Forbes & Walmart Team Up For First-of-Its-Kind Creator Upfronts

Forbes & Walmart/ Adweek

This fall, top creators will have a unique opportunity to pitch directly to brands at the inaugural Creator Upfronts in Los Angeles, hosted by Forbes in partnership with Walmart Creator on October 28th and 29th.

What’s Happening

The two-day event will assemble hundreds of creators and marketers. Selected creators will showcase their creative process, content, audience reach, and brand collaboration strategies. The event will also feature roundtables, panels, and networking sessions.

A Twist on TV Upfronts

Forbes and Walmart are reinventing the traditional TV Upfront—an event where TV networks, Connected TV platforms, and streaming services present their upcoming season's programming to advertisers and media buyers to secure advertising commitments in advance.

Similarly, creators can highlight their offerings and meet directly with brands, stakeholders, and marketers, potentially kicking off conversations that could lead to collaboration and sponsorship opportunities.

Why This Matters

This event demonstrates how creators continue to operate within the same realm as traditional media and command advertising dollars. According to the Interactive Advertising Bureau (IAB), 44% of advertisers have planned to increase their investment in content creators this year by 25%. It’s also why marquee events like The Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity are having a much greater presence for creators.

In-Person Connection

While technology has made deal-making between creators and brands much easier, some of the human aspects that play an important role in the marketing and advertising industry have been lost. In-person interactions like these can build stronger relationships and help marketers look beyond a creator's follower or subscriber count. Likewise, creators can see marketers and brand managers as more than a means to a dollar and understand their priorities.

A Flashy Event Isn’t Always Needed

Not every brand or agency can put together an event of this caliber, but there are plenty of ways to get similar benefits from bringing creators and marketers together. Here are a few ideas and examples:

• Host smaller events in key regions where partners are located, including mini-panels where creators share their processes and desired collaborations.

• Consider virtual events like summits, where top creators and your team can host sessions highlighting upcoming collaboration opportunities and soliciting input from creators.

• Create a dedicated form on your website or social media where creators can share their information, pitch content ideas, and outline potential projects or events for your brand's involvement.

Whether I’ve been on the marketer side, helping brands work with creators, or in my creator shoes, working with brands on Instagram or LinkedIn, I’ve always found opportunities to connect outside of campaigns valuable. I believe more of this should happen to push the industry forward.