Whalar

We had an unforgettable day at the first-ever Pop-up at NY!️ 🤩🙌

With an incredible turnout, the energy was unmatched as guests sipped on refreshing Strawberry Matcha Lattes and got their first taste of the brand’s new Hojicha. The day was made by Nami Matcha’s extra dynamic founder, , who mixed, mingled, and served up matcha, leaving fans buzzing with excitement. 🍓🍵️

Huge thank you to our incredible partner, Shopify, for helping us make this happen!

Introducing our latest venture created by Moby Ventures and - Nami Matcha! 🍵⚡

Inspired by Ashley’s love for matcha as frequently shared in her content, Nami Matcha is already breaking records - selling thousands of tins of matcha and all (~1,000) of her starter kits in a matter of minutes, with ZERO marketing spend. 🤯

This success truly shows the undeniable power of creators and that the future belongs to them!

Link in stories to join the matcha revolution!

Big news! Our very own Emma Harman is stepping into the exciting new role of EMEA President of Whalar Group! 🎉

We’re confident that Emma’s blend of creative vision and commercial acumen, coupled with her deep experience in the Creator Economy, will drive her success in this pivotal role. Her passion for inspiring action and driving innovation will be instrumental as she leads EMEA, focusing on strategy, innovation, and expanding our ecosystem.

Congrats, Emma! Well-deserved!

Link in stories to read more on !

Whalar and TikTok took the festival of the digital universe OMR by storm! Our DACH Managing Director Claudia Fischer joined TikTok's Sarah van den Eertwegh and Crocs's Yann Le Bozec on stage, where they uncovered how brands can stay relevant in the always-on culture through creators.

A few groundbreaking takeaways:
⚡️Relevance and trust have replaced reach: You can buy reach, but you cannot buy being relevant in someone's life.�
⚡️Today's brands thrive within communities, and creators serve as your friendly hosts.
⚡️Gen Z are setting their own trends and creators direct brands to the moments that matter most.

The future belongs to creators!

"Bachan is blazing new trails and reshaping how brands and creators forge lucrative partnerships in an era where authenticity reigns supreme."

Net Influencer chats with our visionary President of Whalar Talent Victoria Bachan about her unconventional journey to becoming a creator marketing leader and her guidance on navigating challenges and disruption, and maintaining sustainable growth in the Creator Economy. 📱⚡️

Full article here:

The Unconventional Path This Exec Took To Become An Influencer Marketing Leader Victoria Bachan is the President of Whalar's Global Talent Division, a role that puts her at the forefront of the rapidly evolving creator economy. Her unconventional path from the music festival circuit to the forefront of the influencer marketing world has given her a unique perspective on this dy...

Join us this Thursday for a special two-part webinar series with TikTok on Combating Creative Fatigue in EMEA and NA.

Our US VP of Creative Strategy, Lizzy Bilasano, and EMEA Senior Director, Natasha Nanner, will share strategies to combat creative fatigue among creators and effective collaboration methods for brands on TikTok.

Don’t miss out! Register below:
👉🏾 EMEA RSVP: https://bit.ly/447dfol
👉🏾 NA RSVP: https://bit.ly/4aLYCJq

Our Co-CEO and Co-Founder, Waller, chatted with Net Influencer about Whalar's journey and evolution in the Creator Economy.

“It’s just been this incredible journey from a passionate side hustle, building communities to a thriving industry of really…media houses and publishers,” Waller says. “And you could even take one step further and say, entrepreneurs building robust businesses.”

Read more: https://tinyurl.com/bdfzay3p

tinyurl.com

Creators are taking over Cannes 2024!

The Creator Economy is set to dominate Cannes this year, and Whalar will be at the forefront. Our Co-Founder and Co-CEO, Neil Waller, discusses with Ad Age the pivotal role creators will play at the festival.

“To say that the level of interest and exposure of the creator economy at the festival is night and day different from 2016 to now would be an understatement. There’s still a long way to go, but it’s undeniable that the creator economy will have a way stronger presence at Cannes this June than ever before.”

Read more: https://adage.com/article/special-report-cannes-lions/creators-cannes-lions-2024-inside-revamped-influencer-marketing-plans-festival/2553916

Creators at Cannes Lions 2024—inside the revamped influencer marketing plans at the festival Influencer marketing is set to take on an even bigger role at Cannes Lions 2024.

