The trend: The number of retailer creator programs is on the rise, with Pacsun and David’s Bridal among the most recent additions.

• Pacsun introduced PS Community Hub, a digital platform that allows creators to share content, expand their followings, and earn money through affiliate commissions.
• David’s Bridal unveiled David’s Style Squad, an ambassador program open to creators of all sizes. Members earn commissions of between 5% to 15% on net sales, with top performers eligible for commissions of up to 20%, alongside other perks.

The strategy: While each retailer is attempting to put its own spin on an increasingly popular idea, the basic aim is the same: to generate a steady stream of user-generated content that can be used to attract and inspire shoppers, particularly on social channels.

• Pacsun noted that its platform’s confluence of social features and commerce is designed to appeal to Gen Z and Gen Alpha customers, who are more receptive to content perceived as authentic. It wants its community hub to be a place where shoppers are inspired and inspire others, thus allowing for deeper engagement (and presumably more spending).
• David’s Bridal frames its creator program as an opportunity to connect with shoppers in a “social-first era.” Rather than using creators solely for marketing, the retailer is looking to integrate them more deeply across its commerce and media ecosystem to maximize opportunities for inspiration and purchases.

Implications for brands: Creator programs are shaping up as a baseline requirement for brands in the fashion sector and beyond looking to stay relevant as more discovery shifts to social channels. Social content is far more effective at driving product discovery than AI chatbots, according to our latest Path to Purchase survey, while authentic UGC is more valuable to marketers than AI-generated imagery.

With more shoppers using social platforms like TikTok as both a discovery engine and an ecommerce platform, it will become increasingly important for retailers to have a pipeline of creators to ensure a dependable flow of content and maximum opportunities for engagement.