At the start of December, the Marketing and the Creator Economy Conference was held at Columbia Business School in New York.
The conference started off on a crisp New York morning and what followed were two days filled with engaging conversations, insightful presentations, and memorable moments.

The event kicked off with a welcome from conference organizer Bernd Schmitt and Editor at the International Journal of Research in Marketing, Martin Schreier. We then heard from content creators and the Director of Product Management at YouTube about the practical realities of working in the rapidly evolving field of online content creation and marketing. After gaining insights into the practical side of the creator economy, the rest of the day flew by with research presentations covering a variety of topics. These included parasocial connections with influencers and the dos and don’ts of livestreaming.

The second conference day arrived with my personal highlight, my first-ever conference presentation. A collaboration with Lukas Maier, the presentation focused on the consequences of selling possessions for consumers and how selling reduces demand for certain new products. Presenting our work and receiving valuable feedback was exciting and undeniably rewarding.
As the conference concluded, I reflected on the valuable insights gained. Noteworthy was the discussion surrounding the possibilities and challenges posed by emerging technologies such as the discourse on the sustainability of AI and the potential drawbacks of technologies such as ChatGPT provided a thought-provoking perspective.
With so many great projects presented, the IJRM - International Journal of Research in Marketing special issue on Marketing in the Creator Economy will be one to look out for in 2024.
In summary, participating in the Marketing and the Creator Economy Conference was both enlightening and professionally enriching. I had the privilege of connecting with accomplished individuals, both familiar faces and new acquaintances, all in front of the vibrant backdrop of New York City.

Marie Louise Brand is a Research and Teaching Associate at the Institute of Marketing Management.