The social-first agency Saylor, launched in 2021 by a former Netflix and Disney executive, is launching Fleet, a creator studio meant to bring creator casting, content development, production, and partnership execution under one roof, according to the agency.
The launch, shared officially on Wednesday, is less a new offering than a formalization of a service that Saylor has offered since its founding, according to founder and CEO Will Trowbridge.
The agency built its organic social practice with creators embedded in the writing room from the start, rather than treating creator work and social strategy as separate disciplines, according to Trowbridge. Now, there is less distinction than ever between the two.
“Given the state of social and creators, those two things are one, and we are putting our stake in the ground by launching Fleet,” Trowbridge said.
As part of the debut, Saylor has brought aboard marketing executive Nneka Enurah Lee as its head of creator and brand partnerships, where she will lead the new division and its growth plans.
Lee, who joined Saylor in June, comes to the agency following stints at Amazon Advertising, Hello Sunshine, Mass Appeal, React Media, and Authentic Entertainment.
Fleet currently has about five staffers, drawn from Saylor’s existing creator business, dedicated to the effort, according to Trowbridge. Over the next year, the team intends to grow that headcount.
The formalization of the offering, as well as the key hire, reflect the growing acknowledgment of how vital creators are to reaching and influencing digital audiences.
Digital publishers are increasingly imitating their content delivery tactics, while streaming services are signing deals to bring creator content to their platforms. Brands have been steadily increasing the share of their marketing budgets allocated to creators—blurring the lines between commerce, social, and brand budgets in the process—so it follows naturally that agencies have begun building out their related services.
Creators as business partners
Under Lee’s leadership, Fleet will work to facilitate ongoing partnerships between creators and aligned brands, a move away from the kind of isolated deals that can lead to creator fatigue.
To do this, the studio will aim to bridge the gap between creators looking to leverage their audience trust and brands in search of authentic endorsements.
