The Garden Harvest: How to Work With Creators

Your weekly digest on the intersection of the Creator Economy and Legacy Media.

FRESH CLIPPINGS

The 5 Rules For Working With Creators In 2026

For all the talk about “partnering with creators” in legacy media, the real question is: what does that actually look like in practice?

RJ Larese breaks down five rules that have consistently held up over time. And he would know, as U.S. President of Sixteenth, a leading 360° creator talent management company within the Whalar ecosystem.

Here they are:

1. Let creators lead the creative
The best work happens when creators are involved from day one, not handed a finished brief of what to do or say. Early ownership makes the work feel alive; late-stage involvement makes it feel forced. For legacy media, this is a reminder that digital talent shouldn’t be treated like distribution, but creative partners and early signalers of what actually resonates.

2. Cast against type (on purpose)
Unexpected creators work because surprise cuts through the infinite sameness of the algorithm. When brands or studios keep choosing the “safe” faces, ex…