As TikTok dances go viral and Instagram stories shape buying decisions, global creator enterprise Whalar Group is quietly remodeling creator-brand collaborations. 

Since influencer marketing is no longer just a buzzword but a cornerstone of modern advertising, the company is embarking on a journey to reset the rules of engagement in Europe, the Middle East, and Africa (EMEA).

Whalar Group has tapped industry veteran Emma Harman as its new EMEA President, signaling an ambitious push into the region.

In an exclusive interview with Net Influencer, Emma shares her vision of launching new creator-focused ventures to build brand relationships with emerging technologies and scale content production. 

The Making of a Marketing Maverick

Emma began her career at Fox Kids TV Network, managing advertising campaigns across global websites. She later held key positions at the Ministry of Sound and Universal Music Group, developing artists like Jessie J, Florence and the Machine, and Lady Gaga.

“Working at Universal Music Group was amazing, as we developed artists from emerging talents into global superstars,” Emma says.

She entered the influencer space at Talenthouse in West Hollywood, where she led the commercial team.

Emma joined Whalar in 2018, drawn by the company’s mission of “Liberating the Creative Voice” and the leadership of co-founders and co-CEOs Neil Waller and James Street. She also cites Sir John Hegarty, Whalar’s chairman, as a significant influence.

“I love working with people and voices from every background and am proud to support creators who, I believe, are bringing more cultural understanding into the world and shaking up traditional media structures,” Emma states.

With 25 years of experience in entertainment, music, and influencer marketing, she is set to spearhead Whalar Group’s continued expansion in the EMEA region.

A Strategic Vision

Emma details plans to launch several new ventures under the Whalar Group umbrella in the EMEA region.

She tells us, “Over the next year, we will be launching a few of our companies under Whalar Group in EMEA.” 

These include The Lighthouse, which will offer IRLcreator campuses with state-of-the-art production facilities, a 360-degree talent management arm, and Foam, a platform that provides talent managers with insights and media packs.

Emma also emphasizes the continued growth of Whalar’s creator agency, which operates in over 40 markets. “We hope to expand deeper into new markets in the following year,” she adds.

With more than 300 employees, Whalar Group aims to drive innovation in the industry by leveraging its expertise and proximity to creators. 

“Audiences want and expect a different type of social storytelling,” Emma explains. “I’m excited to harness this through innovative formats, strategic ideas, and entrepreneurial ventures within the creator space.”

Drawing on her experience as a judge for prestigious industry awards such as Cannes Lions and D&AD, Emma sees potential for growth in demonstrating the effectiveness of creator-driven campaigns. 

She notes particular interest in how creators are shaping areas like news, sustainability, and comedy.

Addressing the challenges of operating in the diverse EMEA market, Emma highlights Whalar’s ‘glocal’ approach. 

“We have built an in-house team who speak 10 languages and a supporting global team of cultural local market experts,” she says. 

This strategy serves to capitalize on the European creator economy market, expected to reach 13.4 billion euros (~$14.5 billion) by the end of 2024.

However, Emma acknowledges ongoing industry challenges, including hesitancy about creator investments due to concerns about results predictability and measurement standardization. 

She emphasizes the importance of bridging the gap between traditional marketing mindsets and growing audience expectations to combat this.

“We see amazing things happen when brands bring creators ‘out of the mood board and into the boardroom,'” Emma states. “Education, impactful work, and business results are key to scaling.”

The Creator Economy as the Key Growth Driver

Emma highlights the shift towards long-term brand investments in creator-driven marketing solutions.

“We are seeing a rise in brands investing in Whalar on a long-term basis, whereby we are delivering full-funnel solutions, evergreen content production, big campaign concepts, and execution,” she says, adding that this trend allows for deeper, more agile relationships with brands.

Emma points to Publicis Groupe’s recent acquisition of Influential as a positive signal for the industry, indicating growing recognition of creator media’s effectiveness and efficiency.

However, she identifies distrust and lack of understanding as major challenges facing the Creator Economy. 

“Brands often think of creators as a super tactical part of the marketing mix, to be bought in at the end to promote something,” Emma explains. She advocates for a shift in perception, emphasizing the cultural value creators can provide to brands.

“Our goal at Whalar Group is to develop omnichannel creator experiences and formats that create rich social storytelling experiences,” Emma tells us.

Looking ahead, the industry veteran sees AI as a powerful tool for creators to enhance their output, noting the emergence of startups supporting various aspects of creators’ careers, from finance to mental health management.

“Right now, creators make money through advertising revenue shares, brand collaborations, and D2C opportunities such as podcasts, books, TV shows, and products,” Emma states. “I think we’ll see an increasing number of creators get to the D2C phase faster and build their ventures.”

Future Outlook

Emma concludes by noting Whalar Group’s role in shaping career opportunities within the Creator Economy. 

“The Creator Economy provides a new model and career opportunities that we probably don’t even know exist yet,” she says. 

She anticipates that emerging technologies, particularly AI, will enable creators to efficiently scale their productions and produce content across multiple languages, potentially revamping digital content creation and influencer marketing in the EMEA region.