Stories from the Creator Economy

Influencer and affiliate marketing started on parallel tracks, one built on awareness, the other on performance. But in today’s DTC landscape, the real magic happens at their intersection.

Q4 is the most critical season of the year for DTC brands. Between Black Friday, Cyber Monday, and the holiday shopping rush, the competition for consumer attention (and wallets) is fiercer than ever.

Affiliate marketing has become one of the fastest-growing performance channels for brands. But here’s the catch: not all affiliate programs are optimized for growth.

Traditional SEO isn’t dead, but it’s being disrupted. AI search engines like ChatGPT, Perplexity, and Google’s AI Overviews are changing how consumers discover brands. Instead of scrolling through blue links, shoppers are getting instant answers, often with direct product recommendations.

The modern marketing calendar doesn’t wait for quarterly planning cycles anymore. Cultural moments, like Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce’s engagement news or the drop of Taylor’s new album, can dominate the internet in minutes, sparking brand content and influencer chatter overnight.

Marketers spend millions on paid ads, but sometimes a single viral TikTok can deliver more sales, and more lasting brand impact, than a month of media spend. Just look at Drunk Elephant’s bronzing drops, Charlotte Tilbury’s lip gloss, or Skims shapewear: products that became cultural phenomena thanks to influencer-driven TikTok virality.