Recap: Trending Now (and Later): Social Media & Creator Economy Insights for 2025

AAF Seattle brought together an inspiring group of creatives, marketers, and innovators for “Trending Now (and Later): Social Media & Creator Economy Insights for 2025.” Held at the beautiful Copacino Fujikado office, the evening explored the ever-evolving world of digital storytelling, social strategy, and the future of the creator economy.

The night kicked off with energetic networking and community building, followed by a compelling panel moderated by Emmalynn Cortes Ellendt of The Creative Edition Podcast and Forbes. Panelists Kelley Myers (Autodesk), Sophia Pollock (TikTok Shop), and Rudy Willingham (Creative Director & Content Creator) shared timely insights into emerging trends, the evolution of e-commerce, and the power of authenticity in digital storytelling.

From brand innovation to creator-led commerce, attendees left with actionable takeaways and a deeper understanding of what’s next in the social and influencer space.

Special thanks to our generous event sponsors Creative People and Copacino Fujikado, and to our dedicated Events Director Bianca Urbina for leading the charge. We’re grateful for our all-volunteer board of directors — Valentina Gomez Bravo, Andy Farnum, John Line, Maria Schnepf, Laura Murdock, and Cindy Pennington — for making events like this possible.

If you missed it, stay tuned — we’ll be sharing all upcoming events soon. And as always, we invite you to join the conversation as we continue to build and support Seattle’s vibrant creative community.

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Enjoy the event photos courtesy of Michael Patrick Hoyle, Bianca Urbina and Hannah Crossman.