3 Clear Examples of Brands that are Thriving 

Do you want to invest further in social media and creators but are concerned that you may not get the return that you’re hoping for?

What’s the key to winning?

It’s all about crafting stories that entertain, inspire, and educate, while wrapping your brand around it like a warm hug. 

Does this strategy boost sales? You bet it does, but only when executed the right way.

Let's take a look at three brands that are absolutely killing it, primarily thanks to their creator-driven campaigns on social media:

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Liquid Death

Proudly calling itself "just a funny beverage company who hates corporate marketing as much as you do" – This cheeky drink brand knows how to make a splash – with marketing so quirky it could go viral as a meme.

Born in 2017 and packaged in planet-friendly aluminum, Liquid Death is laughing all the way to the bank, posting a $700 MM Valuation in just 5 years (Source:  Bloomberg 2022).

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From celebs like Wiz Khalifa to popular characters like The Deep, Liquid Death's collabs are as diverse as they are dazzling. Tailored to each star's vibe, these creator campaigns are hitting all the right notes one after the other. 

Skateboard legend Tony Hawk keeps it real, while Cherie DeVille adds a dash of daring to the brand. It's not even just about star power - it’s the content that’s resonating with fans and stealing the show. And let's not forget, this brand's got a cheeky way of making you think twice about that plastic bottle.

Mike Cessario, The Founder of Liquid Death stated in an interview with Marketplace, "We’re trying to make health and sustainability 50 times more fun. Typically, all the most fun, hilarious marketing over the last 30 years is all for junk food — alcohol, energy drinks, candy. Like, what is the funniest campaign most people remember? It’s Bud Light, Snickers, Carl’s Jr., whereas healthy food doesn’t really ever market in that fun, irreverent, youth culture way."

Olipop

Say hello to Olipop, the fizzy drink that's giving Coke and Pepsi a run for their money! With a whopping $200 million in sales, this isn't your grandma's soda (Source: Axios 2023) 

The brand has recently experienced its best business months ever, and the numbers are only going up! “The amount of people that now refer to us as ‘the TikTok soda’ is insane,” Steven Vigilante, Olipop’s head of new business development, stated in a conversation with Ad Age. 

Vigilante also went on to say, “We’ve turned off all of our ad spend across every other social platform, so we’re just running ads on TikTok, forming creator partnerships, and making content for our organic page. TikTok is literally our entire strategy right now. And the last few months have been our best ever as a business after shutting off all of those other platforms.”

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The best part? Olipop doesn't just partner with creators; it empowers them. From foodie in-house creator Sara Crane to the popular comic Juand Chan, Olipop grants its creator partners artistic freedom.

This authentic approach has led to posts tagged with #OLIPOPPartner outperforming all others, generating a staggering $25.4M EMV (Earned Media Value). (Source: AdWeek 2023) 

Steve sums it up best: "Consumers don’t want health-related information too broadcasted... stressing too much the health component interrupts the indulgent part." 

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Poppi:  

Talk about a brand that's popping! Poppi saw a jaw-dropping 148% revenue growth in the last year and a 250% surge in online sales. That's not growth; that's a boom! With a fresh infusion of $25 million led by CAVU, their total capital now exceeds $40 million. (Source: TechCrunch 2022)

Plenty of credit goes to Poppi’s famous "Soda's Back" creator campaign that turned heads all across social media – and trust us, it's not just fizz—it's a full-on fiesta! From local creators like chillandgrillwithhill to none other than J Lo herself, Poppi's fizz is getting the A-list treatment on TikTok!

And Poppi knows how to keep the conversation going, both online and offline. Their consumer-driven creator campaigns are a hit, especially among Gen Z and millennials. 

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The brand hit another viral gold when founder Ellsworth shared Poppi's origin story on TikTok. The post exploded, racking up thousands of likes and comments. That’s where the story begins. In the founder’s own words – “Our community is obsessed, rather than us writing copy about soda’s back, our communities were already saying it. So we decided to take that a step further and put them on a billboard.”

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Still wondering whether the creator economy and social media can drive sales? Let these three brands be your answer. From Liquid Death's meme-worthy marketing to Olipop's TikTok takeover and Poppi's consumer-driven campaigns, it's clear: when creators and social media join forces, your brand doesn't just make noise—it makes bank! 

So, are you ready to scale your brand the smart way?