New sectors should now follow beauty and fashion brands towards influencer marketing

There is a good reason for this. Creator marketing offers that elusive combination of branding and performance – something other advertising methods simply can’t deliver. And where beauty, fashion and lifestyle are leading – think Huda Beauty or Loewe – the growing creator economy now means sectors from tourism to food production, technology and publishing are harnessing the power of these communities.

The shift to creator marketing can undoubtedly be an uncomfortable transition for some brands, especially considering they don’t have to control the entire narrative. A great technique is ‘magpie’ – if brands can look at the similarities, why it works for other brands and sectors, they can apply it to their own businesses, and the opportunities and benefits that creators offer can be shared more widely. Creators can be effective in any sector you can think of.

Where beauty and fashion began, now others can follow. Indeed, any marketer who is still reticent to maker marketing can look to these pioneering sectors, learn from them, and adapt their techniques to make the maker magic work in their own sectors.

Macro creators provide mass reach and awareness

Celebrity partnerships are version 1.0 of advanced creator marketing – Roger Federer for Nike, Charlize Theron for J’adore Dior, Pharell for… everything. Armani Beauty enlisted the help of macro creators like Meredith Duxbury to maximize its reach and amplify its share of voice. Other industries can do the same. Take Kraft Heinz, for example, a partnership with Morley’s that has taken the Heinz brand into new territory, connecting it with the end consumer in more imaginative ways, weaving itself into menus and engaging with creators like Chicken shop date host Amelia Dimoldenberg.

Using collaboration to connect with culture

From beer brands sponsoring festivals (Estrella just announced GALA) in the case of brand mergers (for example Loewe and ON), the power of increasing awareness through brand associations is well established. With ON’s growing presence, the recent announcement of a collaboration with Zendaya is further proof of the potential of these cultural connections, which can be amplified through specific creator campaigns. Cruise company Royal Caribbean benefited from the TikTok World Cruise saga, and while it wasn’t a paid collaboration, other travel companies could and should use it as a template for building collaborations in the creator space.

Connecting virtual and digital worlds

Retail has been a leader here, but the same principle can be reversed for online-only brands like streamers who want to expand their offline communities by partnering with creators to host IRL viewing or Q&A/meet and greets with key actors. Netflix created a fan event in conjunction with Season 3 Bridgerton in New York, while Bumble explored Bumble IRL to take the brand beyond digital – all of which can be amplified with additional creator involvement.

To show, not to tell; brand experience

Making people feel something through the screen is an art. Beauty brands are behind some standout creative examples of using social spaces to demonstrate a brand experience, including helping people feel the foundation smelling perfume without buying it, as seen by Armani or Mugler.

Sectors such as mindfulness – which include brands from HeadSpace to Calm – have adopted similar techniques. Consumers are looking for a deeper level of trust when seeking information about these products, and creators are natural storytellers who can effectively describe an abstract product that cannot be touched or smelled, but only felt emotionally.

Building reputation and community at the grassroots

Moving to word of mouth helps build and strengthen communities – see how Zara uses its UGC to increase awareness. If done right, your community will advertise you based solely on brand loyalty. A travel brand like Trip Advisor has created immersive experiences to build its brand, and there are also opportunities to leverage nano creators for UGC, such as addressing common issues in niche travel interests by asking questions to the community.

Success can be shared and built on. Beauty and fashion may already be establishing themselves as early adopters of creator marketing – and they have no intention of slowing down – but now all sectors can leverage commonalities and reach out to vast and diverse communities. By connecting their marketing with creators, communities and culture at all levels and relinquishing control, a generation of tastemakers can interpret brands in more honest and impactful ways than ever before.

This will be the first real time we’ll see this at Cannes Lions as well.