The creator economy is witnessing a significant realignment as mainstream brands increasingly shift advertising dollars toward conservative and explicitly apolitical creators, according to industry analysts speaking at SXSW 2026. This trend, observed two years into the second Trump administration, marks a notable departure from previous years when brands often aligned with progressive social causes to avoid controversy.
Data from 2024 first highlighted this movement in traditional media, with Business Insider reporting that major advertisers were expanding onto right-wing platforms like Fox News and The Daily Wire following Trump’s re-election. Fox News stated it added 125 large new advertisers at that time, as companies cited a desire to avoid perceived political signaling and view avoidance of conservative outlets as a brand risk.
This approach is now permeating the digital creator sector, where U.S. advertiser spending reached an estimated $37 billion in 2025. “There’s certainly a level of comfort with conservatives,” said Arthur Leopold, CEO of programmatic ad platform Agentio. He pointed to a decline in public pressure over symbolic actions like Pride Month branding, noting a broader “desensitization to politics” that makes brands less concerned about partnering with figures from across the spectrum, be it conservative commentator Ben Shapiro or progressive outlet Meidas Touch.
Consequently, a landscape once largely closed to right-wing podcasters, YouTubers, and influencers—including segments of the right-leaning manosphere—is now opening to mainstream brand deals. Previously exclusive partnerships with brands like Black Rifle Coffee are expanding to include major consumer companies.
This shift, however, has a direct inverse effect on progressive creators. Many creators rely on brand sponsorships for primary income, as platform monetization is often limited. Outspoken advocates for LGBTQ+ rights, climate action, and other progressive causes report increasing difficulty in securing partnerships, threatening their commercial viability and potentially reducing their visibility in algorithm-driven feeds.
“I think brands are choosing creators who don’t really speak to those topics,” said Antonia Alakija, a creator economy strategist and former Meta and TikTok executive. She attributes this to heightened polarization, with brands seeking neutral figures to mitigate reputational risk.
Brooke Berry, head of creator development at Snapchat, advises affected creators not to abandon their viewpoints but to diversify content. “You need to identify content formats within other areas,” she said, citing a creator who maintains political commentary while also developing fitness and autism advocacy content that attracts brand interest.
Experts caution, however, that a creator’s political history can still pose obstacles. “Even if you do the apolitical stuff, if you have a roster of political content, that could get in the way of opportunities,” Alakija noted. Leopold added that platforms and brands maintain hard lines against extreme controversies, regardless of political leaning, and often use audience demographics—such as a predominantly male viewership—to match creators with aligned, non-political channels like outdoor lifestyle content.
While this environment currently favors apolitical and conservative voices, the long-term dynamics of the creator economy remain fluid. The immediate concern is whether the reduced commercial pathway for progressive creators will lead to a measurable decline in their reach and sustainability within the mainstream digital media space.
