UTA Doubles Down on Creators, Bran Flakezz

Creators are having their moment — and Cannes Lions is no exception. Talent and brand advisory powerhouse United Talent Agency will debut UTA Beach at this year’s International Festival of Creativity, marking its biggest presence ever at the event. The activation, it promises, will serve as “the premier creative hub and center of connection on the Croisette,” bringing together 120-plus clients spanning film, television, music, sports, news and beyond.

Among the UTA names adding star power to the Beach: Priyanka Chopra Jonas, Paris Hilton, Ashley Graham, Alan Cumming, Karlie Kloss, Draymond Green, Janelle Monáe, Mike D, Kara Swisher, Adam Brody, will.i.am, Gunna, Johnny Harris and JB Smoove.

A first-ever Creator Lounge will give more than 70 creator clients — across sports, fashion, food, lifestyle and news — space to work, connect and decompress. The roster includes Mel Robbins, Alex Cooper, Keith Lee, David Dobrik, Colin & Samir, Bran Flakezz, Katie Fang, Gstaad Guy and Jubilee Media, among others.

“UTA’s expanded presence at Cannes Lions reflects the evolution of our business and the opportunity we see at the intersection of talent, brands, and innovation,” says UTA CEO David Kramer. “Every sector of our business will be represented; from creators, sports and brands to comedy, filmed entertainment and music, underscoring the breadth of expertise and perspective we bring to our clients and partners.”

Raina Penchansky, co-head of UTA Creators and CEO and co-founder of Digital Brand Architects, and UTA client Brandon Edelman — aka Bran Flakezz, a comedy and lifestyle creator from Philadelphia — spoke with The Hollywood Reporter about where the industry is headed.

How is the creator economy reshaping the relationship between brands, entertainment and culture? 

RAINA PENCHANSKY Fundamentally, there’s been a seismic shift in where audiences actually are now, and those audiences are driving purchasing, perception, zeitgeist, awareness — you name it. All of the key metrics are being shaped by the relationships that audiences are forming with brands and culture, and those relationships are largely being driven by creators. 

How is Cannes Lions this year proof of that? 

PENCHANSKY The massive influx of creators at Cannes Lions this year speaks volumes about where the industry is headed, and about brands’ appetites for speaking with, learning from, engaging with, and building businesses alongside those creators. Brands are focused on the future of how to best reach their audiences, communities and consumers, and creators — who have a direct line to those audiences — are the most straightforward way to do that. So brands, media companies and platforms all want these direct relationships with audiences through creators, and that reality will underpin a lot of the conversations coming out of Cannes.

How are partnerships evolving for you as a creator?

BRAN FLAKEZZ When I first started partnering with brands, it used to be very “one-off,” one-and-done partnerships. Today, we are seeing more long-term deals, with multi-month-long contracts and deliverables. Brands are really investing in me rather than just hiring me for a smaller, one-time campaign.

What has made brands and others more comfortable working with creators? 

PENCHANSKY As the industry has shifted, people have become more comfortable with creators representing — and being the face of – brands and media platforms, and creators themselves are stepping into that role in a way that didn’t really exist a decade ago. 

Candidly, I think of that saying: sharks have to keep swimming or they die. The same is true for the evolution of media, entertainment, brand and culture. You can’t really function in this landscape without a creator strategy, creator relationships, or a point of view on creators. You need a real thought process for how you’re going to build the next chapter of your brand story with creators at the center of it.

As a creator, what are you doing more of or less of than 1-2 years ago? And why do you think that is?

FLAKEZZ I am definitely doing a lot more speaking opportunities, networking events, and travel than I was one to two years ago. As I’ve become a bit more senior in the content space, I now have brands wanting to hire me for more than just video deliverables. For example, in Cannes this year, I am working with Meta to run through some of their activations and beach space with them and give them genuine feedback. Last year, we talked on the Forbes Stage and Ad Week stage — stuff I was never doing two years ago. I would say I’m doing less “collaborations” and more “partnerships” with brands now.

How and why, which seems quite apparent by now, is UTA doubling down, or tripling down, on creators at Cannes Lions? 

PENCHANSKY The “why” is straightforward: creators are at the cutting edge of entertainment. At UTA Beach, we’re debuting a dedicated creators’ lounge and on-site podcast studio, just two examples of how we’re building spaces that reflect where the business is now.

UTA has been in the creator business for 20 years — we were the first major agency to launch a creator practice, so we’ve seen the conversation shift at the intersection of new media, content, engagement and brand building. There’s been a real funnel change in how we think about creators — they’re not just a layer in the culture ecosystem anymore — they’re the foundation.

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Since it’s all about creators, what are you hoping to get out of the festival this year?

FLAKEZZ Last year, I was a speaker, so it was a lot of preparation work. This year, it is all about network, network, network! I want to shake hands, meet people in real life, and I also want to have a lot of fun! Last year was my first time, so I was definitely nervous. Now that I know what to expect this year, I’m ready to get the ball rolling.

Does the rise of creators also come with a decline of traditional film, TV, music and other stars? 

PENCHANSKY Not at all. Two things can be true at once. One area growing doesn’t mean another gets minimized; it just means there are new vehicles for discovery. Look at what’s happened with the massive success of creators like Markiplier or Curry Barker — both UTA clients — or any major blockbuster with buzz that has been fueled by social media, trends and conversations online and among content creators.

When it’s done well, a rising tide lifts all boats. If you understand the intersection of all these forces, you can figure out how to make them work together. Thinking one “wins” and the other loses is an antiquated way of looking at it. 

Are creators pushing into more “traditional” areas, or are more “traditional” stars changing to add more creator elements? 

PENCHANSKY We’re absolutely seeing more traditional creators move into the mainstream, whether that’s into TV, film, acting or hosting. When you have a direct relationship with your audience, your path into other categories and platforms becomes a little easier.