How do the world’s biggest brands build trust with audiences who increasingly listen to creators more than traditional advertising?
In this episode of Lead Human, Jack Myers and Tim Spengler sit down with Joey Maestas, Head of Consumer Creators at Microsoft, to explore the creator economy, brand trust, audience growth, and why the future of marketing depends on stronger human relationships.
Joey explains how Microsoft moved creators from the edge of its marketing strategy toward the center, why creator partnerships can outperform traditional paid media, and how his team measures impact beyond likes and views. He shares why the best brand partnerships are long-term relationships, not one-off posts, and how creators can provide valuable feedback on products, messaging, and culture.
The conversation also looks back at Joey’s work with Team USA and the Olympics, where he helped athletes and early social creators build audiences long before influencer marketing became standard practice. They also discuss AI-generated creators, the uncertain future of VR, the rise of social commerce, and Joey’s simplest advice for anyone trying to grow an audience: stop overthinking and start posting.
Lead Human is hosted by Jack Myers & Tim Spengler, produced by Wondir Studios (Desta Wondirad), in association with Acast.
#LeadHuman #CreatorEconomy #InfluencerMarketing #Microsoft #FutureOfMarketing
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