Black UK creators say identity leads to different treatment

Nearly three-quarters of Black creators in the UK say they have been treated differently because of their identity, a new report has found.

SevenSix Agency's Influencer Pricing Report found 73% of Black creators have experienced different treatment because of an aspect of their identity, compared with just 28% of White creators. For creators of mixed heritage, the figure was 68%, while 66% of Asian creators experienced the same.

Across all creators who answered the question, 48% said they had been treated differently because of at least one factor, including race or ethnicity, skin tone, age, gender, religion or disability.

The findings suggest the industry's push to improve representation has yet to translate into equal experiences once creators are working with brands. One creator surveyed said the issue had become frustratingly familiar: "The disparities are clear, it just feels like a redundant conversation where the issues are acknowledged but nothing actually changes."

That frustration comes despite 88% of surveyed brands and agencies saying diversity was always a consideration when choosing creators. Yet 38% acknowledged difficulties achieving it.

"A diverse selection is put forward but not always approved," one brand or agency respondent said.

SevenSix founder and CEO Charlotte Stavrou said after five editions of the report that she was "less satisfied with how slowly those conversations have translated into better practice".

The report draws on research collected in 2025 from 805 UK creators and 54 brand and agency respondents, alongside industry interviews and talent management data. SevenSix notes that experiences of unequal treatment are self-reported and the research cannot establish where that treatment occurred or whether every instance amounted to discrimination.

Creators still struggle to price their rights

The report also touches on a core contention in creator deals: how much they should be paid when brands want wider rights to their work.

Only 33% of UK creators surveyed said they knew how to price "usage", which can allow brands to use their content beyond the original post, including in advertising. Some 42% said they did not.

"It's all so confusing and to be honest it's a guessing game," one creator said.

The same uncertainty extends to exclusivity, which can prevent creators from working with competing brands. Just a quarter of those surveyed said they charge for it as a rule.

Stavrou said the scope of a deal can expand significantly without the fee increasing with it.

"As someone who has spent years negotiating brand partnerships, I know how easily a brief can move from a simple content request into an entirely different commercial deal: more deliverables, paid media, category exclusivity and payment months later," she said in the report. "Too often, the fee doesn't move with it."

"Knowing your worth matters," Stavrou added. "Making sure that worth is recognised in the final deal matters just as much."