Today is a BIG day as we introduce Whalar Group - a global, independent end-to-end creator ecosystem! Co-Founders Neil Waller and James Street are stepping back in as Co-CEOs to drive our vision forward with seamless synergy across all operational facets. This includes a full-service creator agency, a 360° talent management company, a physical campus for creators and teams, an innovative digital operating system, a venture studio, and a ground-breaking gaming studio. ️

And that’s not all! We're excited to welcome industry luminary Christoph Becker as Chief Creative Officer. Christoph will spearhead global initiatives driving strategic creative excellence, cementing Whalar Group’s position as the industry leader in end-to-end creator solutions.

Read more: https://bit.ly/4aBbzpq

Whalar Group appoints Neil Waller and James Street as co-CEOs EXCLUSIVE: The duo will lead six business pillars and attempt to win more creative, not just creator, briefs with the hire of Christoph Becker as chief creative officer.. From Campaign US

I spy Doug The Pug on a billboard in Times Square! Thanks to Pandora, our favorite pup took over the Music for Dogs station that features songs for dogs to relax and de-stress to. Give it a listen! 🐶🐾

What a day! 🎉 We're thrilled to share that we've been named finalists in an incredible 14 categories at the , celebrating excellence in social and digital media!

🏆 Check out our finalists:
🏈 NFL Creator of the Week
🥛 Oatly Works In (Almost) Everything
🕵️‍♂️ Guess My Gargie for Robinsons
💡 Philips Black Friday TikTok Live Giveaway

Let's bring home the wins! Please show your support by voting for our talented finalists before April 30th using the link below.

Vote here: https://shortyawards.com/vote/

That's a wrap on TikTok Beauty Week! 💄💅

Our Client Business Lead Sophia Kakouratos discussed the cultural forces shaping conversations on the platform, and how brands can win big by leveraging niche communities. While our Senior Director of Creative Strategy Natasha Nanner and creators Dani Nicholls and Mia Maugé spilled the beau(tea) on representation and inclusivity in the beauty industry and the power of giving creators the freedom to craft authentic content! 📱⚡️

A huge thank you to everyone who joined us! Your enthusiasm and engagement turned our sessions into a must-attend for anyone looking to make a mark on TikTok.

How can brands reach women on TikTok? 👀⚡️

Check out TikTok for Business' latest report to learn how brands can craft impactful strategies to better engage with this demographic! It also features expert advice from our very own VP of Creative Strategy Lizzy Bilasano and hashtag Coco Mocoe. 🔥

Download here: https://www.tiktok.com/business/en-US/blog/reaching-women-bold-active-authentic

How To Reach Women On TikTok | TikTok For Business Blog Creative advice for brands who want to understand how women are showing up on TikTok today—and integrate those learnings into effective, impactiful strategies.

From interactive sessions, to innovative workshops - at Age's Gen Z Summit, we gained a wealth of knowledge around the factors influencing Gen Z's behavior and purchasing decisions! 🤑⚡️

Our President of Victoria Bachan and Whalar Talent Kenneth Pabon took the stage to offer valuable insights around how brands can effectively engage with Gen Z. We also heard from a handful of brands, agency leaders, and creators about social media trends, creator marketing, brand authenticity, and the essential values of diversity, equity, and inclusion.

Sharing a few key takeaways below:
⚡ Creators Are Creative Directors: It's time for brands to leverage creators as creative directors, and in doing so it's imperative to provide a super clear brief and creative freedom - the creator knows their audience best, what will perform best on each platform, and why. It's key to remember that there is a mutual want for success on a post.
⚡Moving Beyond Gameplay: Gen Z's daily investment of 2.5 hours in Roblox marks it as a pivotal platform, necessitating a test-and-learn approach in the changing gaming landscape for brands to remain relevant. The focus is shifting towards building a community vs. an audience, with the essence of partnership and engagement playing crucial roles.
⚡The Next Generation of Sports Fans: Sports marketing is evolving to match Gen Z's behaviors, highlighted by the WNBA's "influencer row," which brings games directly to Gen Z through creator journalists' social coverage. An "always-on" strategy can further ensure continuous engagement by meeting Gen Z where they are, across various platforms and cultural moments.
⚡Building Authentic Brands: Gen Z's growing purchasing power demands that brands forge emotional connections and focus on authenticity, favoring smaller, targeted communities over broad audiences. Actions like Sony's creation of sustainable headphones from recycled materials, exemplify the importance of product integrity and genuine brand stories, aligning with Gen Z's preference for truth and meaningful creator collaborations.

