We've been telling you something was coming. Today, we start showing you what it looks like.
The Brand-Creator Summit — taking place November 18, 2026 at the People Inc. Event Center in New York City — just got its first lineup announcement.
On the program: leaders from UTA, Google, Mastercard, IAB, Questus, Huckberry, Oatly, Edgewell Personal Care, Whalar, RAD Amplify, and Consumable. Alongside artist Shantell Martin and creators Nimay Ndolo and Angwi Tacho. And this is just the first wave — more names are coming.
One day. One room. The room no other forum in the brand-creator economy assembles.
Tickets are on sale now at events.aivanta.io.
Trending The Market
Disney Recruits Dude Perfect
Disney announced this week that it has inked a wide-ranging partnership with one of the biggest creator groups in the industry — the sports-focused Dude Perfect.
The Big Pitch: Disney has been laser focused on its brand-creator strategy this past year, recently striking deals with Dhar Mann and Like Nastya and even officially partnering with TikTok. Joining forces with Dude Perfect reveals that the Mouse House’s creator ambitions stretch far beyond content — it wants to implement a digital-first perspective to its entire flywheel.
The Fine Print: Can Disney and Dude Perfect make some magic together?
The deal is being called a “company-wide creative partnership” spanning film and TV, digital content, sports, consumer products, and experiences.
It will also bring a library of Dude Perfect content to Disney+, along with original content “inspired by Disney events.”
Disney mentioned that tentpole content opportunities include Super Bowl LXI, the 50th anniversary of Star Wars, and Marvel Studios’ Avengers: Doomsday.
The Analysis: Dude Perfect, which was founded in 2009, operates an 80,000-square-foot studio in Texas and has made its content (and brand deals) bigger and bigger every year. The company also raised $100 million from Highmount Capital in 2024 to fuel its expansion, especially into products and experiences, per THR.
Partnering with Disney, which is very selective about what kind of talent it partners with, feels like the culmination of all of Dude Perfect’s efforts. The creator group could give Disney a major edge in ideating big, stunt-driven activations, allowing the Mouse House to both go viral on social media and bring people together IRL. That’s a win-win for both parties.
Together with Consumable
Audio For The Outcomes Era
Most media plans treat audio as a few line items: a streaming buy, maybe a podcast sponsorship. But the audio ecosystem is far bigger than that… and much of it is going untouched.
Mobile apps, addressable podcast audiences, and creator-led content extended across platforms — these are spaces where attention is intentional and trust already exists.
Consumable opens up that ecosystem.
The tool helps you reach 210M+ Comscore-verified monthly users across formats and channels.
It’s powered by listener intelligence, precision targeting, and modern identity infrastructure.
Every audio impression is measurable, addressable, and tied to real outcomes.
Consumable lets brands reach audiences wherever they listen, with the same precision and accountability marketers expect from their best digital channels.
Through immersive ad experiences that combine audio, visuals, and interactivity, brands can finally turn listening into engagement and business impact.
Building The Stack
Druski Becomes First Creator To Host SNL
Hosting Saturday Night Live is a pinnacle of pop-culture influence for swaths of actors and musicians. But the comedy-variety show has never had a digital creator take the reins… until now. Comedy creator Druski (real name Drew Desbordes), will host the show on November 7. With over 13.6 million Instagram followers and strategic partnerships with companies like GoPuff and Beats by Dre, his episode could make a big splash across the brand-creator economy.
IMDb Morphs Into A Social Platform
IMDb — the database widely used in Hollywood to track projects, filmmakers, and talent — is catering more to the boom in social-driven production. On the heels of allowing digital creators to make profiles on the site, the company is introducing two new features. “Connectios” allows for users to connect with other entertainment professionals they have worked with, while “Endorsements” allows users to write public recommendations of others. Both need approval by both users.
TikTok Has It Sights Set On Microdramas
The microdrama boom is here, and major platforms like TikTok, Instagram, and YouTube don’t want to lose ground to upstart apps. In the case of TikTok, the company has struck strategic partnership with Made By Us Studios (a creator-driven studio working with influencers like Hannah Stocking and Adam Rose) and previously inked a deal with Issa Rae’s HOORAE (Rae is an OG YouTuber, who was discovered by HBO thanks to her YouTube series, Awkward Black Girl). The future of TV may be smaller and shorter.
Do you think Dude Perfect could increase Disney’s ecommerce sales?
Social Updates
Facebook is allowing users to tweak their algorithms via natural-language AI prompts.
LinkedIn will allow users to offer professional paid consultations via a new feature called “Advice Sessions.”
LinkedIn will also allow users to switch their feeds to only see content from accounts they follow and are connected with.
Substack will also let users manage their algorithms to show more or less of specific content types, like newsletters or podcasts, from the people they follow.
Wrapping Up
The room is taking shape. The first wave of speakers is out. More announcements are coming, and the room fills as they do.
If you've been waiting to see who shows up before committing — now you have a reason. Tickets are available now at events.aivanta.io.
Back next week with the signal.
— The Authentic Team