That case has long since been won, and this year's nominee announcement made it clear the awards have graduated into something far bigger recognising the people who are now building businesses, shaping culture and setting the pace for an entire industry.

The milestone was marked with a major announcement: Samsung Galaxy has stepped in as the awards' new title sponsor, the biggest evolution in the programme's history, alongside the official reveal of this year's nominees.

"When we launched these awards, we were celebrating brave pioneers who were proving that content creation could be a real career," said Manuela Dias de Deus, Founder of the Content Creator Awards and Founder of One-eyed Jack. "Today we're recognising world-class creators who are building businesses, influencing culture, driving commerce and setting global standards. Our responsibility has shifted from legitimising the industry to raising the benchmark for excellence."

That shift shows up in the details. This year's awards span 20 categories, each refined to reflect where the creator landscape actually sits today, with judging criteria developed alongside the Interactive Advertising Bureau (IAB South Africa) to raise the bar on consistency and credibility.

There's also a brand-new category still open for entries: the #CapturedWithGalaxy Award, open to creators of any niche who've captured standout content on a Samsung Galaxy device. The winner walks away with a Content Creator Award trophy and a Samsung Galaxy Z Fold8, valued at roughly R40,999. Entries close 20 September.

"Creators are shaping culture, influencing purchasing decisions and redefining storytelling every single day," said Rae Hargreaves, Head of Marketing: Mobile eXperience at Samsung South Africa, on the new partnership. "Samsung Galaxy exists to give creators the technology they need to tell those stories, and we're excited to celebrate the incredible talent driving South Africa's creator economy."

The launch itself, hosted by 2022 Content Creator Awards winner Lesego Tlabi (Coconut Kelz), drew one of the largest industry gatherings the programme has ever seen — a fitting scale for an awards show entering its most ambitious chapter yet.

Public voting is open now across categories including Samsung Galaxy Creator of the Year, YouTube Creator of the Year, the Cars.co.za Automotive Content Award, the Emerging Creator Award and the People's Choice Award with fans able to cast their vote via SMS. A long list of non-public voting categories, from the Telkom Best Online Series Award to the Impact Creator Award, rounds out a nominee list stacked with the country's most recognisable creator names.

Winners will be announced at a gala evening on 17 October 2026 in Sandton. Tickets are available now at Quicket.