YouTube, IMTB and talent agency, Diving Bell spoke today at CreatorFest, celebrating the Creator Economy’s next phase

Today, our director-general, Scott Guthrie, was joined by Alison Lomax, managing director, YouTube UK & Ireland and Kim Butler, co-founder of talent agency Diving Bell, in a panel discussion exploring the next phase of the Creator Economy.

Opening the programming at this year’s CreatorFest conference the panel discussed the reasons behind a YouTube-led survey of content creators in the UK. Lomax explained that the video streamer had hoped to elicit 2,000 responses to the survey but ended up receiving 10,000. 

The survey responses fed into YouTube’s Creator Consultation report. Lomax discussed the findings from that report along with next steps which included the successful launch of the Digital Creator All Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) - co-run by the IMTB.

Switching from a sector level to a company level point-of-view Bell then offered advice on what best practice looks like when brands and agencies brief creators, effectively. Bell continued with tips on how to nurture a mutually beneficial relationship between brand and creator. 

The three panellists noted a palpable and positive shift within the UK government towards content creators noting:

• In July No. 10 hosted its first-ever reception for creators. 
• In June, the Government published its Creative Industries Sector Plan which forms a central part of the government’s Industrial Strategy. The plan is explicit about the government's desire to “harness the potential of the growing creator economy.”
• DCMS leads the Online Advertising Taskforce - on which IMTB sits within the influencer marketing working group

Guthrie ended the session, reminding the audience of positive remarks made recently by Chris Curtis MP and officer at the APPG: 

“On a per capita basis, we've got world-class storytellers, musicians, comedians, teachers, thinkers, and we have a proud tradition in the UK of public service media and world-leading creative industries. If we get this right, the UK can be the best place in the world to be a digital creator – fair rules, smart support and a culture that celebrates creativity, whether it's on stage, the screen or on someone's smartphone.”

About the Influencer Marketing Trade Body 

The IMTB is a UK-based not-for-profit trade association dedicated to building a robust, sustainable future for the influencer marketing industry through increased accountability, governance and a unified voice.

Launched in October 2021 with six founding members, the IMTB now counts circa. 30 progressive creator economy companies as members.

IMTB represents influencer marketing on the Committee of Advertising Practice ("CAP"), the UK advertising’s rule-making body.

It co-owns the Influencer Marketing Code of Conduct alongside ISBA. The Code aims to standardise good practices and guidance with brands, agencies and creators. It covers areas including disclosure, transparency, pay parity, and effective representation.

IMTB sits on the government's Online Advertising Taskforce as part of its influencer marketing workstream. 

IMTB co-runs the Digital Creators All-Party Parliamentary Group, designed as a forum for creators to engage policymakers - acting as a vital bridge between the UK’s creators and Westminster

IMTB is an Advertising Association member. Our director general sits on the AA's council. 

In 2024 IMTB co-founded the European Influencer Marketing Alliance - a federation of professional influencer marketing organisations across Europe. EIMA provides a unified voice for creator economy constituents to regulators, legislators, media, academics and other key stakeholders at a time of tremendous growth within the industry but also a time of increased legislative and regulatory scrutiny.

Member organisations sign up to our code of conduct when joining the IMTB. The code articulates specific requirements for members. These are the behaviours that members must demonstrate when they are providing business services and ensure our members are always responsible, accountable, transparent and competent.