| | | There's been a shift in what was once called influencer marketing. For years, brands treated creators as amplification, or a way to reach audiences that had grown harder to access through traditional channels. But then those new channels became the dominant ones. |
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| Creators today operate as editors of taste, context, and cultural gravity. They shape how people see, move, dress, travel, and spend. They build worlds online that audiences choose to inhabit, and carry pieces—tangible and digital—of it into their own lives. |
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| More broadly, there's a move away from influence as real estate (platform presence, follower count) toward influence through making. Music, art, fashion, design, food - the possibilities are endless, and of course, content. The creators driving the most meaningful brand partnerships are the ones producing real f#&cking culture. Professional influencers provide reach, but creators who create a body of work beyond the content itself have something harder to replicate: context that audiences trust and return to. |
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| At BMF, we've built an entire team around this. This issue of The Pulse is dedicated to creators of culture and the brand collaborations that meet them there. |
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| | Pulse Check: Creators You Need To Know |
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| Emerging creators move from niche communities to mainstream recognition faster than ever, building identities and aesthetics that shape real-world culture beyond the screen. For brands, engaging early is key. Across platforms, industries, and niches, we're highlighting those building that momentum now. ➔ |
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| BMF Connects With Dhar Mann |
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| Dubbed "YouTube's Moral Philosopher" by The New York Times, Dhar Mann has built one of the largest creator-led media companies in the world. With over 160 million global followers and nearly 300 million weekly views, Dhar Mann Studios produce scripted, values-driven content at a scale that rivals traditional networks. In conversation with BMF Founding Partner Brian Feit, the two discuss how creators are reshaping the brand partnership model, the rise of vertical storytelling, and what's next for the creator economy. ➔ |
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| | The New + The NoteworthyEverything Worth Doing/Seeing/Getting/Booking |
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| | BMF and Poppi reunited to create the iconic Casa Poppi at Coachella. This time with double the fun across TWO houses. Jake Shane with his very own “Jake Estate,” and Micky Gordon with her own “MickMansion,” each fully decked out in Poppi branding, from the fridges to the furniture. With Poppi back in the desert, betting on creators clearly beats betting on ad placements. Hand the keys to the right people and their world follows. Watch their priceless reactions from Weekend 1 here. ➔ |
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| | Married couple turned TikTok dance duo Cost n' Mayor built an audience of 10 million followers in 60-second clips. Now they're filling the Orpheum Theatre with 11 to Midnight, a 65-minute off-Broadway show they created, co-wrote, choreographed, and now star in. It follows a group of friends through the hour before New Year's, with the choreography as storyteller. The production also marks one of the more organic brand integrations in live theater, with 3M's Post-it notes used by characters to write and share their resolutions throughout the show. Originally a five-week run, the show has been extended through May. Get tickets here. ➔ |
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| | Trisha Paytas Hacmon has lived more lives than anyone on the internet. Finding her way into pop culture's most unexpected rooms after two decades on YouTube, her 2026 has included a Broadway run in Beetlejuice, a viral Chili's ad that cemented her digital legacy, a memoir release, and now a Hollywood debut in HBO’s biggest show on Earth as one of 18 new faces in Euphoria Season 3. Not much has been disclosed about her character, but knowing Paytas, she’s sure to fuel the right kind of buzz. Stream Season 3 here to find out. ➔ |
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| | The creator economy finally has a home address. With bi-coastal campuses in Venice and Brooklyn, The Lighthouse is the first creative space built specifically for creators, with podcast studios, test kitchens, a theater, and everything in between. Inspired by the coffee shops and garages that sparked cultural movements, but built for the people shaping this one. Where idea meets production meets publish, all under one roof. Your next place to create lives here. ➔ |
