What qualities should a good creator economy consultant possess? According to Saeyoung Cho, founder of Moonshot Projects, hands-on experience tops the list.
The question becomes pertinent when one considers how big the creator economy has become and how it is bound to get even bigger in the years to come. In its “Creator Empowerment and the Future of the Content Creator Economy” report, Deloitte estimates that there are 50 million creators generating content for five billion social media users worldwide. This complex ecosystem involves complex relationships, transactions, and interests that will require expert insights, such as those that may come from consulting firms.
However, Saeyong believes that traditional consultancy expertise may not be enough in this case. After 13 years in the space, including roles as Chief Strategy Officer at Captiv8 and Director of Digital Experiences at Horizon Media, she has witnessed a fundamental shift in what brands need from their advisors, realizing the value that comes from that along the way.
But where exactly does traditional consultancy fall short in the creator economy, and how can aspiring consultants keep pace with this young industry’s dynamic nature? Saeyoung dives into dissecting the matter.
Traditional Consulting’s Limitations in Creator Partnerships
Major consulting firms struggle to provide relevant guidance in creator partnerships. As Saeyoung explains: “I saw that a lot of my colleagues and friends in the space were turning to your traditional consultancies, BCG, Forrester, Gartner, and trying to understand a fast-moving space. And they weren’t feeling like some of these big consultancies really had a finger on the pulse around what was happening in the creator economy.”
This created opportunities for specialists with direct experience. “Even though it is a young space, we are now starting to see people with 10+ years of experience who are really strong thought leaders,” Saeyoung notes. “I realized I had built this really strong network, and there was a great opportunity as colleagues at brands were saying, hey, I need to build out a center of excellence, but I don’t even know where to start.”
Moving Past Traditional Data Analysis
The expertise gap has transformed how specialized consultants work with brands. In the complex creator marketplace, brands face significant challenges in finding the right guidance. A primary hurdle is the overwhelming number of options and claims. Saeyoung explains: “Right now, what we’re seeing is a lot of brands are saying, ‘Oh, this partner’s great for that, and this technology is great for that. But how do I get the best of everything? What’s the one secret tool?”
This complexity is amplified by market messaging: “There’s a lot of inflated claims, specifically in the creator economy, around everybody claiming millions of creators in-network, proprietary technology or unique data sets. It can be very hard for brands to navigate a lot of that jargon.”
This is where experience-based consulting provides unique value. Saeyoung reflects: “What clients are coming to me for is the combination of strategic vision AND hands-on practical experience to connect them to the right technology & partners.”
While this approach might seem less data-focused than traditional consulting, Saeyoung sees its strength: “I realized the multitude of my experiences powers a more holistic approach to creator marketing that considers not only relationships & content, but also data, media, and measurement.”
Shifting Brand Requirements
Creator partnerships have matured significantly, changing what brands expect from consultants. “10 years ago, a lot of our new business work focused on educating clients on why creators even matter. That is not a conversation anymore,” Saeyoung says. “There are clear budgets and, most of the time, specific goals of what to achieve with creators, but that also means more rigor around measuring success & complexity.”
She explains further: “Nobody’s debating how vital it is. The conversation is shifting to advanced strategies on how to leverage creators at every stage of the customer journey and how to integrate creator content across the media mix.”
Strategic Integration Trends
Forward-thinking brands now pursue deeper creator partnerships beyond basic collaborations. “The brands that are killing it now and will continue to kill it in the creator space are the ones that are in-housing some of those capabilities,” Saeyoung observes. “That’s where we’re seeing a lot of interesting partnerships that are out of the box, or end-to-end integration from culture to experiential to retail.”
This mirrors social media’s development: “Similar to what we saw with social media when it first came about, everyone outsourced community management to agencies, but when it comes to managing a customer relationship, it did eventually all have to come back in-house because, at the end of the day, it’s a direct line to talking to your customers.”
Current Consulting Focus Areas
Moonshot Projects structures its services across three key areas, which Saeyoung details:
For Brands: “I am doing a lot of work on helping them develop really multi-year influencer strategies. Brands understand the need to go beyond transactional relationships and are focused on offering value to creators through programs akin to Sephora Squad, which offer exposure, networking, and stability so that these creators can focus on their passion. These programs are the way to build lasting brand loyalty with creators & demonstrate a shift toward community-building amongst creators.”
