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In the Know: Your Weekly Marketing Digest
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Welcome to Aspire’s weekly marketing digest!
Every marketer knows that staying ahead of the curve is essential. But with the marketing landscape constantly evolving, it can be challenging to keep up with the latest trends and developments.
That's where we come in.
Each week, we’ll deliver a quick breakdown of the most significant news and insights in the world of social media and brand marketing — all in one convenient resource. Check back every Friday to stay in the know!
January 2026
Week of January 26, 2026
- Meta subscription plans: Meta plans to roll out new paid subscriptions on Instagram, Facebook, and WhatsApp that offer exclusive features and enhanced AI tools, including premium access to its Manus AI agent and Vibes video creation. The subscriptions will be separate from Meta Verified and designed for everyday users, as Meta looks to boost revenue while competing in an increasingly crowded subscription market.
- Creator economy transformation: The creator economy is shifting from a fragmented, experimental space into a mature marketing channel driven by consolidation, data and infrastructure. As creators become full-fledged media businesses and brands demand measurable performance, integrated platforms that combine talent, technology and strategy are replacing ad hoc partnerships.
Week of January 19, 2026
- TikTok update: TikTok has created a new US-based joint venture (TikTok USDS) to keep the app operating in the US, with American investors in control and ByteDance retaining a 19.9% stake. The deal shifts US user data and the recommendation algorithm to Oracle’s US servers and is meant to address national security concerns while avoiding a ban.
- Macy’s creator program growth: Macy’s is scaling its Style Crew affiliate program, which now has 600+ creators and growing, to drive strong performance and stay culturally relevant beyond major brand moments. The program delivered triple-digit growth in revenue and traffic in 2025 and is expanding into new formats like in-store pop-ups and direct mail as part of Macy’s broader turnaround strategy.
- Creator economy shift: In 2026, creators operate across distinct business models, from media companies and educators to product-led brands and platform-dependent entertainers. For brands, value now comes from matching the right creator model to goals like trust, reach, or conversion, not just follower counts.
Week of January 12, 2026
- Creator-led Super Bowl activations: A-list celebrities still dominate Super Bowl ads due to their instant recognizability and mass appeal, while creators are typically used in supporting social and experiential campaigns. Although creators offer cost efficiency and strong engagement (especially with Gen Z), most brands continue a hybrid approach, reserving in-game spots for celebrities.
- Community-driven success: Mejuri’s unsponsored Taylor Swift moment and Beyond Yoga’s creator-led campaigns show how brands are breaking through by investing in authentic communities rather than relying solely on paid celebrity endorsements. As ad fatigue and AI-generated content rise, human, creator-driven storytelling is becoming even more valuable.
- Less focus on followers: As algorithms now determine reach, creators can’t rely on followers alone. But rising AI fatigue is actually increasing trust in real creators and driving brands to invest more in influencer marketing. To adapt, creators are either building direct, niche communities or flooding algorithmic feeds with clipped content, signaling a shift toward smaller, more targeted audiences over mass reach.
- Pinterest’s new CTV series: Pinterest is launching a Roku TV series, Bring My Pinterest to Life, where creators help real people turn Pinterest boards into real-life transformations. The shoppable show blends inspiration, storytelling, and integrated brand partnerships to take viewers from discovery to purchase.
Week of January 5, 2026
- TikTok’s social commerce transformation: TikTok has officially evolved into a mainstream shopping platform in the US, with TikTok Shop ranking as one of the fastest-growing brands and driving over $500 million in BFCM sales. As major brands and consumers embrace in-feed commerce, TikTok is training a new generation to shop and watch content at the same time.
- TikTok Shop strategy: TikTok Shop rewards brands willing to invest in creator content and product at scale. High-volume, TikTok-native content and generous sample programs are driving strong results, with some brands seeing returns as high as 15x. While growth takes time, brands that stay consistent are building meaningful momentum, especially in beauty.
- OpenAI x Pinterest: Reports suggest OpenAI may consider acquiring Pinterest to gain direct access to human-generated product search and shopping data, helping turn ChatGPT into a stronger commerce and ad platform. Owning Pinterest could reduce OpenAI’s reliance on costly data partnerships and help it better compete with Meta, Google, and xAI.
- Influencer partnerships in 2026: This year, brand-creator relationships will shift from one-off posts to long-term, values-aligned partnerships where creators co-create campaigns, shape products, and guide authentic storytelling. Compensation will increasingly be tied to impact (through affiliate, revenue share, or equity) aligning incentives and driving more sustainable growth for both sides.
