Viral Nation

Reporting from Cannes Our own Paul Telner joined leaders from Fremantle, Wind Sun Sky Entertainment, and the McCarty family at MIPCOM 2025 to talk about the future of entertainment and the role creators are playing in shaping it. Paul shared three key takeaways from his panel that capture the industry's current direction. 1️⃣ Creators are their own studios. They have the tools, the reach, and the creative power to produce at scale. 2️⃣ Traditional studios and creators are finally building together, using data and audience testing to develop new formats that move from social to streaming. 3️⃣ Creators are now fully part of the mainstream conversation. The industry isn’t just watching them anymore, it’s working with them. Cannes was buzzing with ideas, energy, and optimism for what’s next. The future of entertainment is creator-powered, and it’s already here. #ViralNation #MIPCOM #Fremantle #Creators #Entertainment #Culture

Big news from Viral Nation, we’ve partnered with Fremantle, one of the most iconic entertainment companies in the world, to create a new wave of shows built around creators. Together we’re developing original formats made for the platforms where audiences actually live. Stories that start online. Ideas that move fast. Formats built with creators at the center from day one. Our first two projects are already underway. Model Creator (MxC) with Ford Models, Inc. celebrates digital talent shaping culture today. Cr1me C0de brings a new take on true crime that’s built for the social generation. This partnership connects Fremantle’s global storytelling expertise with Viral Nation’s understanding of creator culture and digital communities. It’s a new space for entertainment to grow — one that reflects how people watch, share, and connect now. The next chapter of entertainment starts with creators. #ViralNation #Fremantle #Creators #Entertainment #Culture https://lnkd.in/gi5HUFXh

Jazmine and Loren made everyone laugh when they explained how they test their content. Before they post a video, they send it to their moms and best friends. If that group isn’t entertained, they make tweaks until it feels right. That’s authenticity in action. It isn’t about trying to look “real.” It’s about making content that actually feels like you. They also said consistency plays a big role. If you can only maintain a style or format for a week, it’s not authentic enough to sustain. The takeaway was clear. The easiest way to stay authentic is to create from joy, not obligation. #AdvertisingWeek #MarketingCommunity #CreatorCulture #ViralNation

When Hayden Schelble from Meta took the stage at Advertising Week, he broke down how each Meta platform helps creators grow while staying true to their voice. Facebook is all about connection. Instagram focuses on discoverability. Threads is about open conversation and culture. And Trial Reels gives creators a chance to experiment and reach new audiences. What stood out most was Hayden’s reminder that these tools are only powerful when they serve real creativity. Technology should make it easier to connect, not harder to be human. That’s what great content will always come back to. #AdvertisingWeek #MarketingCommunity #CreatorCulture #ViralNation

What happens when creators get to shape brand stories from the inside? At Advertising Week, Alice de Vries from Viral Nation sat down with Joel Bjarni Marlinarson and Nicolas Rojas, two B2B marketing creators who see the industry from both sides. Their advice to brands was simple. Stop over-editing. Stop dragging creative through endless rounds of approval. Start trusting the people who know the audience best. Creators are strategists now. They build communities. They know what content connects because they’re in it every day. When brands treat creators like true partners instead of hired hands, the work just hits differently. #AdvertisingWeek #MarketingCommunity #CreatorCulture #ViralNation

Massive congrats to Audible for taking home Best in Show at the 2025 OMMA Awards! We loved being part of the creative mix with LIVE The Agency, Somehow Studios, and the amazing team at Audible. From “Cultura Out Loud – Latin” to “The Campaign that Made Brazil Listen” — this work shows how powerful storytelling and community can be when the right people bring it together!

What started as a single lyric, “Put you in a mansion, somewhere in Wisconsin,” is now becoming an animated world. We’re teaming up with GRAMMY Award-winning artist T-Pain and Wind Sun Sky Entertainment to bring Wiscansin to life, a new animated series inspired by T-Pain’s creativity, humor, and imagination. From a viral lyric to a global brand to a full-blown cultural moment, Wiscansin shows how far great ideas can go when they’re powered by vision, heart, and community. This marks the next chapter in our partnership with Wind Sun Sky, following projects with The McCartys and Like Nastya, all pushing storytelling into new and unexpected places. If you’re heading to Cannes next week, Catherine Winder and Paul Telner will be at MIP Markets - MIPCOM, MIPJUNIOR, MIP CANCUN & MIP LONDON, ready to talk all things T-Pain, The McCartys, and what’s next for entertainment in 2026. The future of storytelling is wide open. Let’s make it Wiscansin. #Wiscansin #TPain #ViralNation #WindSunSky #MIPCOM #MIPJUNIOR #MIPCANCUN #MIPLONDON #CreatorEconomy

What if creators ran the brief? That was the question Nicholas Spiro from Viral Nation brought to the stage at Advertising Week, and it got the whole room thinking. In a world where content can be pumped out faster than ever, human creativity isn’t losing value. It’s becoming more essential. Creators are the trust anchors in the chaos. They’re the ones building communities, comment by comment, brick by brick. And when brands let creators lead the process instead of controlling it, that’s when culture gets written in real time. Thank you to our friends Hayden Schelble at Meta, as well as our two Viral Nation creators, Loren Lott and Jazmine Robinson, for joining us on stage. #AdvertisingWeek #MarketingCommunity #CreatorCulture #ViralNation

What a conference, Advertising Week! Alice de Vries and Francesca G. took us along for a little merch haul moment, and honestly, it was too fun not to share. From custom bags and bracelets at The Female Quotient (10/10 for empowering energy and creativity) to meeting Alex Schultz at the Meta Creator Lounge (yes, we got the book and the cookie), to the Canva World Tour, where we made our own keychains — we were fully living our best marketing lives. So here’s to the tote bags, the freebies, the conversations, and the people who make these events actually feel human. #AdvertisingWeek #MarketingCommunity #CreatorCulture #ViralNation

Instagram just launched what feels like the Creator Oscars. And honestly? We’re into it. It’s called Rings, Instagram’s new way of celebrating creators who are shaping culture, not just chasing views. Winners get an actual ring designed by Grace Wales Bonner, a golden ring around their profile, and some bespoke perks. The judging panel? Spike Lee, Marc Jacobs, and Pat McGrath. Not bad company. This isn’t about who pulled the biggest numbers. It’s about who’s pushing creativity forward and setting the tone for what’s next online. And that matters. Because when Instagram turns recognition into currency, it changes the game. Reach and RPM still matter, but esteem is now part of the mix. Being chosen, highlighted, and celebrated… that shifts who gets discovered, who brands notice, and who commands the bigger budgets. It also gives marketers a clearer signal. If Instagram is backing a creator, you’re probably looking at someone who’s influencing what people actually care about. Social is past the follower-count era. It’s about who’s really moving the feed. Here’s hoping these Rings highlight exactly that: the creators pushing ideas, shaping taste, and driving culture forward.