Digiday Daily

September 24, 2026

The creator economy is moving into a new phase: creators getting into companies at the ground floor through sweat equity or angel investing. “Creators are looking for ways to diversify how they’re getting paid,” said Emily Ward, co-founder of JERi and Love X Money Ventures, an early-stage venture capital and angel investment fund.

TOP STORY

The Creator Economy

From brand deals to equity deals: creators want a stake, not just a fee

The creator economy is moving into a new phase: creators getting into companies at the ground floor through sweat equity or angel investing.

OTHER THINGS TO KNOW

Tomorrow is your last chance to save on entries for the Digiday Media Awards. Showcase the innovative companies, campaigns and teams modernizing digital media, and join past honorees including The New York Times, People Inc. and PopSugar. Gain recognition for the work moving the industry forward.
Register for this webinar on Oct. 14 at 10 a.m. ET for insights into how marketers are compressing the CTV-to-conversion journey and driving measurable performance. Partner insights from Affinity Global.
The CMO was once a partner to the CEO, focused on customers, margins and growth. That connection eroded as marketing lost sight of business metrics. Now, marketing must rebuild credibility to match its responsibility. Partner insights from Zeta Global.

MARKETING

The Programmatic Marketer

58% of ad execs expect agentic buying to hit scale within a year, according to IAB Europe research

Agentic buying is 2026’s year of the mobile.

Modern Retail

Why Sephora released a beauty set exclusively on TikTok Shop

TikTok Shop’s combination of eyeball-sucking entertainment and frictionless shopping have made it a legitimate competitor to beauty giants like the LVMH-owned Sephora.

PARTNER INSIGHTS FROM ARC XP

Publishers partner with creators as news consumers gravitate to social media

Twenty-six percent of publishers are increasing their creator partnerships, according to a new Digiday and Arc XP survey. Creator relationships help publishers reach new audiences with organically placed content, unlocking new monetization opportunities.

Evolving Agencies

Talent firm 24 Seven consolidates the new business efforts of its three concentric agencies

SktechDeck, Markacy and Futureman are now being pitched by 24 Seven’s new business team as any combination of the three shops that a client might want to tap

PARTNER INSIGHTS FROM RAPTIVE

Virtual event: The most challenging era in media demands a more focused operating model

Register for this webinar on Oct. 6 at 1 p.m. ET for insights into how publishers are strengthening performance and building for what’s next – and what comes after that.

DIGIDAY+

Member exclusive

Media Briefing: Publishers question whether personalization actually pays off

Publishers are personalizing newsletters to get more value from readers, but questions remain over whether it’s a meaningful differentiator.