It’s called Rings, and no, it’s not an awards show with a red carpet and a comedian host. Think less Oscars, more an exclusive designer drop plus a nod from the people who run the platform. Winners will receive a physical ring designed by British designer Grace Wales Bonner, a digital replica they can wear on their profile and in stories, and a small-but-not-insignificant set of profile cosmetics: the ability to customize their profile background with a unique gradient. Instagram is also leaning into star power on the judging panel — the list reportedly includes platform chief Adam Mosseri alongside cultural figures such as Spike Lee and actors and fashion people — and the winners will be announced on October 16.

Why rings? Instagram positions this as a recognition program for creators who “take creative chances” and push the platform’s language forward. The idea is simple: in a world where creator status is increasingly signaled by badges, verified ticks, and platform-curated playlists, Rings is a new, symbolic marker tied to Instagram’s brand and aesthetic. The physical ring is accompanied by a digital token — a replica that can be applied to profiles and stories — and winners get small in-product privileges like that custom gradient background. It’s a mixture of IRL fashion and in-app fannish flex.

A few context notes you’ll want up front. Instagram recently announced it has crossed a jaw-dropping three billion monthly users, which helps explain the scale of what this little 25-person program represents: a microscopic spotlight inside a gigantic platform. When a product team at a company that claims billions of users decides to single out 25 accounts, the gesture carries cultural weight even if it carries no direct cash.

What creators actually get — and what they don’t

Here’s the part that will shape how creators and the broader creator-economy press this news: there’s no cash prize attached. The program appears designed as prestige and product perks rather than a payout. That distinction is key. For many creators, recognition from a platform can convert into deals, sponsorships, and follower growth, but for others, it’s an empty honor if it doesn’t come with resources to sustain creative work. Instagram seems to be betting that cultural capital — a designer ring, a bespoke profile gradient, a small place in platform marketing — will be valuable enough.

The judging and the optics

Judges reportedly include a mix of Instagram staff and cultural tastemakers: Mosseri is involved, as are film and fashion figures. That mix is a deliberate signal: this is intended to be taken seriously within both the platform and the broader creative industries. The process, per reporting, starts with thousands of entrants, winnows down to hundreds, and then to the final 25. There are no traditional “best actor / best director” categories — winners are selected across topics and interest groups, with the stated criterion being creative risk-taking and originality.

A brief history lesson: custom profiles aren’t new

The small-scheme profile customization — the gradient background — is worth a laugh and a historical footnote. Websites of the early social web, like Myspace and Friendster, let users wildly personalize page backgrounds, colors, and layouts. Instagram’s take is obviously much more controlled and brand-safe, but it’s interesting to see the platform re-introduce a cosmetic customization after two decades of stripped-down, grid-first aesthetics. For creators, a visual tweak that marks them as a platform-chosen peer can feel like a status upgrade in a feed of identical circular avatars.

So should creators care?

Short answer: maybe. Long answer: it depends on what you need.

If you’re a creator who relies on visibility and cultural signals to land brand deals, to be invited to panels, or to drive collaborations, a Rings win might translate into new opportunities. If you’re a creator who needs direct revenue to keep making content, a symbolic award without money won’t solve the business problem. This tension is the central question of modern creator platforms: how much prestige is worth if the platform doesn’t also provide financial support or sustainable monetization tools?

What Instagram gets out of it

For Instagram, Rings is a brand play. It signals that the company still wants to be seen as a cultural tastemaker, not just an algorithmic feed. It’s also a way to put the company’s stamp on who counts as “creator culture” without building a massive new prize or prize infrastructure. A physical object designed by a well-regarded fashion name helps Instagram tell a story: this isn’t just data; it’s culture.

A note on transparency and future follow-through

Two practical things to watch: how Instagram explains the selection process in more detail, and whether it makes Rings a recurring program with clearer career-boosting supports (think mentorship, marketing boosts, or even cash grants). The platform says it’d “love to see how it’s received” and hopes Rings becomes regular — which is exactly the kind of language that means we should watch for the program to evolve if it’s meant to mean something beyond a PR moment.

Rings is a neat cultural artifact — literal and figurative — that slots into the platform’s increasingly curated relationship with creators. It’s equal parts fashion collab, in-app cosmetic, and prestige marker. For winners, it’s a potential spotlight. For the wider creator economy, it’s another reminder that platform attention still has value — but attention alone isn’t a paycheck.