For Agencies: “Right now, every agency is trying to get a piece of the pie. Whether that’s from performance and growth agencies, who are focused on the affiliate space, all the way to creative agencies looking at how to socialize & extend their Super Bowl TV spots omnichannel.”
For Platforms: “For creator platforms & technology, I’m doing a lot of advisory work, helping them develop their products, go to market materials, or help them understand what the right position is that will help them break through the noise.”
Cultural Considerations in Creator Partnerships
Recent events have highlighted new challenges in creator partnerships. Saeyoung points to specific incidents: “I think what surprised me is the political climate that at least is happening in the U.S. and how that affected the creator space was unexpected.”
She provides context through a recent example: “When I think about Bud Light partnering with Dylan Mulvaney, a trans woman, and how that ignited so much online conversation that translated to actual lost dollars, I was surprised to see that level of backlash over a singular partnership. I think it surprised a lot of marketers, and we’ve seen a decline in DEI-focused creator efforts as marketers take stock of how deep their commitments go and how they need to be viewing these associations and partnerships in conjunction with their DE&I policies.”
Future Directions
Creator economy consulting continues to adapt to new challenges. For Saeyoung, success means helping brands build stronger creator relationships.
“While we’re now seeing the mainstreamification of influencer marketing, this is just the beginning. The legitimacy of the channel will open new technology, data & tactics to connect with consumers in a now instantaneous non-linear path to purchase,” she shares.
Strong brands develop internal capabilities: “The brands that are killing it now and will continue to kill it in the creator space are the ones that are in-housing some of those capabilities,” noting that this enables “unique partnerships and relationships to have these creators serve as unique extensions of their brand.”
As creator partnerships become more sophisticated, specialized consulting proves increasingly vital. As Saeyoung concludes: “I love to solve problems. Every project is a new puzzle where I get to deploy my strategic mindset, creativity, network, and experience.”
Cecilia Carloni, Interview Manager at Influence Weekly and writer for NetInfluencer. Coming from beautiful Argentina, Ceci has spent years chatting with big names in the influencer world, making friends and learning insider info along the way. When she’s not deep in interviews or writing, she's enjoying life with her two daughters. Ceci’s stories give a peek behind the curtain of influencer life, sharing the real and interesting tales from her many conversations with movers and shakers in the space.
What qualities should a good creator economy consultant possess? According to Saeyoung Cho, founder of Moonshot Projects, hands-on experience tops the list.
The question becomes pertinent when one considers how big the creator economy has become and how it is bound to get even bigger in the years to come. In its “Creator Empowerment and the Future of the Content Creator Economy” report, Deloitte estimates that there are 50 million creators generating content for five billion social media users worldwide. This complex ecosystem involves complex relationships, transactions, and interests that will require expert insights, such as those that may come from consulting firms.
However, Saeyong believes that traditional consultancy expertise may not be enough in this case. After 13 years in the space, including roles as Chief Strategy Officer at Captiv8 and Director of Digital Experiences at Horizon Media, she has witnessed a fundamental shift in what brands need from their advisors, realizing the value that comes from that along the way.
But where exactly does traditional consultancy fall short in the creator economy, and how can aspiring consultants keep pace with this young industry’s dynamic nature? Saeyoung dives into dissecting the matter.
Traditional Consulting’s Limitations in Creator Partnerships
Major consulting firms struggle to provide relevant guidance in creator partnerships. As Saeyoung explains: “I saw that a lot of my colleagues and friends in the space were turning to your traditional consultancies, BCG, Forrester, Gartner, and trying to understand a fast-moving space. And they weren’t feeling like some of these big consultancies really had a finger on the pulse around what was happening in the creator economy.”
This created opportunities for specialists with direct experience. “Even though it is a young space, we are now starting to see people with 10+ years of experience who are really strong thought leaders,” Saeyoung notes. “I realized I had built this really strong network, and there was a great opportunity as colleagues at brands were saying, hey, I need to build out a center of excellence, but I don’t even know where to start.”
Moving Past Traditional Data Analysis
The expertise gap has transformed how specialized consultants work with brands. In the complex creator marketplace, brands face significant challenges in finding the right guidance. A primary hurdle is the overwhelming number of options and claims. Saeyoung explains: “Right now, what we’re seeing is a lot of brands are saying, ‘Oh, this partner’s great for that, and this technology is great for that. But how do I get the best of everything? What’s the one secret tool?”
