Good afternoon and welcome back to another Influencer Insider!
We're deep in preparation for PI LIVE next week. However, the influencer marketing industry hasn't slept at all.
We heard from Benefit Cosmetics about how beauty brands are winning with creator marketing this week.
Plus, Gymshark seemed to sneakily clap back at Shane Gillis' SNL monologue with a fantastic campaign featuring Megan Thee Stallion. More on that below.
Let's get on with it. 🗞️
In today's newsletter:
- Pick of the day: Where Are Beauty Brands Finding the Most Success With Creators in 2026?
- Trending: Where Should Platforms Draw the Line on AI-Generated Creator Content?
- Campaign of the week: Megan Thee Stallion x Gymshark
📝 Pick of the day
Where Are Beauty Brands Finding the Most Success With Creators in 2026?
For every penny invested in influencer marketing, the beauty industry has received it back in spades. The formula has often been straightforward: sign top talent, send mass gifting, and track success via tagged posts and hashtags. In 2026, that playbook simply does not work anymore.
To understand what is driving successful creator strategies today, we spoke with Toto Haba, SVP Growth & Digital Transformation at Benefit Cosmetics, and Megan Duong, CEO and Co-Founder of creator intelligence platform Plot.
↗ Trending
What's hot on Hello Partner right now
Where Should Platforms Draw the Line on AI-Generated Creator Content?
"The winning model is using AI to scale authentic creators rather than trying to manufacture authenticity."
The Rise of the #BookTok Powerhouse, and How Creators Made It Happen
How did #BookTok grow so rapidly with the help of the creator economy?
Sofia's Picks: Top Sessions at PI LIVE's Influencer Commerce Summit Marketers Can't Miss
A rundown of all the ICS sessions you don't want to miss this year.
Building Creator Wealth: Scaling Your Niche & Diversifying Income Streams
Building Creator Wealth: Taking The Leap & Going Full Time
✨ Campaign of the week: Megan Thee Stallion x Gymshark
What perfect cultural timing this campaign had.
After a certain comedian made a comment about women in the gym on SNL last week, Gymshark clapped back with a great campaign featuring Megan Thee Stallion in the gym.
The partnership already aligns well, but the timing is the real cherry on the cake here. I'd love to know if it was a coincidence, and if anything was changed last-minute.
👀 Algowatch: Engagement is going down, down, down
Thanks to Annie-Mai Hodge for this week's update posted on LinkedIn!
💭 Thursday thoughts
PI LIVE is just next week, and it's time to start thinking about your plans! I'll also be moderating the Trust is the New Traffic session featuring Reddit on Day 2 - very exciting stuff.
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Until next time!
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Sofia Aira Journalist Email me Connect with me on LinkedIn |
