Can We Have Your Attention?

The Content Creator Economy: Content Creators, Influencers, and the Economics of a Social Media Business

Do social media content creators make money? If so… how? Claire Coady and James Wickham discuss how content creators build their business: how they get started, build their audience, build businesses – or just make money. Why do they do it? What does it take to keep going? How do some make money on political content? And why haven’t we called them ‘influencers’? Mentioned in this episode: * Research from HMRC and NatCen on the social media content creators as businesses (from Nov 2025) https://tinyurl.com/5y6x3tvt [https://tinyurl.com/5y6x3tvt]  * Market Oriented Disinformation Research by Carlos Diaz Ruiz - download for free via Taylor & Francis https://tinyurl.com/5dtub6wk [https://tinyurl.com/5dtub6wk]  * The Attention Economy and How Media Works - Karen Nelson-Field https://uk.bookshop.org/a/16591/9789811515392 [https://uk.bookshop.org/a/16591/9789811515392]  * Fascinating interview with two X users who made money during the US election - via BBC News https://tinyurl.com/4fw8jbyr [https://tinyurl.com/4fw8jbyr]  * Example of a content creator who has found their niche (IG libbyythorntonn), and their audience (Claire) - what historic English monarchs would order from Spoons if they were alive today https://tinyurl.com/hkjm4dzc [https://tinyurl.com/hkjm4dzc]  We would like to thank every content creator who has contributed to our anonymous survey so far. We plan to cover this topic in more detail in future episodes. If you would like to share your experience, you can do so anonymously here: https://forms.gle/iRLgew5C2dsYL63w9 [https://forms.gle/iRLgew5C2dsYL63w9]   In memory of Ian Deeley, a talented broadcaster, technical wizard and most of all a fine friend. James’ tribute in full on his Substack: https://tinyurl.com/ykuss66d [https://tinyurl.com/ykuss66d]  Can We Have Your Attention? is a podcast all about the War for Attention. Join hosts Claire Coady and James Wickham as they dive into how your attention is attracted, tracked, traded, and manipulated in the modern attention economy.  * Hosted by: Claire Coady & James Wickham * Produced by: Phonogram https://www.phonogram.co.uk [https://www.phonogram.co.uk] in conjunction with The Attention Practice https://www.theattentionpractice.com [https://www.theattentionpractice.com]  * Find out more on our website https://canwehaveyourattention.com [https://canwehaveyourattention.com]  * Got a story for us? Email us: hello@canwehaveyourattention.com [hello@canwehaveyourattention.com]  Like this episode? If you enjoyed this episode, please click subscribe. If you really liked it, please leave a rating - every rating helps this podcast reach more listeners like you.

The War on Business as Usual: The Pentagon, Brands, and the War for Attention

Claire Coady and James Wickham discuss the Department of Defence/Department of War rebrand and its fights with partners and suppliers. In September, Pete Hegseth suggested the U.S. military was being weakened by forces within - forces the Department would fight. How far will it go in that fight? If the US public doesn't want a war overseas, then is the war on business as usual - and are suppliers exposed? Plus, if political campaigning is harder in an overheated attention economy, and picking fights with business becomes more common, how can business prepare? This episode recaps Claire’s Substack post ‘Weaponised Brands in the War for Attention’: https://open.substack.com/pub/attentionscarcity/p/weaponised-brands-in-the-war-for [https://open.substack.com/pub/attentionscarcity/p/weaponised-brands-in-the-war-for] The attention economy is harder to navigate - especially for political campaigns. More in ‘The Age of Attention Scarcity’: https://open.substack.com/pub/attentionscarcity/p/the-age-of-attention-scarcity [https://open.substack.com/pub/attentionscarcity/p/the-age-of-attention-scarcity] Also: Gallup, 5 March: 1/3 of Americans say US defence isn’t strong enough https://news.gallup.com/poll/702767/americans-views-nation-global-image-power.aspx [https://news.gallup.com/poll/702767/americans-views-nation-global-image-power.aspx] Band names are a strong, identifiable “message” in a two-second world - System1 Group & TikTok: https://system1group.com/creative-effectiveness-tiktok [https://system1group.com/creative-effectiveness-tiktok]  Save your sanity and stay informed - introducing The Scroll, Scream, and Stop: https://www.linkedin.com/posts/clairecoady_were-back-on-the-latest-episode-of-can-activity-7449795220747137024-vR4I [https://www.linkedin.com/posts/clairecoady_were-back-on-the-latest-episode-of-can-activity-7449795220747137024-vR4I] On the history of the term “war fighters”: https://angrystaffofficer.com/2022/04/11/whats-in-a-name-the-problem-with-warfighter/ [https://angrystaffofficer.com/2022/04/11/whats-in-a-name-the-problem-with-warfighter/]  Can We Have Your Attention? is a podcast exploring the unseen forces that shape what we see, what we buy, and who we become. Hosted by Claire Coady and James Wickham, we dive into the mechanics of the Attention Economy to understand how value is created (and manipulated) in a distracted world. Production Credits: * Hosted by: Claire Coady & James Wickham * Produced by: Phonogram https://www.phonogram.co.uk [https://www.phonogram.co.uk] in conjunction with The Attention Practice https://www.theattentionpractice.com [https://www.theattentionpractice.com]  * Find out more on our website https://canwehaveyourattention.com [https://canwehaveyourattention.com]  * Got a story for us? Email us: hello@canwehaveyourattention.com [hello@canwehaveyourattention.com]  Enjoying the episode? If you found this conversation valuable, please follow us on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or your preferred player. Leaving a rating or review helps us break through the noise—and get the attention of more listeners like you.