This complexity is amplified by market messaging: “There’s a lot of inflated claims, specifically in the creator economy, around everybody claiming millions of creators in-network, proprietary technology or unique data sets. It can be very hard for brands to navigate a lot of that jargon.”
This is where experience-based consulting provides unique value. Saeyoung reflects: “What clients are coming to me for is the combination of strategic vision AND hands-on practical experience to connect them to the right technology & partners.”
While this approach might seem less data-focused than traditional consulting, Saeyoung sees its strength: “I realized the multitude of my experiences powers a more holistic approach to creator marketing that considers not only relationships & content, but also data, media, and measurement.”
Shifting Brand Requirements
Creator partnerships have matured significantly, changing what brands expect from consultants. “10 years ago, a lot of our new business work focused on educating clients on why creators even matter. That is not a conversation anymore,” Saeyoung says. “There are clear budgets and, most of the time, specific goals of what to achieve with creators, but that also means more rigor around measuring success & complexity.”
She explains further: “Nobody’s debating how vital it is. The conversation is shifting to advanced strategies on how to leverage creators at every stage of the customer journey and how to integrate creator content across the media mix.”
Strategic Integration Trends
Forward-thinking brands now pursue deeper creator partnerships beyond basic collaborations. “The brands that are killing it now and will continue to kill it in the creator space are the ones that are in-housing some of those capabilities,” Saeyoung observes. “That’s where we’re seeing a lot of interesting partnerships that are out of the box, or end-to-end integration from culture to experiential to retail.”
This mirrors social media’s development: “Similar to what we saw with social media when it first came about, everyone outsourced community management to agencies, but when it comes to managing a customer relationship, it did eventually all have to come back in-house because, at the end of the day, it’s a direct line to talking to your customers.”
Current Consulting Focus Areas
Moonshot Projects structures its services across three key areas, which Saeyoung details:
For Brands: “I am doing a lot of work on helping them develop really multi-year influencer strategies. Brands understand the need to go beyond transactional relationships and are focused on offering value to creators through programs akin to Sephora Squad, which offer exposure, networking, and stability so that these creators can focus on their passion. These programs are the way to build lasting brand loyalty with creators & demonstrate a shift toward community-building amongst creators.”
For Agencies: “Right now, every agency is trying to get a piece of the pie. Whether that’s from performance and growth agencies, who are focused on the affiliate space, all the way to creative agencies looking at how to socialize & extend their Super Bowl TV spots omnichannel.”
For Platforms: “For creator platforms & technology, I’m doing a lot of advisory work, helping them develop their products, go to market materials, or help them understand what the right position is that will help them break through the noise.”
Cultural Considerations in Creator Partnerships
Recent events have highlighted new challenges in creator partnerships. Saeyoung points to specific incidents: “I think what surprised me is the political climate that at least is happening in the U.S. and how that affected the creator space was unexpected.”
She provides context through a recent example: “When I think about Bud Light partnering with Dylan Mulvaney, a trans woman, and how that ignited so much online conversation that translated to actual lost dollars, I was surprised to see that level of backlash over a singular partnership. I think it surprised a lot of marketers, and we’ve seen a decline in DEI-focused creator efforts as marketers take stock of how deep their commitments go and how they need to be viewing these associations and partnerships in conjunction with their DE&I policies.”
Future Directions
Creator economy consulting continues to adapt to new challenges. For Saeyoung, success means helping brands build stronger creator relationships.
“While we’re now seeing the mainstreamification of influencer marketing, this is just the beginning. The legitimacy of the channel will open new technology, data & tactics to connect with consumers in a now instantaneous non-linear path to purchase,” she shares.
Strong brands develop internal capabilities: “The brands that are killing it now and will continue to kill it in the creator space are the ones that are in-housing some of those capabilities,” noting that this enables “unique partnerships and relationships to have these creators serve as unique extensions of their brand.”
As creator partnerships become more sophisticated, specialized consulting proves increasingly vital. As Saeyoung concludes: “I love to solve problems. Every project is a new puzzle where I get to deploy my strategic mindset, creativity, network, and experience.”