The last few weeks we have been talking about the difference between influencers and creators in class, and how they can be both be different and how collaborations between those whose followings can amplify and those who can use their specific skills and gifts to create tangible items for a growing marketplace.
The creator economy is currently worth $250 million and is predicted to be $450 million by 2027 according to Goldman Sachs study per NY Times on 0ct. 27, 2024
Newfound fame for millions? Well maybe reimagined, but not new. What is new is that an audience which was once hyper local is now global because of the tools we now have to engage real time not around the block or the city but around the world.
Further on the “not new” side, we go to this weekend’s trip to Williamsburg, Va., and what we found in the Williamsburg Museum, quite by chance.
We give you Sir Godfrey Kneller, Principal painter to the King Of England, who passed away in 1723. Sir Godfrey was excellent at his craft, but to get beyond just painting he needed a collaboration with engraver John Smith, an expert in mezzotint, which took the painted image to create prints of the original artwork, Without this collab, Sir Godfrey was a one of a kind artist, now able to amplify his audience.
Then we found Colley Cibber, a somewhat successful actor and playwright from the same era. However what Colby was really great at was amplifying the stories of others. He became known for taking his limited time in the public eye and working with other artists and actors to amplify their work by writing and word of mouth, building followers that started in small numbers and grew to thousands, because of the audience of fame Colley could bring to them.
While the numbers were not in the millions, his “influence” amongst all social circles, and because his approach was sincere, fun and unique, made him sought after by those looking to grow their sphere of influence.
Just think what these two could be doing with the tools of today.
So while we build campaigns that look and feel new and different, history teaches us that the approach is not new…storytelling in most forms hasn’t changed in thousands of years. What’s changed is the media we have, the audience and immediacy with which we can reach an audience, and the stage which is now real time and global, something which Sir Godfrey and Colley would have loved.
What’s old is new again.
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