ADWEEK has launched and is now accepting entries for the 2026 Creator Economy Power List, honoring the executives building the business behind the creator boom.
While the creators themselves normally get the spotlight, this honor is reserved for the dealmakers, platform builders, brand leaders, and technologists turning the creator business into a durable economy.
Who’s Eligible
Entrants must work at a company operating in the creator economy. Individual creators, influencers, and on-camera talent are not eligible unless they are entering for a business role, such as founder or executive of a company. Creators are encouraged to enter ADWEEK Brand Genius Creators.
Eligible companies include:
- Creative & Influencer Agencies: Shops that plan, cast, and run creator-led campaigns for brands
- Brand-side Marketers: In-house leaders who have made creators a core part of their marketing mix
- Social Media Platforms: The companies building the programs, products, and payouts that creators depend on
- Content Creation & Management Tools: Software that helps creators and brands make, edit, schedule, and manage content
- Talent Management Firms: Managers and agencies representing creators and building their businesses
- Creator Monetization Platforms: Companies helping creators earn through subscriptions, commerce, tipping, licensing, and more
- Creator Adtech: Measurement, marketplace, data and analytics, and media-buying technology that makes creator content work as a paid channel
Entrants may nominate themselves or a colleague.
What We’re Looking For
ADWEEK judges will favor entries that show hard results from the past 12 months, not just vision. Entries with verifiable metrics, named campaigns, and clear timelines will stand out.
- Business impact: Revenue growth, funding, new clients, or market share, with numbers wherever possible
- Innovation: A new product, model, or partnership that changed how brands and creators work together
- Creator Outcomes: Measurable gains for the creators the entrant’s business serves, from earnings to reach
- Industry Influence: Leadership that moved the wider market, including standards, deals, or programs others followed
Key Dates & Fees
Early Bird Deadline (until November 6) – $175
Final Deadline (until December 7) – $275
The final deadline to submit is Monday, December 7, 2026 at 11:59pm PST.
For any questions, please reach out to awards@adweek.com.
