Who & What Makes A Creator?
Once upon a time, spending on digital talent was merely an afterthought. Fast forward to today, and the influencer marketing industry is valued at $13.8 billion — up 42% from 2020. With the explosion of emerging platforms that prioritize short-form video, brands are eager to participate in content that entertains, informs and engages to reach their customers in ways that build brand affinity.
Couple this with a continued disruption in advertising — most recently seen with Apple’s iOs14 update, which enables its users to opt-out of sharing key data — brands are leaning into their social strategies and tapping authentic users their customers know, love and trust like never before. At DBA, business is equally strong. Having secured over 12k campaigns last year for a network of talent whose total following spans 440.6M, we're excited about where continued ingenuity and forward-thinking will take us in 2022.
The latest issue of The Influencer highlights February celebrations while offering insight into our stance on creator equity, additions to our roster, recent launch success and more — including DBA's new original series "What's The Deal?"
Andrea Kinloch, Sr. Vice President of Brand Partnerships
What's The Deal? Produced By Digital Brand Architects
DBA’s new social series, “What’s The Deal?” cuts to the chase in answering some of the most-asked questions about creators and content. Held every month on Instagram Live, we’re bringing together talent, executives and thought-leaders alike for a half-hour of candidness you won’t find anywhere else.
January’s kick-off session (1/26 9:30am PST; 12:30pm EST) will feature Raina Penchansky (DBA Co-Founder & CEO), Vanessa Flaherty (DBA Partner, Executive Vice President) and EJ James (DBA Senior Vice President, Special Projects). Each “insider” will offer their takes on redefining “influencer culture” in 2022 — from fostering inclusivity to predicting growth opportunities. Click here to stay updated!
New Signs
DBA on Trend: Galentine's Day
Galentine’s Day, which started as a fictional holiday on the hit T.V. show “Parks and Recreation,” has since turned into a full-blown celebration observed by women, their close friends and brands across the world.
In the spirit of ladies celebrating ladies, our clients — including Achieng Agutu, Deepica Mutyala, Rachel Martino, Kristina Zias and Raeann Langas — have built reputable brands given each’s ability to foster sisterhood and connect with online audiences in meaningful ways. To view more talent, please click here.
Love Online:
DBA Couples Taking Over Social Media
& Husband Valentine
Yasmin’s love story with her husband Valentine began when they were teenagers. Now, 15 years later, their family has grown to include two adorable daughters Jaylin and Kailin — who’re known to make an appearance on the @beautyybird feed. Together, Yasmin and Valentine consistently show their community how to build a healthy relationship that stands the test of time.
Kier and Noemie Gaines have grown a cult following given their strong advice around marriage. As a licensed therapist, Kier has utilized his platform and his wife’s voice to not only help couples understand the importance of communication, but also the benefits of prioritizing both their mental and emotional health.
Deanna and James have quickly become one of TikTok’s favorite couples with their viral “Battle of the Vans” series — which showcases exactly how they balance their renovation business with married life. Fans of all-things promising an adventure, they’re also known for teaching others new ways to keep things fun — whether it’s by literally building a dream life together or exploring everything the great outdoors has to offer.
After an infamous IG live proposal in 2020, Courtney and Kyle are looking to tie the knot this year! Together, the couple hosts a weekly IG Live series — Martini Mondays — where they’re known to add their unique, comedic skin on topics such as food, home and lifestyle.
Matt and Beau have been together since their college days. Now living in New Orleans with three furry family members, Barley and Rye, the two enjoy sharing their expertise around the home, DIY and entertaining space with a growing community of over 800k followers.
& Husband Cody
Whether they are doing challenges on Tiktok and appearing in national commercials or sharing street-style content on Instagram, it’s no secret Christine and Cody show their best engagement when they’re together. With a combined following of 2.9M on both platforms, audience members love seeing and interacting with the Andrew’s blended family online.
& Husband Freddie
Jenny and Freddie are partners both in life and business. As her photographer, Freddie captures Jenny’s signature romantic style — which is on full display through the creator’s picturesque content. The two are also co-hosts of a reoccurring video series entitled, #SundaySuppersWithTheCipolettis, where they pair their love of Italian cooking with gorgeous tablescapes.
