement.
• Sustainability in Digital Advertising: Though it’s not a top priority for clients, sustainability is expected to become essential within the next five years, similar to brand safety.
Guest: Megan Jones
Host: Mike Shields
Sponsor: Epsilon
Producer: FEL Creative
Next Episode
How to Reach Multicultural Audiences in the Stream-First Era
Next in Media spoke with Fuse Media's chief business officer Patrick Courtney about what advertisers get wrong about multicultural audiences media habits, the challenges in programming in the FAST space, and why cable TV still makes sense for some media companies.
Takeways:
• Inclusive Entertainment Leadership: Fuse Media is a Latino-owned, diverse entertainment company targeting a multicultural audience.
• Young Multicultural Audience: The primary demographic is 18-34-year-olds, though the audience varies by platform.
• Platform-Specific Programming Strategies: Fuse tailors content strategies differently for pay TV, FAST, and subscriptions, reflecting the unique demands and user behaviors of each medium.
• Evolution of FAST Channels: Initially a repository for legacy content, Fuse has applied structured programming techniques to FAST channels, seeing exponential audience growth by leveraging day-parting and scheduling.
• Challenges in FAST: Discovery, lack of standardization across platforms, limited data analytics, and inconsistent measurement pose significant hurdles in FAST.
• Subscription Services Strategy: Unlike many subscription services struggling with high churn, Fuse leans into partnerships and reseller marketplaces over direct-to-consumer strategies.
• Adapting to Industry Changes: Fuse has successfully integrated traditional linear and newer FAST/CTV ad sales models, capitalizing on its historical experience while navigating shifts like increasing automation and programmatic buying.
Guest: Patrick Courtney
Host: Mike Shields
Sponsor: Epsilon
Producer: FEL Creative
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