Unpacking the fast-shifting world of creators

Once upon a time, entertainment was simple: a few channels, a few stars, and a remote control that barely worked.

Now? It’s a wild west of ring lights, viral dances, and content creators who built empires out of wi-fi and willpower.

As audience habits shift fast, a new class of entertainment powerhouse has emerged: social media creators.

Born on platforms like YouTube, TikTok, and Instagram, these creators are reshaping the entertainment landscape.

For traditional media and streaming giants, collaboration isn’t optional anymore. It’s survival.

Why creators and why now?

Entertainment heavyweights like Netflix and Amazon have seen the writing on the wall. Netflix has been snapping up creator-led specials and series that come with built-in fan bases. 

Amazon’s also leaning hard into collaborations that blur the line between slick prime-time productions and the raw, funny, ridiculously relatable content that defines creators today.

Mr Beast, of course, is the prime example, and while it remains to be seen whether audiences move across platforms in their tens of millions, what is guaranteed is that these creators will be exposed to new audiences – and that’s key. You need to be everywhere your audience is.

“Streamers have realised something that some traditional broadcasters are still stubbornly ignoring: creators bring cultural clout, deep platform smarts, and fans who are ride-or-die loyal”

The smart move is meeting audiences wherever they are, be it Netflix, TikTok, YouTube, FAST, socials and beyond. 

Some early trailblazers have already paved the way. Issa Rae, Bo Burnham, Amelia Dimoldenberg and even the fantastic People Just Do Nothing all grew from YouTube, which was then seen as a place of humble beginnings.

But lately, things feel turbo charged.

In the past few months, streamers have become notably more aggressive about teaming up with top creator talent, which brings a lot of opportunities for forward-thinking indies, talent agencies and brands. 

A land grab for loyal audiences

Streamers aren’t just dipping their toes in anymore - they’re full-on diving into creator-first entertainment, locally and globally. They’ve realised something that some traditional broadcasters are still stubbornly ignoring: creators bring cultural clout, deep platform smarts, and fans who are ride-or-die loyal.

These creators know how to make stories stick, especially with younger, mobile-first audiences who are allergic to anything that smells like ‘old media.’ 

The proof is in the stream: Inside, led by the world-conquering Sidemen, moved the (Cowshed Studios produced) format onto Netflix earlier this year and hit No.1 globally for a non-scripted show in March. (Damn, Adolescence!) 

A bunch of guys who started playing FIFA in their bedrooms are now world-dominating entertainers. There is no better glow up. 

And there’s no sign of this slowing down: streamers are queueing up for a buffet of digital-first commissions, like Sony’s upcoming Pop the Balloon. 

If the rumour mill is true, there are a lot of creator development deals bubbling away behind closed doors with the big global players. 

It’s not just about talent…

Here’s the thing: it’s not only about snagging creators and their followers. It’s about working with production companies and agencies who aren’t shackled by old-school broadcast traditions.

We move faster. We work smarter. Our budgets are leaner, meaner and still deliver content audiences love. We’re not obsessed with what’s ‘premium’ by yesterday’s standards. Our audiences tell us what premium looks like now.

“The power to reach an engaged audience doesn’t just sit in the hands of a commissioning editor - it’s in the hands of creators and audiences”

If you grew up watching YouTubers pull pranks, vlog their heartbreaks, and build empires with nothing but a GoPro, your definition of ‘authentic entertainment’ looks very different. It’s raw, funny, emotional - and real.

Today, the power to reach an engaged audience doesn’t just sit in the hands of a commissioning editor. 

It’s in the hands of smart creators, their teams and the people agile enough to collaborate with them. And, of course, the audience.  

At Cowshed, we’re all in. Our Ventures business is on a mission to create new IP with entrepreneurial creators who want to keep their creative control, collaborate with brands on their own terms, and build their own brands, with us. 

We’re already live with Fed Up, a cooking talk show with Mia Monaghan and Shannon Langdon, and Chippy Chat, a chat show with Tik Tok star Chip Shop Diva. 

Both shows launched for YouTube and beyond - and honestly, it’s just the start. Our pipeline is stacked with new collabs, and we can’t wait to bring them to life.

The future belongs to the fast, the fearless, and the funny - and we’re here for it.

• George Cowin is co-founder and chief exec at the UK’s Cowshed Collective