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| | Design just got smarter. BMF client CapCut has recently launched its new Design Studio, a web-based platform that now lets users create visuals from scratch with the help of AI. From posters to social content to even helping with marketing assets. This tool now turns simple text prompts into polished designs in a matter of seconds. With AI image generation, auto layouts, and much more, it is fast, intuitive and built for the new wave of creators. Try it out here. ➔ |
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| | BMF client The Carlyle, A Rosewood Hotel added a creative twist to afternoon tea. The Illustrator Tea at Dowling's invites guests to be sketched in real time over tiers of reimagined tea-time favorites. Artists like Claire Dufournier, Edith Young, Lucia Dallett, and Emily Rose held the chair through the first year, and for 2026, the in-residence illustrator is Izak Zenou. His sketches thrive on fleeting gestures and silhouettes, so come dressed to be someone's muse and leave with a personal work of art reflecting your style. Book a reservation here. ➔ |
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Photo via Instagram @rhode |
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| Mixing business with pleasure is a cautionary tale as old as time, but the Biebers make it look easy. Hailey’s Rhode just dropped its most personal collab yet with Rhode x The Biebers, a collection featuring Spotwear hydrocolloid pimple patches in five designs co-created with Justin, a limited-edition Banana Peel Peptide Eye Prep, and a Caramelized Banana Peptide Lip Treatment. The collection debuted at an invite-only Coachella event co-sponsored by BMF client Sephora, timed to Justin's headline set. Shop the collection here. ➔ |
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| | If you want to understand where creators, brands, and culture are heading, Jesse Kirshbaum’s Beats + Bytes column in SPIN is a good place to start. Founder of Nue Agency, his latest piece, “Q1 Just Rewired Culture ,“ breaks down the forces reshaping the landscape as it becomes infinite—audiences are concentrating around what's real, what's live, and what's human, while creators deploy AI as collaborators and brands build their own entertainment. Subscribe and stay up to date on where music, brands, and tech collide here. ➔ |
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| | The FrequencyWhat We’re Listening To Now. |
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| | We’re hooked on 54 Ultra. The self-taught New Jersey producer turned bilingual retro-soul artist, went from studio intern to Coachella in just over a year. With a Kali Uchis production credit, a Billboard best-of-year nod for his debut EP First Works, and two fresh singles landed ahead of a nearly sold-out North American tour and first European headline dates in London, Amsterdam, and Paris. Stream them here. ➔ |
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| | That’s Fire By Sir Candle Man 🔥 |
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| Photo via Hotel Lobby Candle |
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| BMF tapped fragrance aficionado Kudzi Chikumbu, AKA Sir Candle Man, for this edition's scent spotlight. We're burning Racquet Club by Hotel Lobby Candle, the luxury candle brand created by luxury editor-turned-content creator Lindsay Silberman. Orange blossom, crisp cucumber, and lemongrass open bright and clean, settling into vetiver and blonde woods with a soft white musk finish. Refreshing, sporty yet elegant, and built to start any morning on the right note. Shop here. ➔ |
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| | The DestinationNow Departing: Miami |
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| Photo via Unsplash | Shawn Henley |
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| A hub for creators, Miami stretches from the white sand of South Beach to the muraled corridors of Wynwood and the high-rises of Brickell, with Biscayne Bay threading through it all. Whether you're here for the art, the food, or the coastline, we've rounded up top picks for our refreshed city guide to Miami. Read here. ➔ |
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| | | | Let’s chat about how we can keep your brand in tune with the pulse of culture. |
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| | The SublimeCreators, Innovators, And Cool $#!+ You Should Know About. |
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| | BMF concepted, designed, and produced "Ride The Ranch", a bullish footprint for Hidden Valley Ranch at Resorts World in Las Vegas during the International Pizza Expo. To amplify the brand's two newest flavors—Garlic Ranch and Jalapeño Ranch—across Sin City, we dropped a mechanical bull fabricated as their iconic ranch bottle right in the resort lobby for any guest walking by to ride. Before mounting, each rider took a personality quiz to determine their flavor team, proudly declared by a cowboy hat. Clips of the nearly 400 rides circulated across social media, with one hitting over 2 million views in 48 hours and dozens of brands in the comments. See the power of hitting post here. ➔ |
