Instagram has created an award for groundbreaking creators
Instagram liked it because it put a ring around it. Meta’s social media platform has launched a new Ring Award, designed to recognize the best creators. It’s not a doorbell; it’s a real gold ring, specially designed by Grace Wales Bonner.
Instagram Rings
Instagram plans to give away these rings next week to 25 different creators. It’s not just Kim Kardashian, Messi, and others who simply draw a huge audience to the app: it’s specifically for creators who are making a difference in their culture and are breaking new ground. Instagram is calling this “awards” program Rings and will announce the recipients on October 16th.
Instagram writes : “Rings isn’t about celebrating a specific type of content, it’s about celebrating a specific mindset. A theme we’re hearing from creators around the world is the excitement and nervousness that comes with creating something and releasing it. It takes courage to pursue an idea, silence that inner critic, and create anyway. This award is for the creators who aren’t just participating in culture but changing it, breaking down all the barriers that hold them back from achieving their ambitions. Because every creative act, big or small, can lead to something great.”
This is also reflected in the jury selection, as they’re a rather creative and outspoken group: Marc Jacobs, Yara Shahidi, Pat McGrath, Spike Lee, Tainy, and Kaws. Instagram CEO Adam Mosseri is also in attendance. It’s a clever idea: the winners not only get the beautiful ring you see at the top of this article—very unisex, right?—they also get a gold ring around their profile picture. They can also create a special “like” button that pops up when feed posts are liked.
No further money is being paid to these creators, which could prove costly for Meta. Especially at a time when there’s already a lot of criticism about how little Meta pays creators, this Rings story won’t resonate with everyone. Earlier this year, Meta shut down a program that paid creators for ads that appeared on their profiles. Bonuses were already abolished for Reels creators, and ultimately, there’s not much left in creator payment programs. It’s certainly an honor to receive such a ring, but it’s a matter of time before someone puts the first one on eBay: especially for charitable individuals who want to change the world, it wouldn’t be surprising if the ring were actually sold.
Instagram wants Rings to become a kind of Golden Calves of the social media world. It’s awarded to creators from all over the world, not just American ones. The winners will be announced on October 16th.