Digiday: Kelly Dye on Creator Upfronts and Brand Investment Challenges
The following summarizes an article from Digiday, published on April 15, 2025.
As creators host their own NewFronts-style events to court advertisers, Digiday explores whether these showcase formats signal a shift toward more formalized creator-brand partnerships. Kelly Dye, VP of Influencer Strategy at New Engen, emphasized that while high-profile creators can justify the cost of upfront deals, these agreements often give brands pause due to their complexity and risk.
The cost of these deals — including exclusivity, paid usage and licensing rights — can be a major barrier. That often makes brands hesitant to commit to upfront-style deals.Kelly Dye, VP of Influencer Strategy
Kelly also added that, "High-investment deals are generally reserved for top 1% creators with celebrity-level influence. [They] are more likely to drive earned media value and deliver broader cultural impact, which helps offset the high cost of partnership.”
Head to Digiday to get further insight into the evolving dynamics of creator-brand partnerships.
About Digiday
Digiday is a leading digital media publication covering the intersection of technology, media, and marketing. With in-depth reporting on industry trends, Digiday provides insights and analysis that help brands navigate the fast-evolving digital landscape.
