AI-powered insights and creator networks are reshaping brand partnerships. YouTube launches new data tools at Cannes Lions. Forbes introduces a platform to connect brands with social storytellers.
Media and publishing professionals focused on creator-led campaigns are seeing new opportunities as YouTube and Forbes roll out advanced tools and services designed to strengthen brand partnerships and campaign performance. At the Cannes Lions Festival of Creativity, YouTube introduced a suite of AI-supported features aimed at giving brands and agencies deeper insights into creator-driven marketing.
YouTube’s latest updates, powered by Gemini, include enhanced trending insights within the “Google Ads Insights Finder,” now offering a more detailed view of what is popular on the platform in the U.S. The addition of brand pulse report metrics allows marketers to track both paid and organic presence, while the new “Content & Creator Insights API” delivers expanded data on creators and their audiences. These features are intended to help agencies and brands plan more effective campaigns, identify promising creator partnerships, and optimize creative assets with real-time guidance.
Gemini will also soon provide creative insights for Demand Gen campaigns, offering recommendations on visual elements that can improve campaign results. These tools are designed to give marketers a clearer understanding of emerging trends and audience viewing habits, supporting more strategic media planning and campaign execution.
Forbes is also moving deeper into the creator economy with the launch of “Forbes Creator,” a social-first network unveiled at Cannes Lions. This platform is built to connect brands with a curated group of social storytellers, entrepreneurs, industry leaders, and subject-matter experts. The network aims to produce engaging content around topics such as the future of work, entrepreneurship, AI, technology, sports, and culture. Notable creators involved in the launch include Sho Dewan, Erin McGoff, Griffin Johnsen, Joe Fenti, Shira Lazar, and Jenny Stojkovic.
The focus on creators at Cannes Lions this year highlights a broader industry shift, as more publishers and platforms invest in tools and networks that support creator-led storytelling and brand collaboration. This trend follows recent moves by other major platforms to expand their creator offerings, such as Meta’s introduction of new World Cup experiences across Threads, Instagram, and Facebook, which opened up additional campaign opportunities for marketers. For more on how platforms are enhancing branded content experiences, see this coverage of Meta’s World Cup feature rollout.
