Apparently, creators have found another way to make money online, and it’s a new one that I hadn’t really thought about.
Some everyday TikTok creators are making hundreds and even thousands of dollars creating videos for brands that don’t necessarily look like advertisements. They might not even post them to their regular accounts.
According to The Wall Street Journal, some creators are being hired to create what are being called “stealth ads.” These are TikToks designed to look and feel like regular content that you would already come across while scrolling. One creator profiled by the Journal, Ceci Beck, said she’s now averaging around $6,000 a month doing this type of work.
And once I understood how this works, I immediately thought about how similar to Oreogate this is.
And it kind of is. We’ll get there.
So, What Exactly Is a “Stealth Ad?”
Traditional influencer marketing usually starts with the audience.
A creator builds a following, a brand wants access to that audience, and the creator gets paid to promote the company’s product. This model can work very differently. Brands have started hiring creators because they’re good at making TikToks. And in some cases, creators will set up accounts specifically for a brand or a product. The creator might not have any audience to start with at all.
What is valuable about these creators is their ability to stop the scroll. They have a knack for creating content that will grab the attention of an audience, and that’s highly intriguing for a lot of businesses.
They aren’t selling their influence. They’re selling their ability to create attention.
One Creator Turned a Breakup Into an Ad
One example was reported by the Journal, and it involved creator Ceci Beck and an AI voice-dictation app called Aqua Voice. And she was promoting Aqua Voice by setting up a breakup. She appeared to receive upsetting breakup messages and then used Aqua Voice while composing her response.
The drama of the breakup gave people a reason to come back and keep watching. The product simply became a part of the story.
From a marketing perspective, this is actually really smart. Instead of talking about it with five bulleted points, she gave her audience a reason to be emotionally attached to the product. And a way to see themselves using it through a real-life example.
This particular creator told the Journal that she’s now averaging around $6,000 per month creating content like this. Another creator they spoke to said she makes roughly $1,000–$2,000 a month as a side hustle.
And truly, I love that opportunity for creators!
You no longer need 500,000 followers to create an income online. You need to understand storytelling, hooks, the culture of the platform you’re on, editing, lighting. And how to integrate a product without making it feel like a commercial from the early 2000s.
But there’s a catch.
Here’s Where “Stealth Ads” Get Complicated
Learning how to use your skills to make advertising entertaining isn’t the problem. When you can make an ad that doesn’t FEEL like an ad, it is good marketing. When you make an ad so that people don’t know it’s an ad, that is something else entirely.
And the Journal found out that some of the promotional posts it reviewed didn’t clearly disclose that they were ads.
TikTok requires disclosure when a creator is receiving payment or another type of incentive to promote products. The FTC has rules here too. When a creator is getting paid by a brand, that relationship needs to be disclosed in a way that the audience can understand. And it needs to be clear.
In other words, you can make the ad entertaining. But people should know that it’s still an ad.
Wait… Isn’t This Basically Oreogate?
The answer to this is, well… sort of.
Oreogate was a 13+ part TikTok/Instagram saga about kindergarten mom drama over Oreos. The saga eventually drew more than 10 million views! It was catching fire. But soon after, viewers discovered that the creator, Ashleigh Jamz, was also a paid partner of Suno. Suno is an AI music company, and she was using the music to help tell the story of the drama. Her captions included #sunopartner, so technically, there was a disclosure. But the disclosure was still easy to miss.
Both of these stories demonstrate that there is a bigger change happening in marketing and advertising.
The ad isn’t just interrupting the content anymore. It IS the content. And in my opinion, the problem is when the success of the content depends on the audience not realizing they’re watching an ad.
This Could Be a Huge Opportunity for Content Creators
I don’t want this part to get lost in the disclosure convo. The opportunity here for creators is big! And this is a good example of why content creator and influencer aren’t necessarily the same job anymore. A brand might not need your audience. But it could definitely use your creativity.
Can you tell a story? Do you understand a platform? Can you make someone stop scrolling? What about naturally working a product into something entertaining? These are very valuable skills. And creators should absolutely get paid for them!
But you still have to disclose the correct way.
The Content Maven Takeaway
I love that content creators can build an income simply because they’re really good at creating content and not just because they have a giant following. Brands need people who understand how the internet communicates. And how audiences can connect with those brands. Creators have those skills, and they should be paid.
But there’s a difference between making advertising feel natural and being honest, and not. You don’t want your audience wondering if it’s an ad they’re watching or not. That only begins to erode trust.
Make the ad funny. Make it dramatic and weird. It’s incredible to make something people actually want to watch. Just make sure they know what they’re watching.
The future of advertising may look a lot more like content. But that doesn’t mean it needs to hide the fact that it’s advertising.
What’s the Difference Between a Content Creator and an Influencer?
And this story is a perfect example of why those two terms aren’t interchangeable anymore.
If you’re wondering where the line actually is, read Content Creator vs. Influencer: What’s the Difference? next. I break down how creators, influencers and UGC creators actually differ and why that distinction matters as this industry continues to grow.
And if you’d rather have the interesting creator-economy stories brought to you instead of trying to keep up with all of this yourself, subscribe to The Daily Pour. I’ll bring the good stuff.
FAQ
What is a stealth ad on TikTok?
A stealth ad is promotional content designed to look and feel like regular social media content rather than a traditional advertisement. Some creators are being paid to make these videos for brands, sometimes using separate accounts created specifically for the campaign.
How much can creators make posting stealth ads?
According to The Wall Street Journal, creator Ceci Beck said she averages around $6,000 per month creating this type of content. Earnings vary significantly, however, and another creator interviewed by the Journal reported making around $1,000–$2,000 per month as a side hustle.
Do you need a lot of TikTok followers to create ads for brands?
Not necessarily. Some brands are hiring creators for their content creation skills rather than access to an existing audience. Storytelling, editing, hooks, product integration and understanding how TikTok works can all be valuable skills even without a large following.
Do TikTok creators have to disclose paid ads?
Yes. TikTok requires creators to disclose commercial content when they receive payment or another incentive to promote a third-party brand. The FTC also requires material relationships between creators and brands to be clearly disclosed to viewers.
Are stealth ads the same as UGC?
Not exactly. UGC-style content can be created for brands without being deceptive or hiding the commercial relationship. The concern with some so-called stealth ads is that viewers may not clearly understand that the content they’re watching is paid advertising.
Was Oreogate a stealth ad?
Not exactly. The Oreogate posts included #sunopartner, so there was disclosure of the creator’s paid relationship with Suno. However, the partnership was deeply integrated into an ongoing entertainment-style story, making it another example of how the line between advertising and regular social content is becoming less obvious.