When Brands Go Viral

Claire Coady and James Wickham discuss what happens when brands become news. From the Kit Kat heist to Nutella in space to McDonald’s CEO attempting to eat a burger like a human, Claire breaks down what happens in the marketing teams, while James picks up what happens in the newsrooms. What goes through a brand teams’ minds? What do journalists think? And when is it ever really news? Mentioned in the show: McDonald’s CEO Went Viral. Now He Has to Win Back Customers | WSJ https://youtu.be/rZxnFI2OW9k?si=au3QAkZUI4lu6tfx [https://youtu.be/rZxnFI2OW9k?si=au3QAkZUI4lu6tfx]  The Great KitKat Heist–Truckload of Formula 1 KitKats Stolen https://www.forbes.com/sites/peterlyon/2026/03/30/chocolate-grand-theft-auto-italys-missing-f1-kitkat-shipment/ [https://www.forbes.com/sites/peterlyon/2026/03/30/chocolate-grand-theft-auto-italys-missing-f1-kitkat-shipment/]  Breakdown of KitKat’s market entry strategy in Japan, which has wildly influenced its brand and marketing strategy worldwide https://blog.btrax.com/kit-kats-market-entry/ [https://blog.btrax.com/kit-kats-market-entry/]  F1’s Corporate Brand Strategy - how it sells itself as an entertainment brand https://corp.formula1.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/Formula-1-Strategic-Plan011320.pdf [https://corp.formula1.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/Formula-1-Strategic-Plan011320.pdf]  If you like heists… Narconomics: How to run a Drug Cartel  https://uk.bookshop.org/a/16591/9781785030420 [https://uk.bookshop.org/a/16591/9781785030420]  And weird robbery trivia… how Tide detergent became the most popular target for thieves in the United States https://nymag.com/news/features/tide-detergent-drugs-2013-1/ [https://nymag.com/news/features/tide-detergent-drugs-2013-1/]  And finally - on brand valuation (i.e. why F1 Kit Kats were stolen, but Kit Kat itself was all the public could register): https://online.hbs.edu/blog/post/what-is-brand-valuation [https://online.hbs.edu/blog/post/what-is-brand-valuation]  Can We Have Your Attention? is a podcast exploring the unseen forces that shape what we see, what we buy, and who we become. Hosted by Claire Coady and James Wickham, we dive into the mechanics of the Attention Economy to understand how value is created (and manipulated) in a distracted world. Production Credits: * Hosted by: Claire Coady & James Wickham * Produced by: Phonogram https://www.phonogram.co.uk [https://www.phonogram.co.uk] in conjunction with The Attention Practice https://www.theattentionpractice.com [https://www.theattentionpractice.com]  * Find out more on our website https://canwehaveyourattention.com [https://canwehaveyourattention.com]  * Got a story for us? Email us: hello@canwehaveyourattention.com [hello@canwehaveyourattention.com]  Enjoying the episode? If you found this conversation valuable, please follow us on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or your preferred player. Leaving a rating or review helps us break through the noise—and get the attention of more listeners like you.

Is it time for a movement to reclaim attention? Discussing Attensity! with the Friends of Attention

