Three case studies where brands gave creators creative freedom.

Content creators can offer brands authenticity and a direct connection with their target audience. However, audiences are increasingly savvy. If you’re offering them a boilerplate script, it won’t be effective – no matter who happens to be saying the words. Here, three campaigns show how brands can work with creators in a way that really connects.

Instead of playing it safe, USA Network took a risk by working with a controversial creator who fit their new show down to a duplicitous T. Rather than going global and big-budget, Coca-Cola gave local influencers the chance to mark relatable micro-moments of celebration. And instead of treating her followers like a passive audience, Ashley Alexander made her Matcha Mob part of the product development team. Together, these three examples showcase that authenticity isn’t just a buzzword: it’s a powerful tool available to brands that empower their creator partners.

Coke’s local collaboration brings little wins to life

Celebrity tie-ins with everyone from Taylor Swift to Elton John may have worked for Coca-Cola in the past, but younger audiences are increasingly looking for something that feels real and relevant to their lives. To reach those consumers in 2025, the beverage brand looked beyond centrally crafted scripts and big names, opting instead to collaborate with smaller-scale creators from different countries.

The influencers were given the chance to create short-form videos in their own styles and leaning on their strengths. The campaign was themed around the ‘little wins’ in life that can turn a regular day into a celebration, informed by research that showed small things (from getting the perfect parking spot to tackling a nagging chore) could deliver joy.

Each creator brought a different approach to the theme. Paperboyo, a British creator known for his inventive use of paper, turned finishing the washing up into a special moment by sketching a dish of pasta and a bottle of Coke that transformed into a real feast.

French duo Little Emperors, who specialise in matching outfits, swapped TV-watching for glamorous costumes and pizza. For the Spanish market, surreal pattern makers Anniset blended fantasy, reality and the iconic silhouette of a Coke bottle, while Italian creator Faffapix used a cancelled night out as an excuse for a night in with a burger and Coke.

By asking local creators to execute the campaign in their own way, Coca-Cola aimed to build credibility as well as visibility across key European markets. The campaign generated 4.75M impressions and 4.46M video views, engaging 48.45K users across the four nations. But more than that, it proved a blueprint for future work across the world.

Creators give brands the opportunity to speak directly to consumers. A brand’s approach should match that. Working with creators in this way delivered Coke a multifaceted campaign that offered audiences something authentic and nuanced to regional differences.

A con artist gives USA Network a viral edge

Coca-Cola wanted to work with local creators who felt relatable and authentic. But when you’re promoting a product that’s all about lies, your influencer collaborations might look a little different.

US reality TV show The Anonymous sees players vote each other out via face-to-face meetings and anonymous digital messages, with deception an essential part of the game. USA Network took a leap when they chose a collaborator to create buzz around their launch: convicted con artist Anna Delvey, who had scammed banks and her own acquaintances while impersonating an heiress.

Short videos in advance of the launch saw Delvey trail the series while showing off her ankle monitor and offer Liar Lessons with tips on gaslighting and deception. Once the series started, she provided regular recaps on the contestants’ actions and tactics.

As a strategy, it was controversial – the campaign began just a day after the end of Delvey’s social media ban and house arrest for her past convictions. The edgy tactic gained serious viral traction, driving social conversation as well as earned media:

The lesson here is don’t just play it safe. If you’re looking to shake things up with your product, consider taking risks with your promotion. Though partnering with a con artist might not work for all brands, doing something unexpected helped USA Network cut through the noise and capture the attention of audiences.

Ashley Alexander mobilises a matcha community

Creator Ashley Alexander loves matcha and frequently shares matcha-related content on YouTube and across her other channels. That personal connection (she describes herself as ‘the girl who drinks matcha every single day ‘) helped her build her own matcha brand in 2024 in partnership with start-up studio Moby Ventures.

But her connection wasn’t just with the product. It was with followers who wouldn’t just be her audience or target market, but fully-fledged collaborators. Alexander called the community the ‘Matcha Mob’. With members being offered exclusive behind-the-scenes content. However, they were not just a passive audience; they were asked about colour palettes, design and packaging options, giving input on product development via polls and emails.

Their decisions helped shape the Nami Matcha brand. Resulting in a launch campaign that combined Alexander’s passion for matcha with the ideas and, critically, the buy-in of a fan base that felt a personal connection to the product. The Matcha Mob was not just a social handle or hashtag; instead, it was a purpose-built community that Alexander could communicate and collaborate with directly.

As a result, the public launch saw the product sell out in 24 hours with zero media spend. The brand went on to achieve $3.8M in gross product sales between the July 2024 launch and February 2026.

By breaking down the barriers between company and consumers to create a two-way conversation, you can build community and create advocates for your products. To do this well, brands and creators need to treat their community as partners rather than just a broadcast audience.

From tea fans and fashion influencers to con artists, these case studies show the rewards that are possible when brands allow creators the freedom to do what they do best. Bringing matcha fans into the boardroom or using liars as spokespeople might not work for all brands, but they are great examples of the power of creators to bring real connections.