Creator marketing surges as brands expand strategies

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• Creators enlisted for seasonal moments, launches and co-created products
• Formal creator programs, external partnerships and in-house talent
• How brands classify creators to align with campaign goals
• Examples of creator-driven tactics brands are using
• Practical steps for scaling creator marketing
• What marketing leaders say about authenticity and control

Brands are moving past simple awareness plays and increasingly treating creators as strategic partners. From holiday pushes to product design, marketers are using influencers to reach buyers, educate customers and even help build products. The shift reflects a new phase of creator marketing where trust and authenticity matter as much as reach.

Creators enlisted for seasonal moments, launches and co-created products

Marketers are no longer reserving creators for top-of-funnel visibility. Many leverage influencers to amplify time-bound events and new offerings.

• Seasonal campaigns: A large majority of brands tap influencers for seasonal pushes. One survey found that about 88% of marketers use creators for these moments.
• Product launches: Influencers are also front and center for launches, with roughly 78% of respondents saying they partner with creators at launch time.
• Product co-creation: Some brands take collaboration a step further by developing products with creators.

Retailers are putting these strategies into action. Best Buy, for example, teamed up with a sports-entertainment creator group to spotlight brands on YouTube during the NFL stretch and holiday season. Grocery retail media teams are also experimenting: a campaign that highlighted Lunar New Year traditions drove multiple times the usual engagement on Instagram and Facebook for one supermarket’s media arm.

Smaller, commerce-driven moves are happening too. Ruggable used creator sales data from a commerce platform to develop a creator-curated collection. The brand estimated its influencer program scaled dramatically after leaning into creator storefronts and affiliate links.

Formal creator programs, external partnerships and in-house talent

Companies are diversifying where content comes from. External talent still dominates, but brands are testing hybrid models.

• About 69% of marketers work with outside influencers.
• Nearly 29% combine external creators with internal, employee-based talent.

To build consistency, many teams create formal creator programs. These programs aim to convert one-off deals into ongoing relationships by offering creators training, product preview access and commission structures. In return, creators commit to producing content and driving engagement over time.

Strava’s approach makes authenticity a gatekeeper. The brand prioritizes creators who genuinely use the product and often selects verified or professional athletes. Those creators are expected to tell true stories about how features help them, and the brand repurposes creator-made content across channels.

Platforms weigh in on creative control. YouTube executives note that audiences reject overly polished or scripted content. Marketers are encouraged to brief objectives rather than prescribe exact dialogue. When brands loosen the reins, creators translate brand values into content that resonates.

How brands classify creators to align with campaign goals

Successful marketers sort creators by role, not just follower size. This helps match talent to outcomes.

• Brand builders: Creators who shape perception and represent company values.
• Educators: Experts and practitioners who explain product benefits and usage.
• Commerce drivers: Affiliate-focused creators who push sales via livestreams and shoppable posts.

Beauty and retail brands are using both employee creators and external talent to cover these needs. In-house associates serve as subject-matter authorities, while external creators help brands surface in culture and trends.

Even mascots can act like creators. One language app treats its mascot as a creative entity that collaborates with real creators, which can feel more like peer-to-peer content than a traditional ad.

Examples of creator-driven tactics brands are using

• Seasonal takeovers: Partnering with high-profile creators to own content around key shopping windows.
• Cultural moments: Working with niche creators to spotlight holidays or traditions for stronger engagement.
• Creator storefronts: Using commerce platforms that let creators curate and sell products directly.
• Employee storytellers: Deploying trained staff to create expert-driven content on product details.
• Co-created collections: Designing limited product drops with creators who have demonstrated sales lift.

Practical steps for scaling creator marketing

Marketers scaling creator efforts should build repeatable processes that value authenticity and measurable outcomes.

1. Define the campaign goal first: awareness, education, or conversion.
2. Map creators to roles based on those goals.
3. Offer incentives that support long-term partnerships: early access, commissions, education.
4. Trust creators to craft the message once objectives are clear.
5. Collect performance data and use it to inform deeper collaborations.

Data-driven creator strategies are already changing budgets and creative briefs. When brands link commerce performance to creator activity, they can decide where to invest in long-term relationships.

What marketing leaders say about authenticity and control

Executives emphasize that creator programs succeed when authenticity is non-negotiable.

• Creators should actually use the product they promote.
• Brands should set goals, not scripts.
• Long-term relationships beat one-off deals for credible storytelling.

Across industries, brands are learning to blend talents—external creators, employee experts and even brand characters—to reach customers in new ways.