Photo Credit: Mark Davis Photography

Huge congrats to the recent grads! All smiles as our One Creator Lab participants graduated from a 16-week program, an initiative that helps guide creators and their skills to grow their careers and navigate the evolving creative industry.

We’re proud to have led transformative sessions aimed at empowering creators to elevate their passions into professions through the art of storytelling.

This girl is on fire! Drew Afualo's NEW book - LOUD: Accept Nothing Less Than the Life You Deserve, is now available for pre-order! 🔥

A vibrant fusion of a memoir and manifesto, LOUD shares Drew's vision for a more inclusive future where everyone's voice is heard, offers ways for readers to empower themselves, and so much more.

Read more here: https://people.com/viral-content-creator-drew-afualo-to-publish-debut-book-exclusive-8581694

Drew Afualo, Viral 'Crusader for Women,' to Publish Debut Book — See the Cover! (Exclusive) TikTok star and 'Crusader for Women' Drew Afualo is set to publish her first book, 'LOUD: Accept Nothing Less Than the Life You Deserve,' through Questlove's book imprint, AUWA Books.

Whalar, Captain Morgan, and creators Dami Hope and Uche Natori were on the ground at this year's 26th MOBO Awards 🎶🇬🇧

As part of the Captain Morgan Black Spiced campaign, Dami interviewed artists on the red carpet. Both he and Uche also shared the standout moments from the awards ceremony and the afterparty, where Captain Morgan was the official spirit sponsor.

Check out what they got up to below!

What Super Bowl marketing trends will shape the rest of the year? 🏈⚡️

Here’s what .duverneau , , , , and had to say!

Accessibility video description: A purple background with star graphics surrounds text that reads, “Whalar Talent Talks Super Bowl Marketing Trend That Will Shape the Rest of the Year!” with images of creators underneath. The following slides contain each creator’s photo, answers, and names.

Check out what Team Whalar and The NFL creator crew were up to for Super Bowl LVIII! 🏈⚡️

Photos ft. Shadi Ghalbi, Wesley Lumpkin, Jesse Spencer, Jordan Hunter, Jo Cronk, Samantha Fink, Alix Earle, Allison Kuch, Isaac Rochell, and Braxton Berrios.

Accessibility image description: A series of photos featuring Team Whalar and creators at Super Bowl LVIII.

With over a million followers on TikTok, Chase Brown and Melonie Torres chat with Tubefilter about how TikTok has helped them reach new heights! 📱⚡️

https://www.tubefilter.com/2024/01/25/chase-melo/

Millionaires: Chase & Melo have been social media-ing since 2013. But TikTok is helping them reach new levels. - Tubefilter When Chase met Melo, he knew there was something special about her.

"I would hope that for the big game brands would look to take their large TV investment and expand it across social, which will take the living breathing content alllllllll across the internet to viewers who are not even tuning into the game! Watching the real time reactions is one of the most interactive parts of the commercial process of the Super Bowl and to also see that with creators turns up the fun!

Our President of Whalar Talent, Victoria Bachan, shares her thoughts with LBBonline - Little Black Book on how creators will be shaping marketing strategies for Super Bowl Sunday 🏈.

Read more here: https://lbbonline.com/news/creator-bowl-how-brands-are-partnering-with-creators-for-the-super-bowl

Creator Bowl: How Brands Are Partnering with Creators for the Super Bowl | LBBOnline Little Black Book, Social and influencer experts from the likes of the NFL, Whalar, Droga5, Dentsu, TBWA\Chiat Day, and more chat to LBB’s Addison Capper about people such as Addison Rae popping up in big game ads and how creators can help take the conversation way beyond TV

We’ve just unveiled the FIRST Creator-Driven Media Mix Model Study!

Why? Because the Creator Economy is on the rise, and these findings serve as a catalyst for embracing creators as essential contributors to media investments.

Our extensive analysis leverages data from over 20 campaigns in the CPG personal care category and showcases the incredible impact - quantified by - of creator content within the overall media mix.

PSA for ALL brands: It's time to seize the untapped potential in this thriving ecosystem. Use these results as a blueprint to guide your investments in creator content as a meaningful strategy. 

Link in stories to learn more! 

Accessibility description: A navy blue background with text that reads: Creators punch well above their weight. Nielsen found Whalar campaigns had an ROI of $2.41, surpassing all other media channels measured. A teal box below reads: Return on Investment (ROI) 2.4x