Inside the Creator Economy

In this episode of Inside the Creator Economy, we're joined by Vendela Grahn, Head of Brand at Redhead Snacks, for a conversation that challenges how brands think about social media, creativity and cultural relevance. 

Redhead may be a snack brand, but it operates just as much like a content company. And behind its distinctive approach is a team that doesn't just follow internet culture. They're part of it. 

Vendela shares how growing up in fandoms and online communities shaped her approach to marketing, why understanding a platform's language goes far beyond following trends, and why some of the most valuable creative talent might never have studied marketing at all. 

We also explore how Redhead is building an identity beyond its famous founder, Mauri Hermundsson, why brands aren't always welcome in online conversations, and what happened when a team that's deeply skeptical of AI decided to experiment with AI-generated content. 

From hiring fangirls to questioning traditional content calendars, this episode offers a different perspective on what it really takes to build a brand that belongs in internet culture. 

We also get into: 

What happens when the things that once gave your brand a competitive edge become available to everyone? 

In this episode, we sit down with Victor Halvarsson, founder and CEO of VANBRUUN, to explore how a digital-first jewellery brand evolved into something much harder to replicate - a modern luxury experience built around taste, hospitality and human connection. 

VANBRUUN started by selling engagement rings online, competing on price and efficiency. Thirteen years later, the thinking has shifted. As AI makes content, technology and digital experiences easier to copy, the brand is doubling down on the things that don't scale: the physical spaces, the smallest details, the feeling you get when you walk through the door. 

We get into what that looks like in practice - from building desirability without a hundred years of heritage, to why the hardest things to scale might become the biggest competitive advantage. 

We also explore: 

What if the biggest creator marketing shifts of 2027 have very little to do with the next platform, format or viral trend? 

In this episode, Sanna Ödmark and Frida Ekholm look beyond the usual trend predictions to unpack the bigger changes reshaping creator marketing - and marketing itself. 

Creator marketing is moving closer to the core of how brands build relevance, creativity and growth. At the same time, AI is making content faster and cheaper to produce, raising the bar for what actually earns attention. And as social platforms become more participatory again, the role of creators is evolving far beyond simply producing and distributing content. 

We get into what these shifts mean in practice: from why creator marketing might start to disappear as a separate channel, to bringing creator expertise further upstream, building creative frameworks that work at scale, and understanding why more content doesn't necessarily mean more impact. 

We also explore: 

What does it actually take to turn a brand around, in a category where standing out is anything but easy? 

In this episode, we sit down with Teresa Hedlund, Head of Brand & Marketing  at Telenor Sweden, to unpack the transformation the brand has been through over the past few years. 

Telecom is one of the most competitive, and arguably least differentiated, categories out there. For Telenor, creating change has meant rethinking not only how the brand shows up, but how the marketing organisation behind it works. 

We get into the decisions behind that transformation: from making sharper choices and challenging established ways of working, to creating an organisation that can move faster and deliver more impact. Teresa also shares what she has learned about leading through change, bringing people with you, and building a stronger, more distinctive brand. 

We also explore: 

We're back with season 12! In this episode of Inside the Creator Economy, we sit down with Patrick Axzell, CEO of BUBS and Orkla Snacks Sweden. 

Most brands spend years trying to create demand. BUBS suddenly had the opposite problem. As Swedish Candy exploded on social media, demand grew to 14 times what the company could produce – and content around BUBS went on to generate 9 billion views on TikTok. 

In this conversation, we get into what actually happens when the internet chooses your brand: how BUBS responded when demand took off faster than the business could keep up, why letting go of control became part of the strategy, and what it takes to turn viral momentum into long-term brand and business growth. We also talk about why speed can matter more than perfection, how BUBS lets consumers and creators shape the brand, and what Patrik has learned about leading through unexpected growth. 

We also explore: 

In this episode of Inside the Creator Economy, we sit down with Alexander Shmelkov, Director of Global Brand Tracking at IKEA. 

Most brand trackers are built to tell you what happened. Alexander has spent the last few years rebuilding one to help the business decide what to do next, across 64 markets, in an environment where the rules of growth are changing fast. 

In this conversation we get into why data on its own has no value, what it actually takes to turn insights into decisions, and how IKEA is transforming a 20-year-old measurement system into a genuine strategic tool. We also talk about what relevance really means for a global brand today, and why the bottleneck in most organisations isn't data, it's interpretation. 

We also explore: 

Most marketers today are under pressure to do more, move faster and constantly prove results. But what actually drives growth long term? 

In this episode of Inside the Creator Economy, we sit down with Sorin Patilinet, Global Marketing Effectiveness & Measurement Lead at PepsiCo and recently published author on Marketing Effectiveness, to unpack what really drives growth today - and why many marketers are making things far more complicated than they need to be. 

As AI floods the internet with more content and more noise, the real challenge is no longer producing marketing - it’s knowing what’s actually worth doing. 

We talk about why restraint might become one of the most important marketing skills of the next decade. Why short-term excitement often beats long-term thinking. And what brands like Cheetos, Geico and Lindt understand about distinctiveness that many others still miss. 

We dive into: 

The creator role has changed - and not just in how content looks, but in what it demands from the people behind it. 

In this episode of Inside the Creator Economy, we sit down with Norwegian creator Elisabeth Asserson Ingebrigtsen to unpack what it actually means to build a personal brand today, beyond aesthetics, algorithms and surface-level engagement. 

We talk about the shift from being “polished” to being personal, and the pressure that comes with it. Because the more you share, the more you grow… but also, the more is expected of you. 

We cover: 

TikTok is no longer a channel you test. It’s a platform shaping how brands build relevance. 

In this episode of Inside the Creator Economy, we sit down with Elin Palmelius from TikTok Nordics to unpack what’s actually changing - not just on the platform, but in how brands think about creativity, audiences and growth. 

Over the past few years, TikTok has evolved from a fast-moving challenger to a core part of the media mix, redefining everything from content formats to the path to purchase. But the real shift goes deeper than that. 

We’re moving from a world where brands broadcast, to one where they’re expected to participate. Where discovery, consideration and conversion can happen in seconds. And where relevance is no longer owned by the brand, but shaped in real time by communities. 

We dive into: 

Because the real question isn’t whether brands should be on TikTok - it’s whether they’re ready to let go of control, and actually become part of the culture they want to reach. 

In this episode of Inside the Creator Economy, we’re doing something a little different. 

Instead of bringing in a guest, we’re taking you inside our internal insights chat at Cure Media, where our team shares the signals, shifts and conversations shaping the creator economy in real time. This episode is built from those discussions. 

We unpack five shifts we keep coming back to. Not trends in the traditional sense, but patterns that say something bigger about where the industry is heading, and what brands need to understand to stay relevant. 

We cover: