The Hottest Creators Right Now are Faceless

plus Content creator summer camps, Kai Cenat’s TIME cover, Love Island App hits #1, and three content formats to steal.

What’s up, everyone! I hope you all enjoyed the week. There’s something refreshing about reading a book you can’t put down. I had the pleasure of reading “Make it ours: Crashing the Gates of Culture with Virgil Abloh.” Robin Givhan sheds light on the life of creative visionary Virgil Abloh, guiding us through his journey from a quiet Chicago teen to a cultural force in fashion. I admit I’m the type of person who starts a book quickly but takes a while to finish it. Not with this one. Robin does a fantastic job covering Virgil Abloh’s path while also sharing the history of fashion during his prime, from the Pyrex Vision days to his role as Creative Director at Louis Vuitton. The book openly discusses race, highlighting Abloh navigating the industry as a Black man. It’s a must-read that’s both inspiring and educational. RIP Virgil.

In today’s newsletter, I’m sharing thoughts on the faceless creator boom (exclusively for paid subscribers)—where creators are raking in affiliate money and deals without ever stepping in front of the camera. I’m unpacking three content formats brands should be experimenting with today, and a look at Gen Z’s new creator summer camp, Love Island’s #1 app , Kai Cenat’s historic TIME cover, and more brand moves + trends to keep on your radar.

Let’s get it!

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FAVORITE CONTENT OF THE WEEK

jjakejonezz

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Loved this Chili’s ad from creator Jake Jonez. It’s a full-circle creator moment - Jake's rise in the creator world was sparked by his viral Chili vlogs. For Chili’s NYC pop-up, they teamed up with the versatile creator to film his visit to the activation. He brings his comedic editing style and personality to the content. It was so good that followers were posting comments like this: “You are literally the ONLY person that could make me want to go to @Chilis. Well done.”

Chili’s executed this partnership perfectly. Truthfully, there wasn’t much they needed to do except give Jake the freedom to do his thing.

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BRANDS, COLLABORATION, AND CULTURE

• Kai Cenat is the cover star of Time Magazine’s first 100 Creators Issue. A Twitch streamer landing on the cover of TIME is incredible. Kai isn’t just a content creator — he’s one of the most influential voices in youth culture. From music to fashion, creators like Kai shape what the next generation watches, wears, and listens to. This isn’t just an individual achievement, but it’s a milestone for the creator economy. We’re witnessing the media landscape shift in a new direction where creators are more trusted than traditional celebrities. The future is now.

• adidas is going all in for the Superstar. In their latest brand spot, they’re reintroducing the silhouette to a new generation, tapping cultural icons across sports, music, and film to stamp the classic silhouette as timeless. Captured in black & white, synonymous with the shoe’s iconic colorway, the campaign utilizes a simple backdrop to shine a light on the trailblazing influence of the Superstar. I’m a fan of the direction implemented by adidas, they have the right arsenal of global ambassadors, but the question remains: will the shoe match up with consumers' current footwear tastes? Only time will tell. Last year, I talked about the need for Adidas to push their next “IT” shoe following the success of the Samba. It’s safe to say, we’re officially in Superstar Season.

adidasoriginals

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”As we all know, footwear trends come and go, and Adidas needs to be prepared to have its next big shoe push ready to go. It’ll likely be the Adidas Superstar or Gazelle.”

• The world’s hottest reality show is now the hottest app. Love Island reached #1 on Apple’s app charts, following last week’s episode where the app set a new record with over 1 million votes in just the first six minutes. The app surpassed ChatGPT, Threads, Google, Peacock, and others. I see my friends posting their votes on social media all the time now, a clear sign that people are emotionally invested in the island couples. Has there ever been a reality show with a highly successful app? I don’t think so. Love Island is changing the game. 

  

• The Pinterest Men Trend Report read me like a book. Coincidentally, over the last three to four months, I’ve been using Pinterest a lot more, so I was curious to learn about how my demographic is using the platform. It’s spot on. Here are the biggest takeaways:

  • Pinterest is a safe space for self-expression, and it’s resonating.
    Unlike the chaos of other platforms, Pinterest is where men are leaning in without encountering toxicity. Nearly 65% of men globally want to express their authentic selves online, and Pinterest gives them that.

  • Gen Z and Millennial men are here to plan
    Men are saving pins with a purpose—from gym routines to finance tips to planning milestone birthday parties for their children. There’s a strong intention when using Pinterest.

  • Wellness is having a moment
    From Pilates (+300%) to hydration hacks and skincare routines, men are redefining what wellness looks like. The rise in “pilates outfit” and “niacinamide serum” searches shows a new wave of men who care about how they feel and how they show up.

  • Fashion and Style remain more popular than ever with Males. Fashion remains the top use case for global Gen Z male monthly Pinterest users, with 46% saying they’ve used Pinterest for fashion inspiration in the last month^.

  • Pinterest men are early adopters and they’re brand loyal.
    According to GWI, nearly half of Gen Z and Millennial men on Pinterest consider themselves “risk takers” and loyal to the brands they love. That means if you catch them while they’re searching, you’ve got their attention—and possibly, their wallet.