In 2025, senior marketing leaders from global powerhouses like L’Oréal, Coty, Meliá Hotels International, Michelin, Charlotte Tilbury, Dove, Snap, YouTube, and more convened at Traackr’s IMPACT events to tackle a pressing question: How can brands transition from running isolated creator campaigns to building scalable systems for advocacy? The consensus? A fundamental shift in mindset is required. Creator marketing has evolved from a trendy add-on to a core growth engine, demanding the same strategic thinking, measurement, and cross-team alignment as any other business function. Here’s a deep dive into the strategies of the most forward-thinking brands and how you can implement their best practices.
## **Creators as Strategic Growth Partners, Not Just Channels**
Sarah Potter, Global Dove Director – PR & Social Influencer at Unilever, emphasized the evolving role of creators at IMPACT. Creators are no longer mere content producers; they are launching brands, building empires, and redefining marketing partnerships. More importantly, they hold consumers’ trust. Brands aiming to stay relevant must move beyond commissioning content and start co-creating value.
Camilla Krum, Top Creator Partnerships Manager at YouTube, echoed this sentiment, stating, “Brands have a huge opportunity to support creators on their journey.” Dove has exemplified this approach by embedding creators into their brand ecosystem, fostering long-term relationships built on trust and shared vision.
**Key Takeaway:** Don’t just brief creators—co-create with them.
## **Feedback as a Growth Lever for Brands and Creators**
Effective creator partnerships don’t end when content goes live; they evolve. However, 85% of creators report never receiving feedback from brands, missing out on a crucial growth lever. Feedback is invaluable for both creators and brands, helping to identify what works and strengthen top partnerships.
**Key Takeaway:** Feedback isn’t a formality—it’s a feedback loop that benefits everyone.
## **Cross-Team Alignment: A Competitive Advantage**
Jamie Gutfreund, Founder of Creator Vision, highlighted the importance of cross-team alignment at IMPACT. Paid media, organic content, and creator activations often operate in silos, leading to fragmented messaging and wasted spend. Aligning these teams improves efficiency and strengthens trust with creators and communities.
**Key Takeaway:** Build integrated workflows that unify creator, media, and organic content teams.
## **Organic Advocacy: A Force Multiplier**
Luca Rovere, Global VP Advocacy & Social Commerce at Coty, discussed the power of organic advocacy at IMPACT. Some of the best content isn’t commissioned; it’s spontaneous. Coty’s team analyzes creator performance in real time and amplifies high-performing organic content, turning breakout moments into massive reach and measurable impact.
**Key Takeaway:** Spot high-performing organic content early and move quickly to amplify what’s already resonating.
## **Performance Beyond Vanity Metrics**
Santiago Garcia Solimei, Head of Social Media and Brands PR at Meliá Hotels International, emphasized the shift from vanity metrics to impact-based performance measurement. Leading brands now track conversions, traffic, and more to scale advocacy effectively.
**Key Takeaway:** Build smarter benchmarks that can be standardized across teams and markets.
## **Creators and the Collapsed Funnel**
Nick Tran, President and Chief Marketing Officer at Lobos 1707 Tequila and Cîroc Vodka, discussed the disappearing traditional marketing funnel at IMPACT. On platforms like TikTok, a single piece of content can drive awareness, engagement, and conversion in seconds.
**Key Takeaway:** Embrace the collapsed funnel and leverage creators to drive discovery and conversion simultaneously.
## **Conclusion**
The future of creator advocacy lies in strategic partnerships, continuous feedback, cross-team alignment, organic advocacy, impact-based performance measurement, and embracing the collapsed funnel. By adopting these strategies, brands can build scalable systems for advocacy and stay ahead in the ever-evolving creator marketing landscape.
## **FAQ**
**Q: How can brands co-create with creators?**
A: Brands can co-create with creators by involving them in the ideation process, collaborating on content creation, and supporting their long-term growth and vision.
**Q: Why is feedback important in creator partnerships?**
A: Feedback helps creators understand what works and what doesn’t, enabling them to improve their content and performance. For brands, feedback provides valuable insights into content effectiveness and creator performance.
**Q: How can brands achieve cross-team alignment?**
A: Brands can achieve cross-team alignment by fostering open communication, setting shared goals, and creating integrated workflows that unify creator, media, and organic content teams.
**Q: What is organic advocacy?**
A: Organic advocacy refers to spontaneous content created by users or creators that aligns with a brand’s values and goals. It’s a powerful force multiplier that can drive massive reach and measurable impact.
**Q: Why are vanity metrics no longer enough?**
A: Vanity metrics like likes and reach don’t provide a clear picture of content effectiveness or creator performance. Impact-based metrics like conversions, traffic, and brand awareness are crucial for scaling advocacy effectively.
**Q: What is the collapsed funnel?**
A: The collapsed funnel refers to the disappearing traditional marketing funnel, where a single piece of content can drive awareness, engagement, and conversion simultaneously, often in seconds.
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