From Campaigns to Infrastructure: Jamie Gutfreund on What Brands Still Get Wrong

In this episode of Earned, CreatorIQ Chief Partnerships Officer Tim Sovay sits down with Jamie Gutfreund, founder of Creator Vision, Forbes contributor, and former executive at Hasbro, Microsoft, Expedia, CAA, and Whalar, to explore why the creator economy still lacks the infrastructure needed to truly scale. Drawing from experience across brands, agencies, and media, Jamie shares her perspective on how creator marketing is evolving from an experimental channel into a core business function tied to media, commerce, and long-term brand growth. Tim and Jamie unpack why most brands still confuse campaign planning with creator strategy, the growing importance of measurement and institutional knowledge, and how creators are reshaping everything from paid media to product storytelling. They also dive into the rise of creator-led media companies, why YouTube remains massively underutilized by brands, and how AI is changing content creation, optimization, and audience insight gathering. Along the way, Jamie shares candid takes on affiliate saturation, creator trust, organizational change inside major brands, and why the future of creator marketing depends on building systems, not just campaigns. In this episode, you'll learn: The key to successful brand building through creator partnerships How brands can leverage creators for media and performance-driven campaigns Why understanding your audience and creators' communities is essential for impactful marketing   Connect with the Guest: Jamie's LinkedIn - @jamiegutfreund    Connect with Tim Sovay & CreatorIQ: Tim's LinkedIn - @timsovay CreatorIQ LinkedIn - @creatoriq Follow us on social: CreatorIQ YouTube - @CreatorIQOfficial CreatorIQ Instagram - @creatoriq CreatorIQ TikTok - @creator.iq CreatorIQ Twitter - @CreatorIQ

REPLAY: Conor Begley sits down (in the iconic flagship location) with Anastasia Soare—legendary founder and CEO of iconic beauty powerhouse, Anastasia Beverly Hills—to discuss her journey to creating a beauty (and brow) empire. To start, we discuss Anastasia's  journey from arriving in the U.S. in 1989 without knowing English, to transforming her passion for beauty into a billion-dollar empire. Anastasia shares the remarkable story behind building ABH from scratch, highlighting the importance of resilience, hard work, and family bonds. An influencer marketing pioneer in the early days of social media,  Anastasia reveals how ABH's authenticity and digital savvy fostered a loyal community of fans that took the brand—and consumers' brows—to new heights. Switching gears, we dive into Anastasia's artistic background, and she pulls back the curtain on how principles of light, shadow, and proportion from her art school days have influenced her makeup techniques, before emphasizing the brand's commitment to solving customer problems with innovative products. To close the show, Anastasia shares her tips for managing a global enterprise while staying true to your brand's core values.    In this episode, you will learn: How Anastasia Soare's resilience, passion, and visionary strategies propelled her journey from immigrant to beauty mogul Why organic community building played a crucial role in Anastasia Beverly Hills' runaway success How artistic principles and innovative problem-solving have kept ABH at the forefront of the beauty industry Resources: Anastasia Beverly Hills - https://www.anastasiabeverlyhills.com/   Connect with the Guest(s): Anastasia's LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/anastasia-soare-337806125/   Connect with Conor Begley & CreatorIQ: Conor's LinkedIn - @conormbegley CreatorIQ LinkedIn - @creatoriq   Follow us on social: CreatorIQ YouTube - @CreatorIQOfficial CreatorIQ Instagram - @creatoriq CreatorIQ TikTok - @creator.iq CreatorIQ Twitter - @CreatorIQ

In this episode of Earned, CreatorIQ VP of Brand Marketing Ashley Waxman sits down with Monica Khan—multihyphenate creator economy advisor, operator, and founder—to explore how brands must evolve from campaign thinking to creator-led infrastructure. Monica shares her unique perspective from working across platforms like YouTube and Meta, advising top creators through her firm Creator Revolution, and consulting with companies via McKinsey. At the center of the conversation is a fundamental shift: creators are no longer just a marketing channel—they are R&D, storytelling engines, and strategic partners shaping business outcomes. Ashley and Monica dive into why brands must move beyond one-off campaigns toward always-on, cross-functional creator strategies that drive long-term growth, and how building deeper partnerships unlocks compounding value across the funnel. Monica also unpacks the importance of brand self-awareness, redefining measurement beyond last-click attribution, and leveraging qualitative signals like community feedback and content performance to inform smarter decisions. The conversation explores the growing role of AI in marketing and creation—where it can accelerate workflows, but shouldn't replace original thinking or creative instinct—and why transparency and editorial standards are critical to maintaining trust. Finally, Monica reflects on the power of in-person community building, the rise of creator-driven ecosystems, and what the next chapter of the industry looks like: a world where creators sit at the center of modern marketing infrastructure. In this episode, you'll learn: The importance of long-term relationships with creators in building brand trust and fandom Creating a balanced marketing strategy that combines AI with human creativity How creators can build authentic, engaged communities around their brand   Connect with the Guest: Monica's LinkedIn - @monicakhan   Connect with Ashley Waxman & CreatorIQ: Ashley's LinkedIn - @ashleywaxman CreatorIQ LinkedIn - @creatoriq   Follow us on social: CreatorIQ YouTube - @CreatorIQOfficial CreatorIQ Instagram - @creatoriq CreatorIQ TikTok - @creator.iq CreatorIQ Twitter - @CreatorIQ

