Samsung Galaxy and Content Creator Awards Invest in the Future of South Africa’s Creator Economy – Samsung Newsroom South Africa

Samsung Galaxy and Content Creator Awards Invest in the Future of South Africa’s Creator Economy

22-09-2026

Giving creators practical tools, industry insights and connections to build more sustainable careers

JOHANNESBURG, South Africa – Septembre 2026 – The creator economy is rapidly evolving, and for South Africa’s content creators, turning creativity into a sustainable career requires more than a camera and a social media account. Understanding how to monetise content, work with brands, use technology effectively and build meaningful industry relationships is becoming just as important as knowing how to create content that captures attention.

Recognising this shift, the Content Creator Awards, sponsored by Samsung, are taking their commitment to South Africa’s creator economy beyond the annual celebration of creative excellence with the introduction of two free Creator Labs, designed to educate, connect and equip creators with practical skills for building sustainable careers in the industry

Created by Manuela Dias de Deus, founder of the Content Creator Awards, the Creator Labs bring creators together with leading platforms, brands, agencies and industry experts, creating a space where they can learn directly from the people shaping the opportunities available to them

The first Creator Lab took place on 2 September at Workshop17 in Sandton, bringing together approximately 150 creators for a day of practical insights and industry conversations. The second Creator Lab took place on 11 September at Workshop17 at the V&A Waterfront in Cape Town, bringing the initiative to creators in the Western Cape

The sessions explore key areas of the creator journey, including content monetisation, technology, creativity, industry trends and the commercial opportunities available to creators. Contributions from industry experts focus on, among others, the importance of tax and legal compliance and overall financial management. Samsung explores AI-powered creativity and mobile innovation, while leading creators, agencies and brands share lessons from their own experiences navigating an increasingly sophisticated creator landscape.

For Samsung, supporting the Creator Labs is an extension of its broader commitment to enabling creators with technology that can help turn ideas into content, and content into opportunity. Speaking at the Creator Labs, Rae Hargreaves, Head of Marketing: Mobile eXperience at Samsung South Africa, offered creators insight into what brands consider when looking to collaborate with creators, highlighting that follower numbers are only one part of the equation.

“Having a large following is not the only thing brands look at when considering creators to work with. From a brand perspective, we look at fit, and that means going deeper than the number of followers you have,” says Hargreaves. “We look at how you engage with your community, how consistent you are, the kind of conversations happening in your comments and whether your audience genuinely connects with what you are creating. Building that relationship with your audience is incredibly valuable, because brands are looking for creators who can authentically connect with the communities they want to reach.”

This emphasis on community, consistency and authenticity reflects the changing nature of creator-brand partnerships. As creator-led storytelling becomes increasingly influential, creators are being recognised not simply as content producers, but as communities and businesses in their own right

Technology is also changing what it takes to create professional-looking content. During the both sessions, Ashley Cloete, Head of Product Training at Samsung South Africa, explored how AI is rewriting the creator playbook and how Galaxy devices are helping creators simplify the journey from idea to finished content

“The days when creators needed to carry a whole production kit with lights, tripods and multiple pieces of equipment just to capture quality content are behind us,” says Cloete. “The latest Galaxy foldables for instance, including the Galaxy Z Fold8 Ultra, Galaxy Z Fold8 and Galaxy Z Flip8, put so many of the tools creators need into one device. You can capture, edit and share your content without needing a tripod or an extra pair of hands to make it happen.”

For creators constantly moving between locations, events, trends and ideas, this shift can make the creative process significantly more seamless. Samsung Galaxy’s latest foldables are the ultimate content creator companion, as they are designed to give them greater flexibility in how they capture and work with content. From hands-free shooting and versatile form factors to advanced cameras and AI-powered editing tools, creators can increasingly manage the entire content journey from a single device.

Galaxy AI can also help take some of the friction out of the editing process, allowing creators to spend less time on repetitive tasks and more time developing the creative idea behind their content. That means a creator heading to an event does not necessarily need to arrive carrying a production bag. The technology becomes part of the workflow rather than another barrier to overcome

The Creator Labs arrive at a pivotal moment for South Africa’s creator economy. As brands increasingly recognise the power of creator-led storytelling and the communities creators have built, understanding the business behind content has become critical

“Celebrating creators once a year is important, but supporting the creator economy means doing more than handing out trophies,” says Hargreaves. “We need to create opportunities for creators to learn, connect and understand how they can turn their creativity into sustainable careers. That is what makes initiatives like the Creator Labs so valuable.”

Creator Labs precede the Samsung-sponsored 2026 Content Creator Awards on 17 October 2026 in Sandton, where local creative talent will take centre stage

Source: news.samsung.com