In this episode Claire & James speak to D. Graham Burnett, the Henry Charles Lea Professor of History and History of Science at Princeton University and co-editor of Attensity! A Manifesto of the Attention Liberation Movement; and Peter Schmidt, the Program Director of the Strother School of Radical Attention. They form part of the The Friends of Attention; a loose network who share an interest in all things attention. Their book, Attensity! A Manifesto for the Attention Liberation Movement, argues that a movement of collective resistance is needed to tackle the 'human fracking' of attention. Strother School of Radical Attention https://www.schoolofattention.org/ [https://www.schoolofattention.org/] The Friends of Attention https://friendsofattention.org/ [https://friendsofattention.org/] Attensity! A Manifesto for the Attention Liberation Movement: https://www.penguin.co.uk/books/478341/attensity-by-attention-the-friends-of/9780241810965 [https://www.penguin.co.uk/books/478341/attensity-by-attention-the-friends-of/9780241810965] Other books/resources mentioned this week - so you can start studying, organising, and finding sanctuary: The Attention Merchants by Tim Wu: https://uk.bookshop.org/a/16591/9781782394853 [https://uk.bookshop.org/a/16591/9781782394853] The Anxious Generation by Jonathan Haidt: https://uk.bookshop.org/a/16591/9781802063271 [https://uk.bookshop.org/a/16591/9781802063271] The Sirens’ Call: How Attention Became the World’s Most Endangered Resource by Chris Hayes: https://uk.bookshop.org/a/16591/9781914484940 [https://uk.bookshop.org/a/16591/9781914484940] Finally, Louis Theroux’s documentary ‘Inside the Manosphere’ on Netflix (paywall) https://www.netflix.com/gb/title/81920687 [https://www.netflix.com/gb/title/81920687]  Can We Have Your Attention? is a podcast exploring the unseen forces that shape what we see, what we buy, and who we become. Hosted by Claire Coady and James Wickham, we dive into the mechanics of the Attention Economy to understand how value is created (and manipulated) in a distracted world. Production Credits: * Hosted by: Claire Coady & James Wickham * Produced by: Phonogram https://www.phonogram.co.uk [https://www.phonogram.co.uk] in conjunction with The Attention Practice https://www.theattentionpractice.com [https://www.theattentionpractice.com]  * Find out more on our website https://canwehaveyourattention.com [https://canwehaveyourattention.com]  * Got a story for us? Email us: hello@canwehaveyourattention.com [hello@canwehaveyourattention.com]  Enjoying the episode? If you found this conversation valuable, please follow us on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or your preferred player. Leaving a rating or review helps us break through the noise—and get the attention of more listeners like you.

The Fog of Everything: Iran, War, Uncertainty, Anthropic and OpenAI with Andrew Cheatham

Claire and James, with guest Andrew Cheatham, dive into the U.S. and Israel's attack on Iran, examining the flow of information in modern conflict and how AI has transformed it. The discussion focuses on the U.S. government's controversial decision to ban Anthropic's AI tool, Claude, labelling it a "supply chain risk." With OpenAI securing the same limits Anthropic requested, we ask: Is this ban about national security, or is it a political signal against "woke" ethics in technology? Wired: X is drowning in disinformation following U.S. and Israeli attacks on Iran https://www.wired.com/story/x-is-drowning-in-disinformation-following-us-and-israels-attack-on-iran/ [https://www.wired.com/story/x-is-drowning-in-disinformation-following-us-and-israels-attack-on-iran/]  Politico: Trump orders all U.S. agencies to cease using Anthropic https://www.politico.com/news/2026/02/27/trump-orders-all-federal-agencies-to-stop-using-anthropic-00804517 [https://www.politico.com/news/2026/02/27/trump-orders-all-federal-agencies-to-stop-using-anthropic-00804517]  New York Times: Pentagon standoff is a decisive moment for how AI will be used in war https://www.nytimes.com/2026/02/27/technology/defense-department-anthropic-ai-safety.html?unlocked_article_code=1.QFA.zOQ2.S3TCzxNbYYX8&smid=url-share [https://www.nytimes.com/2026/02/27/technology/defense-department-anthropic-ai-safety.html?unlocked_article_code=1.QFA.zOQ2.S3TCzxNbYYX8&smid=url-share]  Andrew Cheatham is a Senior Security Analyst at Global Guardian and Chief Counsel and Managing Director of Pragmatic Panic Legal and Social Services, a US non-profit supporting communities affected by global threats. He directs research on training AI in accordance with the laws of armed conflict. An Adjunct Professor at Boston University and Visiting Senior Research Fellow at King’s College London, he has led initiatives on disruptive technologies and conflict at USIP and served with the UN in New York, Iraq, Libya, and Tunisia, and the African Union in Somalia. Support Pragmatic Panic's mission: https://www.pragmaticpanic.org/ [https://www.pragmaticpanic.org/]. Can We Have Your Attention? is a podcast exploring the unseen forces that shape what we see, what we buy, and who we become. Hosted by Claire Coady and James Wickham, we dive into the mechanics of the Attention Economy to understand how value is created (and manipulated) in a distracted world. Production Credits: * Hosted by: Claire Coady & James Wickham * Produced by: Phonogram https://www.phonogram.co.uk [https://www.phonogram.co.uk] in conjunction with The Attention Practice https://www.theattentionpractice.com [https://www.theattentionpractice.com]  * Find out more on our website https://canwehaveyourattention.com [https://canwehaveyourattention.com]  * Got a story for us? Email us: hello@canwehaveyourattention.com [hello@canwehaveyourattention.com]  Enjoying the episode? If you found this conversation valuable, please follow us on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or your preferred player. Leaving a rating or review helps us break through the noise—and get the attention of more listeners like you.