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| | When Mugler creative director Miguel Castro Freitas was a teenager, he saw David Hoyle's work on Channel 4 and made a private vow to work with him someday. Years later, he handed Hoyle the keys to the house's SS26 pre-collection campaign. With four decades of performance art behind him, from Manchester's queer club scene to The Divine David on Ice, Hoyle fronts a digital series that playfully teaches viewers how to wear Mugler for any occasion, from meeting aristocracy to foraging in the woods to intergalactic travels. Millions of views have proven what happens when a brand bets on creators with intention. Watch here. ➔ |
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| Photo via YouTube | Coachella |
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| Justin Bieber's Coachella set divided the internet. Critics called it lackluster, especially following Sabrina Carpenter's set the night before. But this is Justin Bieber we’re talking about. Arguably the first online “sensation” whose 2008 YouTube covers from his bedroom at 12 trailblazed across our screens to become the biggest pop star on the planet. Him sitting on stage, singing with his younger self in those same videos after an acoustic set of his newest albums? The most heartwarming full-circle moment any fan could ask for, and a true testament to the power of digital. Watch a clip from Weekend 1 here, and watch the upcoming Weekend 2 live on YouTube here. ➔ |
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Lisa Rinna is owning it. Fresh off her fan-favorite run on Peacock's The Traitors, the reality TV star has since joined Meek Mill in one of the newest and most unexpected social media pivots: joining LinkedIn. In collaboration with the platform to prove its use across any industry, she brings her knack for the camera, a beauty brand, and now a professional networking presence to the feed. If you're in need of some career advice in the form of iconic Real Housewives one-liners-turned-corporate speak, take it from Rinna. Connect with her here. ➔ |
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| | Khabane (Khaby) Lame got laid off during COVID and started making silent comedy videos from his house. Four years later, he's the most followed creator on TikTok with over 160M followers and the official ambassador of the Dakar 2026 Youth Olympic Games, the first Olympic event ever staged on African soil, in the country where he was born. A platform, a phone, and a pandemic turned into a global career no one saw coming. Now he's carrying that story back to where it all started. Follow his journey to Dakar here. ➔ |
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| | The creator economy has rewritten what a career can look like, and Addison Rae is one of its clearest examples. À la Shawn Mendes post-Magcon, Addison pivoted with more range than the “woah” or “renegade” could’ve ever shown. What started with those TikTok dance videos evolved into a career spanning a Netflix film, a debut album, and now a rebranded tour, The Fame & Glory Show. It launches from the Coachella main stage and runs through the summer all the way to Poland. Click here to find your nearest city. ➔ |
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| Photo via The Hollywood Reporter |
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| Long since the days of “streaks,” Snapchat has legitimized its power to platform creators with The Snappys, its debut creator awards show. Hosted by Matt Friend at Snap Inc's Santa Monica headquarters, the event honored 22 of its creators across comedy, beauty, music, and sports. DJ Khaled received a Lifetime Achievement Award for the viral Stories that helped shape internet language, and Ella Moncrief took One To Watch after going from 1K to nearly 1M followers in a single year. See the full list of winners here. ➔ |
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| | The Week in ReviewICYMI... |
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| Travel Virgin Voyages Partners With TikTok for Creator Activation On Scarlet Lady ➔ Coachella Looks Like Fun and Glamour for Influencers. Behind the Scenes, They Fiercely Strategize ➔ I’m A Travel Creator – This Is How AI Camera Tools Help Me Capture The Moments I Miss ➔
Fashion & Beauty Tess Madalyn Gigone Has Good Taste – And Reformation Knows It ➔ TikTok Creators Brigette And Danielle Pheloung Debut Phe Phe, Their First Fashion Brand ➔ I.AM.GIA Sold 1 Million Blare Tracksuits — Now It’s Betting On Coachella For Its Next Viral Moment ➔
Entertainment The Creator Economy In Los Angeles, 2026: A New Frontier ➔ How Content Creators Are Branching Out Into Film: "There's Talent on the Internet” ➔ NFL Partnership With Content Creators Are a Win-Win For Fans and Execs: ‘Give These Guys What They Need’ ➔
Technology AI Face Swap Video: How the Technology Works and What is Means for Content Creators ➔ Meta Paid Creators $3B In 2025, Launches New Program ➔ AI Influencers Are Selling You Clothes, Skincare, And Workout Routines. There’s Only One Thing Holding Them Back ➔
Media Brooks Nader Defends Her ‘Baywatch’ Influencer Casting: “Times Are Different” ➔ Alan Ritchson To Lead New Netflix Survival Show Featuring Influencers Finding Out Who They Are 'Without Fame & Followers' ➔
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