Disney, e.l.f. Beauty share best creator marketing moves across platforms

Creators bring value beyond ads

Disney’s director of creator content and partnerships, Samim Sadrzadeh, said the industry is shifting from rented reach toward collaboration. He said treating creators as ad placements has long underestimated what they contribute.

Brands are also bringing creators into the marketing process earlier. Yahoo’s Kefalas said briefs are often loose, allowing creators to make the kind of entertainment they do best rather than simply promote products.

YouTube becomes entertainment

e.l.f. Beauty and ALSAC, the fundraising organization for St. Jude’s, are focusing on YouTube as creators gain a larger role in the living room. Patrick O’Keefe, e.l.f. Beauty’s chief integrated marketing officer, said the company has plans for long-form content and now views YouTube through an entertainment lens.

NFL senior vice president Ian Trombetta described different roles for platforms: YouTube is a home for creators, while TikTok and Instagram can support discovery. He also said X and Reddit matter to the NFL.

TikTok puts premieres live

Disney has used TikTok Live to build excitement around premieres. For “Zootopia 2,” the viral squirrel character Nibs interviewed cast members on the red carpet. Internet personality Carter Kench hosted the “Hannah Montana 20th Anniversary Special.” The examples show how Disney has used TikTok’s live feature for events tied to entertainment releases.

Threads offers room to experiment

Yahoo has used Meta’s Threads to test ideas in a lower-key setting before sharing them on larger platforms, particularly when it is unsure how a cultural moment will land. After Taylor Swift released “Patient Zero,” Yahoo posted a Thread connecting the Os in its name to the song.

Keurig Dr Pepper takes a different approach to creator distribution, according to senior director Lindsay Burstein. The company would hire a creator directly, have them post on TikTok, then adapt and distribute the content across multiple channels.