Work & Wellbeing Brand Purpose Brand Strategy

WeTransfer CMO on how the platform is supporting the creators that built it

Author

By Ellen Ormesher | Reporter

December 2, 2022 | 7 min read

Following the launch of its ‘Ideas Report’ which advocates for support for creatives during this period of economic turbulence, WeTransfer’s CMO tells The Drum how the platform is putting purpose at the heart of its strategy.

WeTransfer

As one of the few B-Corps in the software world, WeTransfer wants to be an example for other tech firms/ Image via WeTransfer

An annual snapshot of the creative world, WeTransfer’s 2022 ‘Ideas Report’ shows creatives are overworked, underpaid and tiptoeing on the edge of burnout. Two in five felt they are not fairly paid and three-quarters (75%) report experiencing or being close to burnout, a figure which has more than doubled since last year.

Since the product is trusted by many in the creative industries, chief marketing officer Ange Temple tells The Drum "we see it as our responsibility to raise awareness of the barriers that are inhibiting growth and impacting their livelihoods".

This year’s report makes for a sobering read. Supplemented by a survey of over 2,000 people working in creative roles in the UK, including full- and part-time employees, freelancers, small business owners, and digital content creators, the analysis highlights how the cost of living crisis is impacting those working in creative roles, including:

  • For 75% of UK creatives wages aren’t keeping up with rising inflation and over half (55%) are struggling to cover essential household bills

  • Nearly two thirds of UK creatives in full-time employment are concerned about job security

  • Half of freelancers feel under pressure from clients to keep fees unchanged to be competitive

  • Over one in 10 (14%) have used a food bank in the last six months

  • One in five looking to take on an extra job in the next 12 months to make ends meet

It’s this information that is informing WeTransfer’s expansion into a support brand for the people who use it, explains Temple.

“Digging deep into some of these current issues is important for us as we continue to develop our own product roadmap, but also as we’re increasingly looking to provide creators with a platform to broadcast their experiences. This year, we engaged experts like podcast host Chanté Joseph, British columnist and author Raven Smith and creative strategist Olivia Lopez among others for additional in-depth interviews to highlight how they’re growing and scaling their businesses in the digital realm, which hopefully inspires other aspiring creators trying to follow the same path and acts as a precursor for content series we’re planning for next year.

“In other areas, we continue to donate 30% of our advertising inventory to creatives and causes that matter, and are continuously investing in our award-winning digital arts and editorial platform WePresent, which features writing and stories of more than 1,000 creatives from all across the globe.”

As Temple adds, WeTransfer was always created to be in support of artists and creatives. “As a company that was founded by creatives, for creatives, our platform wouldn’t be so successful without the people who use it every single day. We started out by helping creatives and creators send files from A to B, but over the years we’ve started looking for ways to enhance the whole creative process, enabling them to focus on growing their businesses."

But, to take things further, earlier this year it launched the Supporting Act Foundation to champion emerging creatives through committing 1% of its revenues towards grants and bursaries in support of underrepresented artists and their projects. “Through the foundation we’re working to create better opportunities in the arts, carving a space for marginalised communities and backing art-focused organisations in making long-term, systemic change,” says Temple.

“Our desire to put purpose at the core of our brand is driven by being climate neutral and B-Corp certified as we believe strongly in balancing profit with people and planet, and believe this is what our community expects from us in the long-term.”

As one of the few B-Corps in the software world, Temple says WeTransfer wants to set a precedent for other tech businesses to raise their standards. “We’re already engaging the whole business in the upcoming recertification process and are actively working on projects and partnerships that put responsibility and impact at the heart of everything we do, from across product, advertising and our brand, she says.

“Our advertising platform continues to be resilient in the face of uncertainty and we’re optimistic about the potential it offers to brand builders, who are looking for safe and premium placements for telling their stories.

“Finally, we’re looking to build on our distribution model, which has always supported ‘one to many’ content sharing and bring out more tools for creators and digital workers from across different disciplines to share their work with the world. I’m also excited for us to explore more value-add partnerships with like-minded businesses and ways to enhance the subscription experience for our engaged community that relies on our tools day-in and day-out.”

Work & Wellbeing Brand Purpose Brand Strategy

More from Work & Wellbeing

View all

Trending

Industry insights

View all
Add your own content +