Beyond Media Kits: The Power of Relationship Building for Creators

Sonika Phakey Partnerships & Content Strategist

How did you enter the influencer marketing industry?

I've been in the industry for over 10 years. I started out in music, helping artists grow their social media presence back when Facebook dominated. Whilst at uni, I interned at Dr Martens, shaping their early stages of Instagram. I then joined Byte (now Dept), working on the ASOS and Pret A Manger accounts. As the creator economy took off, I moved to Digi Fairy, focusing on Gen-Z and TikTok-first campaigns for fashion, lifestyle and beauty brands. For the past three years, I've been at TikTok, consulting top brands and publishers on their content strategy and leveraging creators.

Favourite campaign you've worked on?

The Met Gala was definitely a career highlight. I led the creative strategy

for the TikTok sponsorship working closely with Condé Nast and the Met Museum teams.

One of the creators who attended for the first time was Wisdom Kaye. It was an honour to be able to support his career and watch him in his element on the red carpet. Alongside creators attending, we also made it our mission to bring as many creators as possible closer to event, flying in creators from around the world to attend TikTok’s creator watch party and to visit a special exhibition preview.

"It was a big deal that we were able to increase the representation of TikTok-first talent at such a prestigious event!"

How do you find creators to cast for campaigns?

For big celebrity or VIP talent, it's usually straightforward—they're top of mind, well-known in the industry, or come recommended by other insiders.

When it comes to mid to macro-level creators, we look at basic indicators like hashtags and start with creators who are already engaging with the brand. Tapping into relationships with talent agents is also incredibly helpful

What are red flags that would make you hesitate working with a creator?

Saturation of brand posts can be off putting, as it signals that the creator has lost creativity or the desire to make content because they love making content. There's a concern they may not respond to brand briefs in the best way, or see it as just another sponsored post to do.

Reputation is another important factor. While the industry is big, it's also very small. Usually, you know if creators or their agents have a good reputation.

What do you look for in a pitch?

Having a rate that you propose is important, but be open to having a conversation with the brand to understand their goals. Positioning yourself as a collaborator, not just someone responding to a fixed brief can go quite far.

What's something most creators don't know?

It's surprising how often influencers miss the opportunity to position themselves as creative collaborators or consultants for brands. For instance, they could say, 'Do you need any recommendations for other influencers to work with? I know X, Y, Z", and you can potentially charge for that.

Should creators ditch media kits to focus on relationship building when pitching?

Both have their place. If you're a UGC creator focused on volume, then a media kit can be a quick, easy way of showing what you do, in the same way a photographer or videographer would send a simple rate card.

If you're doing something more complex or conceptual, then have a conversation to demonstrate what you're about and potentially change the brief to suit your needs. You can even show the brand that there's value beyond what they were initially asking for.

How can creators position themselves as valuable to brands?

"Stop and think about who is on the other side of the conversation. What are they looking for and is there room to change what you've offered in the past."

How do you start conversations with brands?

The best place to have these conversations is in informal settings like events or coffee. If you can connect with them when they’re not too busy, those moments tend to be more memorable.

Any game-changing tools, resources or networks creators should tap into?

It's surprising how many creators don't look at their their analytics and performance. I know it can be quite stressful, but checking in once a month to see what's working and what isn't can make a big difference. Make sure you're using monetisation features that social platforms are introducing.

With networking - keep it simple. There's a boom of non-cringey social events in London. It can be a running club, book club - you never know who's going to be at those sorts of things. Work on building your network outside your friend, family and immediate circle.

What's next in your career journey?

I've launched a freelance consultancy and I'm so excited to be working directly with a lot of beauty and fashion brands. I will also be consulting agencies on everything from talent strategy to wider social media approach and publishing models.

Where can our readers find you?

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sonikaphakey

Website: https://www.sonikasonika.com/