Instagram has announced a new award for 25 creators who are making a difference in culture. The winners will receive a gold ring — both real and digital, but no cash prize.
Instagram launches creator award — gold rings instead of money
Instagram is launching a global award to recognize 25 creators who are “changing culture and breaking barriers.” The company emphasized that it wants to honor creativity and impact, not the number of views or followers.
The program’s jury includes director Spike Lee, designer Marc Jacobs, actress Yara Shahidi, YouTuber Marques Brownlee, makeup artist Pat McGrath and, of course, Instagram CEO Adam Mosseri.
Symbolic award instead of money
The winners will receive a gold ring created by designer Grace Wales Bonner, as well as a digital “gold frame” around their Instagram profile.
They will also be able to design their own “Like” button — a custom reaction that will appear below their posts.
However, there will be no cash prizes. Instagram emphasized that the award has symbolic meaning, similar to the “Oscars” of the content world — without a ceremony, but with prestige.
Context: Reduced payments and fewer brand deals
The launch of the award comes against the backdrop of a reduction in Meta’s monetization programs. In 2023, the company stopped paying bonuses for Reels on Facebook and Instagram, and in 2024 — closed the advertising program for profiles.
According to Kajabi, in 2024, the number of brand collaborations among creators decreased by 52%. Meanwhile, Bank of America said that most paid partnerships are now concentrated among top influencers, leaving fewer opportunities for smaller creators.
“Celebrating Risk-Takers”
Instagram said in a blog post that the award is “dedicated to those who are not afraid to experiment and create content that connects people.”
In this way, the company is betting not on financial rewards but on cultural recognition — at a time when creators are looking for new ways to stay visible without stable platform revenues.
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