The $50M Problem

April 24, 2025

Welcome to Created, the newsletter that’s more valuable than autosave when Premiere crashes. Here’s what we got today:

Revolve Sued For $50M Over Hidden Influencer Deals

Revolve built a billion-dollar fashion brand off influencers.

Now, it’s being sued for $50M over how those deals were disclosed – or rather, weren’t disclosed.

What Happened?

A new class action lawsuit accuses Revolve of paying influencers with cash, luxury trips, and gifts…but not following FTC rules to clearly disclose sponsored content.

Here’s what their posts did instead:

But...Many Creators Do That, Right?

That doesn’t make it legal.

The plaintiff, Ligia Negreanu, says she paid premium prices for clothes based on what she thought were genuine recommendations. Not sponsored posts.

Now, she’s suing Revolve — along with several of affiliate companies and influencers — for misleading millions of consumers.

Did Revolve Know?

Revolve’s own 2023 investor report warned about the “legal risks” of their influencers not following FTC rules.

Now…surprise, surprise…they’re being sued along with the creators involved.

Revolve joins a growing list of brands facing legal heat, including Shein and Celsius, both of which are being sued for similar practices.

Our take

Hiding the #ad tag might get you more views…but it might also get you sued.

If you’re a creator, make sure to:

Tag your posts clearly. Use the paid partnership tag. Put #ad at the top of your caption.
Get it in writing. Don’t assume anything. Your contract should include disclosure requirements so expectations are clear from the start.
Avoid shady asks. If a brand asks you to skip the disclosure — that’s a red flag.

The FTC might not always come knocking…but a class-action attorney just might.

Instagram Launches Editing App: What Creators Are Saying

Instagram just launched their own video editing app called Edits — and creators are already weighing in.

Is it any good? Especially when compared to CapCut and other competitors.

Key Features:

What Creators Think:

"Pretty cool alternative to CapCut. Doesn’t have all the fancy features, but it’s a solid start," said HeroVibes (10K subscribers)
"I LOVE the stickies thing [which lets you brainstorm ideas and trends in app]. It’s so useful as a creator." (Divija Bhasin - 348K followers)
"Needs the ability to do speed ramps and custom speed curve adjustments. That’s the only thing keeping me from switching fully from CapCut," said Isaiah Takahashi (66K followers)

Our Take:

Take it from someone who worked at Instagram…this move isn’t about building an “editing app.”

It’s about building a moat around the castle that is Instagram from trojans like TikTok.

Look. Most editing apps have the same basic features like trimming and filters.

But when a platform has a popular editing app (like TikTok with CapCut and now Instagram with Edits)…well, watch out.

They can push songs, dance trends, and other templates for you to edit your content with.

Meaning, they can tip the scales. They can control more of culture.

Ever wonder why the same songs don’t always trend on different platforms? It’s because each platform wants to say they started a trend.

Originality is the currency of any social platform. And editing apps fan the flames.

Expect Instagram to launch even more features within their editing app to help creators take part of trends.

🎯 Weekly Roundup: Thumbnails

Here’s why we love these YT thumbnails. Hopefully, they inspire your next one.

1. Tiny iPhone next to a giant eye makes you question if it’s real (Hafu Go)
2. Zoomed-in cyclists on a surreal sandbar create wanderlust (Bernardo Bacalhau)
3. Steering a rainbow balloon makes you wonder how it’s possible (Mark Rober)
4. Specificity of $2655 price tag with absurd product (Sambucha)

🚀 Weekly Outlier

This video by Make With Miles has 2.7M views, which is 27 times higher than the channel’s average. Here’s why it took off:

Story-Driven Build: It's a story filled with problem-solving, unexpected setbacks, and a sense of urgency to finish before returning to college.
Smart DIY Solution: A hidden dimmer knob for the reading lamp adds a clever, personal touch.
Woodworking Meets Tech: A mix of craftsmanship and electronics adds depth to the project.

💰 Job Board

Kajabi Creators Earn 200% More…Here’s How

Did you know creator revenue from brand deals dropped 52% in 2025?

That’s just one of many stats that blew our minds from Kajabi’s 2025 State of Creator Commerce Report.

Here’s another: 59% of creators now identify as entrepreneurs and are launching courses, memberships, and digital products.

And they’re earning more because of it:

But Kajabi isn’t just reporting the shift — they’re leading it. It’s where creators turn expertise into income with courses, memberships, and digital products.

Check out Kajabi’s 2025 State of Creator Commerce Report here to build a business beyond the algorithm.

🏆 The Created Referral Program

Know someone who’d also love this newsletter? Refer them and get gifts.

Refer 1 friend: you’ll get my Infinite Ideas book. It’s my 8 best tips to find viral ideas for your next upload.

Refer 5 friends: you’ll get my Top 50 Thumbnails book. It includes a detailed breakdown of why they work so you improve your packaging.

Trust me, these books are packed with more tips than most paid courses.

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👋 See You Inside

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– Jon

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