Welcome back to Influencer Insider! I hope you're having a great week.
This week, a controversial OpenAI luxury retreat brand trip made waves on socials. Followers didn't hesitate to criticise creators for taking part in the comments. But why did this happen, and what can other brands learn from it?
Secondly, with the Global Influencer Marketing Awards less than a month away, we're spotlighting some of the fantastic shortlisted campaigns. At the GIMA Shortlist Brunch, we heard from some very proud campaign managers sharing all the details from their entries. We're starting off this week with a campaign from ThisThat x LADbible, which had a huge social impact.
On with the news!
In today's newsletter:
- Pick of the day: Why OpenAI’s Luxury Retreat Missed the Mark, and What AI Brands Must Learn
- Trending: Cultivating Community and Navigating the Multi-Platform Era: A Conversation with Twitch’s Pontus Eskilsson
- Campaign of the week: Tesco Kitchen
📝 Pick of the day
Why OpenAI’s Luxury Retreat Missed the Mark, and What AI Brands Must Learn
When OpenAI hosted its first-ever creator retreat in New York, the itinerary followed a familiar influencer playbook. Dubbed the Summer Club, the event treated a group of creators to farm-to-table dinners, wellness sessions, beekeeping, and workshops on how to use OpenAI products.
However, the online response was far from welcoming. Followers have swiftly labelled the retreat tone-deaf, pointing to a fundamental disconnect at the heart of the campaign: people follow influencers for human authenticity, not to watch them promote AI.
↗ Trending
What's hot on Hello Partner right now
Cultivating Community and Navigating the Multi-Platform Era: A Conversation with Twitch’s Pontus Eskilsson
At CreatorFest 2026, I had the pleasure of sitting down with Pontus Eskilsson, VP Global Partnerships at Twitch, to unpack the current state of live streaming, the evolving creator landscape, and where interactive content is heading next.
Snapchat Clamps Down on 'AI Slop': What it Means for UK Creators and Brands
Snapchat has officially joined the growing coalition of social platforms taking aim at AI content.
How Do Brands Break Free of the Algorithm? Annabel Harris on Strategic Moments & Influence Everywhere
From brands to creators, The Goat Agency’s Annabel Harris walks through how to make moves in 2026.
As part of our series celebrating the shortlisted work at the Global Influencer Marketing Awards, we're taking a closer look at campaigns that drive meaningful social change alongside powerful digital performance.
Here's how LADbible Group, in partnership with measurement specialists ThisThat, turned a sensitive societal issue into a national conversation.
✨ Campaign of the week: Tesco Kitchen
Tesco's fantastic Kitchen series is returning for a series two - filled with iconic British celebrities... and of course, creators!
As an iconic British brand, who's better placed to showcase products than iconic British creators? See the likes of Joe Sugg and GK Barry feature in the new season, launching today.
👀 Algowatch: Pinterest invests in creators
Pinterest is expanding its Creator Inclusion Fund to include more countries. The programme offers grants and training opportunities to emerging creators growing on the platform.
💡 What's your experience getting paid as a creator?
Are you hit with the same problems time and time again when it comes to getting paid from a brand deal?
We're partnering with Gigapay to run a study on the biggest problems creators face getting paid by brands and agencies, for a more transparent creator economy.
We'd love to know about your experience.
Help your fellow creators 👇
💭 Thursday thoughts
What better way to be a boots on the ground journalist than to start your own Substack? I've long admired the platform but how it works is a mystery to me. I can't afford to be out of the loop since I learnt that the top creators are raking in over $40 million a year collectively.
I'm running a weekly newsletter off the back of my TikTok spotlighting jobs in the music industry for entry/junior candidates. I'll be sharing my top tips for creators on the platform soon, so watch this space!
👩💻 Jobs Board
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Until next time!
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Sofia Aira Journalist Email me Connect with me on LinkedIn |
