The creator economy, despite its rapid growth and cultural impact, is still facing challenges in terms of diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI). One of the key issues highlighted is the disparity in pay among influencers, with creators from underrepresented backgrounds earning less than their counterparts, reflecting systemic inequalities within the industry. To tackle these challenges, SevenSix Agency, a prominent influencer marketing and talent management agency, recently released its 2024 Influencer Pricing Report aimed at promoting transparency and equal pay within the sector.
Founded in 2019 by Charlotte Stavrou, SevenSix Agency was established to address the lack of diversity in advertising and influencer marketing. The agency’s mission is to ensure that underrepresented voices are seen and heard, with a roster of digital creators and a Creator Club community of over 2000 influencers. The agency is committed to crafting inclusive marketing strategies to promote diversity and equality within the industry.
The 2024 Influencer Pricing Report offers a detailed analysis of influencer earnings across platforms such as TikTok and Instagram, focusing on pay disparities related to various demographic factors including ethnicity, age, and disability. Ethnicity plays a significant role in influencer pay, with white influencers earning the highest average fees compared to Black, South Asian, Southeast Asian, and East Asian influencers. This disparity highlights broader issues of racial inequality within the industry, limiting the earning potential and representation of creators from minority backgrounds.
Age discrimination is another critical issue identified in the report, with influencers over the age of 40 often facing marginalization and being treated differently based on their age. On platforms like TikTok, younger influencers aged 18-39 earn significantly more than those aged 40+ and 50+, indicating that older influencers are often sidelined, especially on platforms where younger audiences dominate. The report also explores the impact of disability on influencer compensation, showing that influencers with disabilities are often treated differently, highlighting the challenges faced by disabled creators in the industry.
It is evident that there are ongoing challenges in achieving true diversity, equity, and inclusion in the creator economy, with significant disparities in pay and treatment based on ethnicity, age, and disability. To create a more inclusive and equitable landscape, brands and agencies need to adopt transparent and fair compensation practices. By addressing these systemic issues, the industry can move towards a more just and diverse future, where all creators are valued and fairly compensated. More comprehensive data and further studies are needed to fully address and overcome these challenges in the creator economy.
