Welcome back to Influencer Insider! I hope you enjoyed the sun while it lasted in the UK.
This week, I've chatted with Elissa Wardrop, the mastermind behind the viral IKEA Punch the monkey campaign - more on that wild conversation below.
We've also launched a new series exploring the epic highs and lows of being a Gen Z Founder. Our first edition is with ex-creator, current ZEO Dylan Huey.
Furthermore, check out the new Creator Economy Top Line for February 2026 to get the rundown you need.
Don't forget, the CreatorFest Community Pick is live! If you've got an idea you'd like to take the stage with this July, you can submit your session here.
In today's newsletter:
- Pick of the day: "Sometimes family is who we find along the way” Elissa Wardrop on Her Viral IKEA Punch the Monkey Campaign
- Trending: Gen Z Founders: How ZEO Dylan Huey Turned From Teen Content Creator to Business Owner at 22
- Campaign of the week: Vaseline
📝 Pick of the day
"Sometimes family is who we find along the way” Elissa Wardrop on Her Viral IKEA Punch the Monkey Campaign
Last Wednesday, a single photo of a plush orangutan went viral on IKEA’s social media.
Behind that image was Elissa Wardrop, a member of IKEA’s specialised responsive marketing team, who turned a viral moment into a global brand win in under twenty minutes. From a 9-minute editing window to a heartwarming message about found family, Wardrop takes us behind the scenes of the viral Punch campaign and explains why social media success really "isn't that deep."
Be a part of our State of the Creator Economy 2026 Report!
Share your thoughts and get early access to the report, as well as a chance to win a £100 Amazon voucher! Each survey takes less than 3 minutes to complete:
Brands | Influencer Marketers | Talent Agencies | Creators
↗ Trending
What's hot on Hello Partner right now
Gen Z Founders: How ZEO Dylan Huey Turned From Teen Content Creator to Business Owner at 22
Gen Z Founder Dylan Huey has never taken the leap from a 9-5 to a business owner: he’s always been on his own entrepreneurial path.
YouTube Launches TV Plans: Do Media Companies Now Need to Have It All?
With the launch of new tiered subscription bundles under YouTube TV, YouTube is edging closer to the very model it once disrupted.
Creator Economy Monthly Top Line: February 2026
Welcome back to our Monthly Top Line - creator economy edition. Find out career moves from February 2026.
The Brand Cheat Code - How Creators Reveal What Marketers Can't See
This session unpacks how Kyra and L’Occitane used creators to bring product experience to life in a way that words never could. Through slow, tactile, sensorial content, the brand invited audiences to feel their products through the screen, making skincare not just seen, but felt.
Journalists Are Coming for the Creator Economy – Are You Ready to Support Them?
Social-savvy reporters are abandoning the safety of their newsroom roles to launch their own scrappy startups, developing highly-engaged followings of news audiences fed up with the status quo.
Invest in Trust: A New Era for Long-Term Brand and Creator Partnerships
Market leaders are pivoting. They aren't looking for "influencers" anymore – they want media partners for a lasting connection. Most of them are moving from renting attention to building assets.
by Yana Sirenko
Democratise, Don’t Centralise: Why the Creator Economy Needs New Infrastructure
The next chapter of the creator economy must be democratic by design - not winner-takes-all by default.
by Murphy Hopkins-Hubbard
✨ Campaign of the week: Vaseline
Vaseline just launched an influencer trip in the Alps - arguably the perfect place. When is there a more essential time to need some Vaseline?!
The trip was OF COURSE aesthetic, turning Vaseline from a basic must-have into the next trending beauty item.
A great idea from Vaseline!
👀 Algowatch: The power of Snapchat
It's now been proven that Snapchat drives 5x the amount of brand recommendations and double the buying power of YouTube. Who knew?!
📈 CreatorFest prices are increasing tomorrow at 4pm
Don't miss your chance to get a banging deal at CreatorFest 2026. Tickets are increasing in price at 4pm tomorrow, 27th Feb. Get the best deal while it lasts - be there or be square 💋
💭 Thursday thoughts: Punch update
After days of emotional turmoil, TikToker Chris Olsen decided to find out for himself if Punch was doing better. He got on a flight and went to visit the zoo Punch is living in.
As you can see, WAR IS OVER. Punch has been accepted by some of the other monkeys. Finally 😭
👩💻 Jobs Board
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Until next time!
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Sofia Aira Journalist Email me Connect with me on LinkedIn |
