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Instagram introduces Rings to spotlight bold, creative global creators.
Winners receive gold rings, digital badges, and profile customization.
First winners announced October 16, 2025; judged by top creative leaders.
Instagram is introducing Rings, a new initiative to celebrate the platform’s most innovative and culturally significant creators. Unlike conventional awards that are based on the number of followers or engagement rates, Rings is said to identify bold creativity, originality, and meaningful audience impact.
The program will reward 25 creators each year from Instagram’s vast global community of over 3 billion accounts. According to Meta, Rings is part of a new Instagram feature that aims to shine a spotlight on creators who break norms and start trends, making Instagram not only a social network but also a cultural hub.
The shortlisting for the ‘Rings’ award does not depend on the creator’s popularity but on talent. Instagram is particularly interested in original storytelling, creative content, and audience engagement.
Rings on Instagram will also reward creators who have small, niche-based audiences but produce effective and culturally significant content. It even lessens the effect of prioritizing quantity over the quality of the content. According to Instagram, Rings recognizes creators who are shaping the culture and narrative trend of the world.
Winners will receive both physical recognition and online recognition. Here’s how:
Gold Ring: Special gold rings, designed by the British designer Grace Wale Bonner, will be awarded to the Gold Ring winners.
Digital Ring Badge: The profile pictures and Stories of the winners will be surrounded by a golden ring, marking their achievement and making it a new permanent feature on Instagram at the same time.
Profile Customization: Special features, such as custom backgrounds and personalized ‘Like’ animations, are just the beginning.
Spotlight Feed: Instagram will feature the posts of the winners in a special feed, thereby increasing their visibility across the entire network.
Rings does not involve any cash prize. It is symbolic and celebrates creativity, innovation, and cultural influence rather than profit.
Winners of Rings will be picked by a jury of artists, including:
Adam Mosseri, Head of Instagram
Spike Lee, Film Writer
Marc Jacobs, Clothing Designer
Marques Brownlee, Tech Influencer
Yara Shahidi, Actress and Producer
Pat McGrath, Makeup Artist
Grace Wales Bonner, Fashion Designer
Eva Chen, Instagram Fashion Partnerships Chief
The panel formally critiques creators based on their originality, the narrative or story they are telling, the level of interaction, and the corresponding cultural impact, ensuring the awardee represents the evolution of creators on Instagram.
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The inaugural Rings winners will be announced on October 16, 2025. Instagram aims to make this new feature an annual celebration, highlighting creators who consistently push boundaries and inspire the worldwide community.
Meta explains that the effort is part of a larger initiative to build up the creator ecosystem, offering a form of recognition beyond likes and followers, and encouraging a culture of creativity and originality on the platform.
Rings emerges as social media sites become increasingly aggressive in praising originality and encouraging creative risks. Instagram has competition from upstart platforms that emphasize niche content and innovation.
By introducing this new feature, Instagram aims to attract and retain top talent, inspire creativity, and establish itself as a hub of creative excellence. The new feature on Instagram shifts the focus away from sheer numbers to cultural impact and creative courage, providing both popular and emerging creators with access to worldwide recognition.
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Rings to creators is not just a trophy but a symbol of status. The winning creator is given a physical token and a digital presence that would increase the brand’s audience, collaborations, and overall visibility on Instagram.
The new Instagram feature can also alter the platform’s definition of success, which will ultimately enable creators to focus on their creativity rather than trying to go viral. It can turn the tables by prioritizing creativity over the number of posts, altering the narrative of social media content trends, and storytelling strategies.
Instagram is becoming a model company for celebrating uniqueness and equality by giving creators from all styles, places, and heritages a platform for art pioneers worldwide.
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1. What are Instagram rings?
These are some of the most famous platforms that celebrate creators every year based on their originality when it comes to bold creativity and cultural influence.
2. Who can win the rings?
The creators who are eligible for the award should have their works speak out by the elements that they use which are mainly the same as creativity, storytelling, experimentation, and wide audience relationship.
3. What do winners receive?
The winners will be recognized with a gold ring, digital ring badge, and profile customization along with a feature spot in the Instagram spotlight feed.
4. Who judges the rings?
A particular panel having creative directors and famous personalities like Adam Mosseri, Spike Lee, Marc Jacobs, I and other cultural and fashion icons except for me will be a part of this group.
5. When will the first winners be announced?
The first-ever Instagram rings winners will be introduced to the public on October 16, 2025, thereby allowing the first annual celebration to take place.
