A group of creators and influencers became the subject of national criticism after attending the 2026 U.S. Open. Much of the backlash focused on reports that the group, who was hosted in a suite during Naomi Osaka and Anastasia Zakharova's first-round match, were "rowdy." But the debate raised larger questions: what exactly are brands, events and audiences expecting from the creators and influencers they increasingly invite into these spaces, and how should communicators navigate these opportunities?
Partner with creators that match your brand’s niche interests.
As media evolves and brands increasingly invite creators and influencers to make events feel relevant, accessible and essentially "cool" to their followers, there should be a stronger emphasis on making sure that they are a fit for the brand. In practice, this can look like selecting a creator with a niche focus, and a smaller following, over a creator with a large following and significant brand partnerships.
The U.S. Open reflected a convergence of many different industries at once—sports, fashion and entertainment—making it an attractive melting pot for creators and influencers. Even through the backlash, creators continued to show up and post against brands’ curated experiential activations and Instagram-worthy backdrops.
Treat creators like reporters.
Brands and agencies can focus on treating creators like reporters whom they have to educate and court to get them excited about writing the story. This can look in practice like calls to discuss the assignment and underscore any nuanced and sensitive information. In the case of the U.S. Open, a call can go a long way in setting the stage for tennis etiquette for creators who have never attended a match. This can be followed up with an email with additional details, but the call can ensure all parties are aligned.
The PR industry is setting creators up to fail when it does not provide the same level of onboarding, context and guidance that it routinely offer reporters. Unlike reporters, creators are rarely assigned a beat. They are drawn to experiences for a variety of reasons, whether that's fashion, food, culture, entertainment or the event itself. If organizations are going to increasingly rely on creators to expand reach and relevance, they should invest in clearer briefing, onboarding and expectation-setting.
Refer back to your brand’s bottom line goals and assess your creator and influencer strategy moving forward.
In the future, can a brand create a pre-event activation where the content can be filmed and shared so that the main event isn’t a distraction? Similar to salon dinners, is there insider-access to the talent that creators and influencers can experience so that on-the-ground experiences can be focused on them enjoying the experience instead of creating content? Like press, can they have pre-event “red carpet” access to minimize disruptions? These are all questions that brands can consider for the next event.
The backlash reflects a disconnect between what the industry says it wants from creators and influencers and what it actually expects when they arrive. Brands invite them to generate culture, conversation and content, then criticize them when they don't behave like journalists or longtime patrons. That's not a creator problem. It's an expectations problem.
As brands, leagues and institutions continue to embrace the creator economy, they'll need to decide whether they truly want new voices in these spaces or simply want new distribution channels that behave like the old ones.
Ashley Stoney is Vice President of Public Relations at Curley Company.