{
  "id": 11103886,
  "title": "‘It scared the hell out of me to hand over the keys’: What brands have learned from creator partnerships",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/01/it-scared-the-hell-out-of-me-to-hand-over-the-keys-what-brands-have",
  "topic": "business",
  "section": "Business",
  "published": "2026-10-01T04:00:00.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Modern Retail",
    "slug": "modern-retail",
    "url": "https://www.modernretail.co/marketing/it-scared-the-hell-out-of-me-to-hand-over-the-keys-what-brands-have-learned-from-creator-partnerships/"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Brands and retailers are discovering strong returns from creator content, such as mini-series and unboxing videos. More retail players are entering the space to attract consumers, boost engagement and increase sales. Aerie launched a creator program for its most loyal fans this year, while Gap Inc. initiated an employee creator program. Ugg collaborated with art students for creative content and product descriptions, and Target introduced two new creator programs, Club Target and Target Ambassadors. Kohl’s began offering creators a commission on every sale, alongside free products.\n\nData suggests this trend, along with growing interest in the creator sector, is not diminishing. CreatorIQ's seventh annual global State of Creator Marketing report reveals that nearly half of brands now achieve a return on investment of 3x or more from creators. Furthermore, brands have increased their creator budgets by 33% compared to the previous year, according to the report. In the U.S., brands are projected to allocate $13.7 billion on influencer marketing by 2027, as projected by eMarketer. For more insights, read the full article on modernretail.co. Sign up for Modern Retail newsletters to stay updated on the evolving relationship between retail's traditional and contemporary elements.",
  "summary": "At Shoptalk Fall, brands like Favorite Daughter, SharkNinja and Bob's Discount Furniture talked about what they've learned from working with creators.",
  "key_points": [
    "Brands see strong returns from creator content like mini-series and unboxing videos.",
    "Retailers like Aerie, Gap Inc., Ugg, Target, and Kohl’s launch creator programs."
  ],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}