Dom Smales Declares 'Entertain' the Creator Economy Buzzword of 2026
Our read
The creator economy's biggest mistake is trying to rebuild the exact same corporate television model that creators spent the last decade destroying. Forcing raw internet talent into polished 'entertainment' boxes only serves agency middlemen who miss legacy TV budgets.
Key findings
The Pivot-to-Hollywood Suits: Agency executives who want creators to act like traditional TV stars to secure legacy brand deals.
The Raw Authenticity Purists: Audiences and independent creators who know that over-produced, sanitized 'entertainment' is exactly why people fled TV in the first place.
Industry discussion sparked by Smales's interview with Hello Partner, tapping into the broader debate over the professionalization and corporatization of independent creators.
What happened
Gleam Futures founder Dom Smales has declared 'entertain' as the defining creator economy buzzword for 2026, signaling a shift away from raw authenticity toward highly produced, traditional-style entertainment.
The fight
- The Pivot-to-Hollywood Suits
Agency executives who want creators to act like traditional TV stars to secure legacy brand deals.
- The Raw Authenticity Purists
Audiences and independent creators who know that over-produced, sanitized 'entertainment' is exactly why people fled TV in the first place.
The brief
Gleam Futures founder Dom Smales has declared 'entertain' as the defining creator economy buzzword for 2026, signaling a shift away from raw authenticity toward highly produced, traditional-style entertainment.
The fight. The Pivot-to-Hollywood Suits say Agency executives who want creators to act like traditional TV stars to secure legacy brand deals. The Raw Authenticity Purists say Audiences and independent creators who know that over-produced, sanitized 'entertainment' is exactly why people fled TV in the first place.
** Industry discussion sparked by Smales's interview with Hello Partner, tapping into the broader debate over the professionalization and corporatization of independent creators.