A new platform is betting that creator investments are the new hotness in the world of influencer marketing. OWM plans to revolutionize relationships between creators and brands by offering equity partnerships to the former of those groups.
OWM functions as a matchmaker by connecting business-minded creators to entrepreneurs who are willing to exchange pieces of their companies for promotional advantages. An AI-powered proprietary data engine named Andy will identify the consumers each founder needs to reach before connecting them to the creators who are best equipped to boost their branded messaging.
That sounds a lot like the brand matchmaking platforms that are a dime a dozen in the influencer marketing world, but OWM Founder and CEO Jeff Frommer is pushing forward with a novel approach. Rather than facilitating one-off partnerships that offer only temporary gains for sponsors, OWM aims to build long-term partnerships and mutually beneficial collabs between brands and creators.
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In an era when many advertisers are tightening their influencer marketing budgets, those elements of efficiency and authenticity are crucial. The central idea behind OWM is that viewers respond better when they can tell that a creator is passionate about the company they’re shilling for, and the way to ignite that passion is by giving creators some skin in the game.
“Audiences know when they’re being sold a #ad. When creators say they believed in it so much they were willing to invest and become a #owner, fans lean in and want to know more,” Frommer said in a statement. “The on-ramp to entrepreneurship for creators is investing their influence in something they believe in, either as an advisor, ambassador, or co-founder. It’s our mission to make ownership accessible to all, moving the middle class of the Creator Economy into the Ownership Economy. We believe every founder needs creators on their cap table, and OWM is the infrastructure that makes that possible.”
That setup isn’t just beneficial for founders. It’s a win-win that lets creators flex their entrepreneurial muscles while assuming less risk than they would if they launched their own product line. As creator-led brands like Prime and Feastables encounter friction, OWM is showing top influencers that they can work alongside capable founders while continuing to push the growing trend of creator investors.
At launch, OWM boasts deep partnerships on both ends of its platform. Hundreds of companies are seeking equity deals with more than 5,000 creators, with agencies like VaynerSports, Underscore Talent, Wasserman, Made by All, UnderCurrent, Select Management Group, and The Creator Society bringing their rosters to OWM.
There are also some creator investors on OWM’s own cap table, including Victoria Garrick Browne, Corp Bro, and Corp Natalie. Other backers include ACQ Ventures, Avalanche VC, Firsthand Ventures, Spacestation Investments, and HotStart VC.
