Inside the Creator Economy

The creator role has changed - and not just in how content looks, but in what it demands from the people behind it. 

In this episode of Inside the Creator Economy, we sit down with Norwegian creator Elisabeth Asserson Ingebrigtsen to unpack what it actually means to build a personal brand today, beyond aesthetics, algorithms and surface-level engagement. 

We talk about the shift from being “polished” to being personal, and the pressure that comes with it. Because the more you share, the more you grow… but also, the more is expected of you. 

We cover: 

Why she doesn’t identify with the term influencer, and what she sees her role as instead 

How expectations on creators have fundamentally changed over the past few years

The tension between growth, authenticity and personal boundaries 

What brands still get wrong when working with creators, and why control often backfires 

Why people today don’t just want products, they want to be part of something

TikTok is no longer a channel you test. It’s a platform shaping how brands build relevance. 

In this episode of Inside the Creator Economy, we sit down with Elin Palmelius from TikTok Nordics to unpack what’s actually changing - not just on the platform, but in how brands think about creativity, audiences and growth. 

Over the past few years, TikTok has evolved from a fast-moving challenger to a core part of the media mix, redefining everything from content formats to the path to purchase. But the real shift goes deeper than that. 

We’re moving from a world where brands broadcast, to one where they’re expected to participate. Where discovery, consideration and conversion can happen in seconds. And where relevance is no longer owned by the brand, but shaped in real time by communities. 

We dive into: 

Why TikTok has moved from “nice to have” to a true business driver  

What Gen Alpha expects from brands, and why they don’t just consume content, but shape it  

How the definition of “good creative” is changing, and why less polished often performs better  

What “organic branding” really means, and how brands can show up in a way that feels native, not interruptive  

Because the real question isn’t whether brands should be on TikTok - it’s whether they’re ready to let go of control, and actually become part of the culture they want to reach.

In this episode of Inside the Creator Economy, we’re doing something a little different. 

Instead of bringing in a guest, we’re taking you inside our internal insights chat at Cure Media, where our team shares the signals, shifts and conversations shaping the creator economy in real time. This episode is built from those discussions. 

We unpack five shifts we keep coming back to. Not trends in the traditional sense, but patterns that say something bigger about where the industry is heading, and what brands need to understand to stay relevant. 

We cover: 

Why many brands still struggle to operationalise creators, and what it actually takes to move from ambition to execution  

The rise of the status economy, where cultural fluency matters more than category  

Nostalgia as more than a trend, and how brands can create meaning, not just reference the past  

The optimisation mindset, and how wellness and longevity are reshaping consumer behaviour  

How AI is collapsing the funnel, and what it means to be recommended, not just discovered

The beauty industry talks a lot about inclusivity. But few brands are actually built around it. 

In this episode of Inside the Creator Economy, we sit down with Roger Dupé, founder and CEO of Melyon, to explore what it really takes to build a brand rooted in culture, identity and long-term vision. 

Before launching Melyon, Roger spent years inside the global fashion industry, working with brands like Kenzo, Acne Studios and Rolls-Royce. Today, he’s using those insights to challenge how beauty brands are built - from the inside out. 

This isn’t a conversation about skincare routines or product launches. It’s about power, perspective and what happens when someone who has seen the industry up close decides to build something on his own terms. 

We dive into: 

How Roger’s experience in fashion shaped his view on representation, storytelling and brand identity 

Why true inclusivity can’t be added later as a marketing layer - it has to be built into the structure of the company 

How culture, heritage and ingredient storytelling can become a brand’s most powerful differentiator 

And why the next generation of beauty brands will be defined less by products, and more by the meaning they create 

And it leads us to a bigger question: What does it take to build a brand that actually reflects the world we live in?

The male beauty scene is evolving fast. But the way brands approach it often hasn’t caught up. 

In this episode of Inside the Creator Economy, we sit down with Danish creator Jonathan Oteiza, also known as Jonna Skincare, to explore what’s really happening inside the male beauty space, from the perspective of someone building credibility in an industry driven by trends. 

This isn’t another conversation about skincare routines or beauty tips. It’s a discussion about trust, influence and what it actually takes to build authority as a creator today. 

We dive into: 

Why viral content doesn’t automatically build trust, and why Jonna has turned down campaigns that prioritise performance over credibility 

What brands still misunderstand about male beauty audiences and why simply choosing a male creator isn’t the same as real representation 

How creator authenticity becomes a competitive advantage when audiences are more sceptical than ever 

And why the future of beauty may have less to do with trends, and more to do with trust. 

At the heart of it all lies a bigger question: In a world of endless content and short attention spans, what actually makes people believe you?