CREATOR AGENCY REPORT: 2024 TO 2025

Summary from the TLDR Marketing newsletter

Influencer marketing spending hit a record $24 billion in 2024, with 70% of U.S. brands investing or planning to invest in creators. Short-form video dominated, and social media became the world's largest advertising channel, surpassing paid search with $247.3 billion in global ad spend. Agencies played a crucial role, with 42% of creator managers securing over $500K in brand deals and 47% of agencies relying on 25 or fewer brand partners for their revenue. AI and automation are reshaping talent management, while brands are shifting focus from vanity metrics to engagement and brand alignment. The creator economy is growing rapidly and M&A is accelerating as agencies and brands scale their operations.