Observed Signal · Apr 16, 2026 · Conference Panel · Source: Adweek · Impact: 2/5 · Sentiment: Positive
Creators: Brands Can't Guide Culture, Avoid Skin-Deep Allyship
At Social Media Week 2026, creators and marketers urged brands to move beyond surface-level allyship by partnering authentically with community voices. Alejandra Salazar, founder and CEO of Croing, said brands do not own culture and must immerse themselves and listen to creators. Jackie Gonzalez, a deaf content creator with 1.9 million Instagram followers, described how overly prescriptive brand demands can undermine authentic creator partnerships and recommended giving creators input and creative control. Joy Ogunneye, global innovation and brand comms lead at Aveeno Face, Sun and Hair, stressed that brands should ensure cultural engagement aligns with their ethos to avoid appropriation or extraction. Panelists emphasized sustained community-building and trusting creators as experts within their communities.
Practical guidance on authentic creator partnerships and community-building at a major industry event; relevant to influencer marketing practice but not a platform policy, major product launch, or regulatory change.
Track Real-Time Influencer & Creator Marketing Signals & Market Shifts
Polaris7 autonomous intelligence agents track regulatory filings, primary sources, executive changes, and deal flow 24/7. Create your free Explorer workspace to monitor these entities.
Key Takeaways & Evidence Grounding
- The discussion took place onstage at Social Media Week 2026.
- Alejandra Salazar is identified as the founder and CEO of the creative agency Croing.
- Jackie Gonzalez is a deaf content creator with 1.9 million Instagram followers known for viral lip-reading videos.
- Joy Ogunneye is the global innovation and brand comms lead at Aveeno Face, Sun and Hair.
- Panelists advised brands to partner with creators, listen to community experts, avoid overly prescriptive demands, and ensure cultural engagement aligns with brand ethos.
Related Market Signals & Shifts
Recent verified developments and strategic activity across this market segment.
Building Brands in a Social-First Landscape
Adweek covered an ADWEEK House Cannes Lions group chat co-hosted with Creatively Squared that examined how brands can build mental availability on social platforms. Panelists from Creatively Squared, Audible, Zoom, Yoobi, Livewire and Bask & Lather Co. argued that social remains a viable place for brand building if creative is native to each platform, emotionally resonant, and tailored rather than repurposed from long-form spots. Speakers recommended leveraging creators and outside storytellers with authentic voices, giving creators freedom rather than heavy direction, and using affiliates where trust and everyday relatability are important. The session highlighted that consistency and big ideas still matter, but the playbook for executing brand work must adapt to fast, scroll-driven social environments.
CMOs Using Creators Only for Reach Are Missing Out
Kantar’s Jane Ostler argues brands must stop treating all creator partnerships the same and instead decide whether they are buying reach, creative firepower, or cultural cachet — then measure accordingly. Kantar analysed 15,000 creator assets and warns that relying on simple engagement metrics (views, likes, comments) can select the wrong creators and scale activity that doesn’t deliver business impact. The piece contrasts approaches: using creators as a media channel for audience reach (example: Tate McRae with Neutrogena), leveraging creators for creative execution under brand strategic control (example: CeraVe with Anwar Jibawi), and treating creators as cultural assets where the partnership itself is the campaign (common in fashion and luxury). The key recommendation is to match creator strategy to campaign goals and brief creators differently depending on the desired outcome.
How Brands Create Cultural Moments
At an ADWEEK House Cannes Lions sunset panel co-hosted with Adobe, senior marketers discussed how brands can create campaigns that become cultural moments. Adobe’s Stacy Martinet emphasized designing ideas that invite consumer participation, citing Spotify Wrapped as a standout example. NFL EVP & CMO Tim Ellis described an introspective approach to cultural relevance, referencing the Super Bowl LX halftime show featuring Bad Bunny. Ulta Beauty CMO Kelly Mahoney highlighted the role of surprise in her company’s 2025 holiday campaign, while YouTube’s Anne Marie Nelson-Bogle recommended giving creators freedom within established brand formats to generate "surprise and delight." The panel stressed creativity, audience participation, and occasional surprise as drivers of culturally resonant campaigns.
Track Real-Time Market Signals & Shifts
Set up custom watchlists to receive automated, evidence-grounded executive digests whenever material signals or shifts occur across your tracked landscape.