In September 2024 hundreds of independent content creators rallied together to protect the future of the internet.
They made a simple request: let’s keep it real.
With the rapid evolution of generative AI technology, the human side of the internet is at risk. AI isn’t just copying content, it’s pulling audiences away from the creators who built this space with their passion and hard work. And if we lose the creators behind the internet, the ripple effect will be enormous.
Imagine a world without the creativity and expertise behind the recipes you cook, the DIY projects you love, or the travel tips you trust. Instead, faceless algorithms would churn out lifeless content, incapable of experiencing the things that make life inspiring.
We can’t let that happen.
That’s why creators launched Keep it real—a bold, creator-led campaign dedicated to standing up for the human side of the internet. We’re sharing a peek behind the curtain of how it all came to life!
The Keep it real campaign
Creators have been reaching out asking for guidance on how to make their voices heard: What can we do to fight Big Tech? And We need a united voice, can you help?
You bet we can!
We know that every creator has a story that deserves to be heard. Keep it real was crafted to celebrate those stories, spotlighting the diverse voices that make the internet vibrant and meaningful. Our team had just five weeks to pull off an ambitious campaign–one that would capture the urgency of the moment and ignite action.
The visuals
Raptive’s art director, Cambria Jean, masterminded the campaign branding.
“We wanted to make sure the campaign had a ‘human’ feeling to represent the idea that we should keep the internet human,” she said.
Cambria started with the logomark and color palette, aiming for an eye-catching design that would empower and amplify creator voices.
“The color palette was chosen to stand out on social media. We wanted a certain level of brightness but also wanted it to be approachable and work well among creators’ individual brands.”
Raptive’s motion graphics designer, Anthony Paterra, transformed the visuals into a collection of branded stickers and motion graphics across the campaign website, letskeepitreal.com. The stickers can be accessed through GIPHY, Instagram, and the participation guide we provided to Raptive creators. These visuals empower creators to speak out in their own unique style while uniting under one message.
The website
Letskeepitreal.com is the central hub for creators’ individual stories, where they share in their own words how unchecked AI is impacting their businesses, and why their work matters so much. Hundreds of independent creators shared their videos and written accounts, and the collection keeps growing.
The website is also home to the creator manifesto, the foundational campaign message and a call to action for Big Tech, advertisers, and readers to do their part in keeping the internet real.
Social shares
Keep it real is a creator-led advocacy campaign, so a coordinated social media effort was a critical part of spreading the message. On launch day, Raptive creators posted their Keep it real videos on their social channels using the campaign social assets and the hashtag #KeepItReal.
We also promoted the campaign in our creator newsletter, editorial channels, and social platforms through organic and paid media on Instagram, Facebook, and LinkedIn. Our Instagram reel announcing the campaign has over 18,000 views, instantly catapulting it to Raptive’s most-viewed reel.
Altogether, the campaign reached an incredible audience of roughly 13.6 million people within just a few days.
The New York Times ad
On Sunday, September 22, Raptive took out a full-page color ad in The New York Times featuring over 100 creators’ faces. The high-visibility ad prompted a spike in social media activity around the campaign, as creators enthusiastically shared videos of the ad and why they were proud to be part of Keep it real.
In the days surrounding the print edition, we expanded the campaign’s reach by running a digital version of the ad on nytimes.com.
Creator “fanzine”
Raptive produced a full-color fanzine featuring the creators from The New York Times ad, highlighting their stories and the impact their work has on audiences. The booklet was sent to advertisers and brands and later distributed at Advertising Week New York, a high-profile event with over 17,000 industry attendees.
Campaign launch
The Keep it real campaign kicked off in style at an exciting event in New York City, hosted by ABC news anchor Linsey Davis. Raptive transformed the space into a visual representation of the campaign, projecting creator stories, brand typography, and motion graphics onto every wall.
During the livestreamed event, creators Lindsay and Bjork Ostrom of Pinch of Yum, Kaitlin Leung of The Woks of Life, Emily Henderson of Style by Emily Henderson, Tieghan Gerard of Half-Baked Harvest, Kevin Blue of Country Rebel, and Yumna Jawad of Feel Good Foodie all shared their stories with an audience of fellow creators, media professionals, and industry leaders.
The ripple effect
Since launching Keep it real, the event and campaign have been picked up by over 260 press outlets! The campaign was featured in Digiday and AdMonsters, and creators are keeping the conversation going with their audiences—check out Emily Henderson’s post, Is AI going to destroy lifestyle blogs/websites?
We amplified the message at Advertising Week New York with a creator panel featuring Jenné Claiborne of Sweet Potato Soul and Suzy Karadsheh of The Mediterranean Dish, who joined Raptive’s Marla Newman and Mindshare’s Tiffany Ray to discuss how creators are empowering authenticity in the AI era.
But what has been most impactful as we work to spread this important message has been seeing so many creators share their personal stories across social media, and the overwhelmingly positive response from audiences.
What comes next
The Keep it real campaign has sparked a powerful movement, uniting creators to advocate for the future of the internet. By sharing their stories and calling for responsible innovation around AI, they’ve drawn attention to the need for a creator-led digital space.
Together, we’re making sure no one forgets what makes the internet a place of creativity, innovation, and connection: real creators, real stories, and real inspiration.
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