Favorite Daughter, SharkNinja and Bob's Discount Furniture Share Creator Partnership Lessons at Shoptalk Fall

The conversation unfolded on stage at Shoptalk Fall in Nashville, where executives from three retailers with very different product categories described how they structure partnerships with content creators. Formats under discussion included multi-part mini-series and unboxing videos, which the brands said are generating strong returns on the money they put behind them.

Favorite Daughter, the women's clothing label founded by sisters Erin and Sara Foster, has found that creator-led content is driving its growth, according to remarks made during the session.

The panel sat within a broader wave of retail creator programs launched this year. Aerie rolled out a creator initiative aimed at its most enthusiastic customers, while Gap Inc. introduced a program built around its own employees. Ugg partnered with art students on creative content and product description pages, and Target debuted two programs, Club Target and Target Ambassadors.

Supporting data suggests the momentum is not letting up. CreatorIQ's seventh annual global State of Creator Marketing report found that close to half of brands now see a return of 3x or better from their creator efforts, while creator budgets have grown 33% year over year.

Separately, eMarketer expects U.S. brands to commit $13.7 billion to influencer marketing by 2027.

Executives also acknowledged the unease that comes with ceding control of brand messaging to outside voices, describing the shift as a difficult but necessary step in building creator relationships that resonate with shoppers.