When Creatives Meet Creators: The Purpose Principle

If you are looking for tangible proof of the rise, rise, rise of the Creator Economy across brand-building, a stunning chart that flashed up at EssenceMediacom's recent Breakthrough Day has exactly what you need.

Predicting the trends that will shape advertising and marketing over the coming years, the media agency presented figures from GroupM estimating that in 2024 almost half of all ad revenue by content source across TV, film, audio, print and social was accounted for by user-generated content. That's up from just over 20 per cent five years ago, so you can imagine what lies ahead.

But behind the stats is a growing army of brilliantly interesting, smart, extraordinary but - mostly - still rather normal people who have turned their passions into informative, entertaining content that brands are turning to for new routes to reach consumers. This series is about exploring some of the stories behind brilliantly successful TikTok creators, examining how they work with brands, and setting them in conversation alongside that other 50 per cent of commercial content creators: the advertising creatives who work for some of the world's biggest and best agencies building some of the world's biggest and best brands.

In this first episode, we've brought together Lucy Edwards, a journalist, content creator and disability activist with 1.8 million followers and 58 million likes on TikTok, and Helen Rhodes, the CCO of Grey London. In a wide-ranging discussion they talk about putting the purpose into marketing, the vital importance of the lived experience, and the TikTok effect that is not only accelerating established brands but helping people like Edwards create their own products.

Purpose Meets Creativity: Changing Advertising From The Inside Out

In the world of advertising, buzzwords like "authenticity" and "purpose" are often bandied about in brainstorms and boardrooms. But for Lucy Edwards and Helen Rhodes, these aren't just fashionable ideals—they’re the guiding principles of their work.

Edwards and Rhodes share a common vision: to reshape the industry by pushing boundaries, breaking stereotypes, and creating campaigns that feel real and, crucially, inclusive.

Their conversation about creativity, representation, and the power of lived experience offers a masterclass in how brands can truly connect with audiences—and why it’s no longer acceptable to settle for anything less.

For Edwards, purpose isn’t just an add-on to her work; it’s the foundation of everything she creates. “When I started creating on TikTok in 2020, it was about showing the world what my life looks like as a blind person,” she says. “I wanted to demystify stereotypes and show that disability isn’t just one thing.”

Her approach is refreshingly honest. Whether she’s answering practical questions—like how she pours a cup of tea—or creating humorous “expectation vs. reality” videos, Lucy’s content is as educational as it is entertaining. And that’s precisely the point. “Humour is a great leveller,” she explains. “It allows people to connect and understand, even if they’re not part of the minority group.”

Rhodes shares a similar outlook. While she was at BBH, she spearheaded efforts to bring purpose to the forefront of advertising, most notably through The Barn, the agency’s creative incubator program designed to bring more diverse talent into the industry. “Advertising isn’t the most diverse space,” Helen acknowledges. “The same types of people have dominated for too long, and the barriers to entry—like expensive courses—don’t help.”

By launching a free-to-enter, remunerated creative advertising course, the BBH team are opening the door to those who might never have considered a career in advertising. It’s a small but significant step toward an industry that reflects the diversity of the audiences it serves. “The industry needs to embrace new voices—not as a token gesture, but because those voices make the work better,” Rhodes says. Or as Edwards so brilliantly puts it: “Nothing about us without us."

The Importance Of The Lived Experience

Representation in advertising is a tricky beast. Get it wrong, and it smacks of tokenism. Get it right, and it can change the game.

Edwards knows this all too well. She was the first blind model to appear in a Pantene campaign, but her role went far beyond being in front of the camera. “It wasn’t just about putting a blind person on screen,” she explains. “I worked with the team to make sure the campaign genuinely reflected my community.”

Her input led to a groundbreaking innovation: the addition of NaviLens codes on Pantene bottles, which allow visually impaired customers to access product information through an app. “After nine years of being blind, I could finally understand what shampoo I was holding. It was so emotional,” Lucy recalls.

At the heart of everything Lucy and Helen do is a deep respect for lived experience. It’s not enough to feature diverse faces in campaigns; the people behind the scenes matter just as much, and again community is everything. "If you’re going to create something for a community, you need to involve them at every step,” Edwards explains.

Rhodes agrees, emphasising the importance of collaboration. “Unless you’ve lived it, it’s hard to get it right on your own. That’s why it’s so important to work with people who truly understand the audience you’re trying to reach.”

For Rhodes, it’s about creating campaigns that reflect the complexity of real life. “People with disabilities are often reduced to just their disability in ads,” she says. “But if you show them as multi-dimensional, it’s far more authentic and powerful.”

A case in point is BBH’s work with the charity Girl vs. Cancer, a campaign that tackled the taboo subject of sex and cancer with unflinching honesty. One striking billboard featured the defiant line: “Cancer won’t be the last thing that f***s me,” set against an elegant photograph of a woman who had experienced cancer. “It felt bold, raw, and real,” Rhodes says. “And it resonated because it wasn’t afraid to confront the subject head-on.”

The TikTok Effect

While traditional advertising still has its place, platforms like TikTok are reshaping how brands engage with audiences. Edwards is proof of that. Her TikTok videos, often starting with her signature line, “How does a blind girl…,” have made her instantly recognisable—and an undeniable force for change.

“The thing about TikTok is that you can’t stick to a script,” Edwards says. “It has to be real. People can scroll past you in a second if it feels inauthentic.” That authenticity has become a hallmark of her work, not just on TikTok but in her collaborations with brands. “It’s about showing up as myself and bringing my audience along for the ride.”

Rhodes agrees that TikTok is a game-changer. “We did a campaign for Tesco where we used TikTok’s duet feature to audition for the voice at the checkout. It was playful, interactive, and so native to the platform,” she says. “It showed that you don’t have to sacrifice purpose for creativity—you can have both.”

Edwards is taking her passion for inclusivity one step further with the launch of her own beauty brand, backed by TikTok and Estée Lauder. The brand, Etya, is built around the principles of universal design, making it accessible to the 1.3 billion disabled people worldwide—and everyone else.

“It’s about creating something that allows people to shine from within,” Edwards explains. “Beauty should be for everyone, not just those who fit the mould.”

The brand is still in its early stages, but Edward's vision is clear. “I’ve spent years consulting with brands, and now I get to take all those lessons and create something that’s truly inclusive—from the packaging to the campaigns.”

A Call To Action

Both women believe the industry has a long way to go, but they’re optimistic about the future. “There’s $8 trillion in the purple pound,” Edwards says, referencing the spending power of disabled consumers. “Brands that ignore this market are not only missing a huge opportunity—they’re failing to do the right thing.”

Rhodes sees an opportunity for advertisers to lead the way. “We have the power to shape how people see themselves and others. By creating authentic, inclusive campaigns, we can inspire a new generation to see their potential.”

Together, Lucy and Helen are proving that when purpose meets creativity, the results aren’t just good for business—they’re good for the world.

You can watch the whole conversation, uninterrupted, below.