How did Pia and Davide meet? She randomly appeared on his Instagram “discover page” years ago, and the rest is history! Now, they’re happy parents to their 7-month-old daughter, Carmela, and splitting time managing two family businesses — Baroncini Import & Co and Ghaiai Cashmere. Pia’s audience swoons over their couples content, especially the duo’s candid cooking videos.
Nicolette often jokes on Instagram about her “roommate” Nina, although these two are far from friends. The happy couple, who recently eloped, enjoy sharing content that inspires joy — cooking videos, their “a day in the life” series, photos of their adorable pugs and more!
& Husband Shem
Andy and Shem are an inseparable duo! From day one, when Andy moved to Hawaii and met Shem, their love has been magnetic. As Andy’s #1 fan, Shem is known to join her viral health and wellness challenges and try out new plant-based recipes — all while being an awesome dad to their three boys.
Brand Partnerships & Launches
Crocs partnered with four DBA talent to promote their newest line of “Crocs At Work” shoewear. Each client, including chefs Donal Skehan and Gaby Dalkin, busy mom June Quan and Dr. Jess Andrade, showed off how the shoe fits within their active lifestyles — garnering over 700k impressions to date.
In December 2021, Mikayla partnered with K18 in her first digital commercial promoting the brand’s launch at Sephora. The buzzy promo went viral, seeing over 3.4M views since launch.
.
To much success, The Home Edit Collection has launched exclusively at Walmart. A comprehensive organization solution that’s stylish and functional, this new line includes products and mini “edits” thoughtfully designed to work together in any space, for any purpose.
New York Times best-selling author Gina Homolka of Skinnytaste has joined forces for the second time with Home Chef to make balanced home cooked meals more accessible. The collaboration features 12 recipes, with three unveiling over the course of four weeks, co-created for a wide variety of dietary preferences and available in select Kroger stores.
Celebrating Black History Month
DBA is proud to represent a wide array of individuals, each who bring their unique backgrounds, interests, skills and expertise to the forefront of an ever-evolving digital landscape. As pioneers within the influencer marketing industry, we’re committed to continuously celebrating and encouraging greater diversity in campaigns and years to come. To view our full roster, please click here.
Industry News
Digital Brand Architects Co-Founder and CEO Raina Penchansky was recently tapped by The Business Journals to share her thoughts on how every leader can work towards fostering an inclusive, uplifting culture. In particular, the article champions women and shares DBA’s philosophy around how to position them for greater success.
A recent study has revealed a 35% pay gap between Black and white influencers. EJ James, DBA Senior Vice President of Special Projects, spoke with Adweek to share the company’s stance and tactics towards confronting income inequality head-on.
x Health Magazine
Hunter McGrady graces Health Magazine’s January/February issue, breaking stereotypes concerning plus-size bodies and inspiring generations to stand firm in their pursuit of change.
Olivia Ponton was announced as the newest Rookie for Sports Illustrated. As the “epitome” of an SI Swimsuit model, “she’s not only garnered attention starring in numerous advertorial campaigns, Olivia also uses her popularity to spread positivity,” the publication writes.
Vi was dubbed a 2021 Culture Driver by TikTok for her inclusive fashion campaign with Aerie. This annual list aims to highlight the best brand and creator partnerships on the platform.
x Teen Vogue Summit
Achieng Agutu was one of 11 talent tapped to be join the recent Teen Vogue Summit. During an inspirational panel alongside Brooke Berry, Angie Jaime and Katie Welch, Achieng shared her advice on navigating career shifts and professional challenges.
Dear Media:
New Shows & Highlights
Dear Media is launching its first scripted audio series with romatic comedy “Bone, Marry, Bury” on February 15th — a.k.a. Singles Awareness Day. The podcast stars actors Sarah Hyland and Harvey Guillen and will also feature the likes of Heather McMahan, Frankie Jonas, Punam Patel, Lukas Gage, Trixie Mattel and more.