In this replay episode of Earned, Conor sits down with Christina McCarthy, Vice President of Global Media at Four Seasons Hotels and Resorts. To start, we dive into Christina's impressive career journey from fashion and beauty giants like Victoria's Secret and MAC. We delve into Four Seasons' strategic shift from traditional marketing to crafting rich, brand-building experiences that resonate with audiences. Christina highlights the pivotal role of high return guests (HRGs) and the tailored strategies that ensure their loyalty. She also explores the impact of social media influencers and user-generated content on guest perceptions, detailing how platforms like TikTok, Snapchat, and YouTube are leveraged for global branding and local engagement. Listeners will gain insights into the integration of SEO and OTA (online travel agency) advertising and how Four Seasons harnesses cutting-edge technology to enhance customer experiences. The discussion extends to the allure of luxury travel destinations, emphasizing the brand's commitment to exceptional service and personalization. To close the episode Christina offers an insider's perspective on the innovative marketing tactics that distinguish the brand in the luxury hospitality industry. In this episode, you'll learn: How Christina McCarthy leads global media strategy for a luxury brand like Four Seasons: She shares how a fashion and beauty background shaped her approach to digital luxury marketing. Why VIP treatment drives loyalty: Christina explains how making guests feel like the star of their stay creates an emotional connection and repeat visits. Where content and paid media work best together: It's about blending platforms like TikTok and YouTube with creator content and search strategy. Connect with the Guest: Christina's LinkedIn - @christinamccarthy   Connect with CreatorIQ: CreatorIQ LinkedIn - @creatoriq Follow us on social: CreatorIQ YouTube - @CreatorIQOfficial CreatorIQ Instagram - @creatoriq CreatorIQ TikTok - @creator.iq CreatorIQ Twitter - @CreatorIQ

In this episode of Earned, CreatorIQ CMO Brit Starr sits down with Dana Paolucci, Head of Influence and PR at Dove North America, to unpack how one of beauty's most iconic brands is evolving creator marketing—without losing sight of its mission. Dana reflects on the "everything and nothing changes" reality of the space, from creators becoming full-fledged brands and franchises to the enduring importance of trust, community, and authenticity. Brit and Dana explore how Dove has scaled from a traditional, tightly controlled campaign model to an always-on creator engine—while staying grounded in Dove's commitment to real beauty. Dana shares how the team engaged over 10,000 creators and generated 30,000+ pieces of content, guided by strict standards like Dove's no digital distortion policy and a clear filter: partnering only with creators who contribute to a positive beauty experience online. The conversation also dives into Dove's program structure, including full-funnel product launches, trend-responsive content, and the Dove Love community initiative designed to increase earned creator content through reciprocal relationships, replenishment, and life-moment support. Finally, Dana breaks down the cultural insight and agility behind Hot Seats—Dove's music-fandom-driven platform that turned sweaty concerts and Coachella commentary into brand-relevant moments that drove real lift. The takeaway: listen deeply, release control, and show up with solutions. In this episode, you'll learn: The shift from one-off influencer campaigns to always-on creator strategies at Dove How to balance earned and paid media in creator marketing The power of event-based campaigns in driving authentic creator content Connect with the Guest: Dana's LinkedIn - @danapaolucci   Connect with Brit Starr & CreatorIQ: Brit's LinkedIn - @britmccorquodale CreatorIQ LinkedIn - @creatoriq Follow us on social: CreatorIQ YouTube - @CreatorIQOfficial CreatorIQ Instagram - @creatoriq CreatorIQ TikTok - @creator.iq CreatorIQ Twitter - @CreatorIQ

In this episode of Earned, CreatorIQ CMO Brit Starr sits down with Frank Dudley—marketing leader, Northwestern professor, and author of an upcoming Wiley book on Creator Marketing and Commerce Media—to unpack why the industry's shift from influencer marketing to creator marketing is more than semantics. Frank argues that creators aren't a channel; they're the connective tissue across the customer choice journey, orchestrating demand from awareness through conversion in a dynamic, signal-driven system. Brit and Frank explore how this reframing helps brands move beyond siloed campaigns and start designing creator programs around jobs to be done: removing real consumer friction like confusion, skepticism, inertia, and perceived risk. Frank shares concrete examples—Dyson using explainer creators to demystify product claims, Sephora leaning on creators for mid-funnel confidence like shade matching, and Instacart creators driving lower-funnel utility through speed, substitutions, and savings. The conversation also dives into measurement, including why the market is shifting toward incrementality over engagement, and how integrating creators with commerce and paid amplification enables closed-loop learning and attributable impact. Finally, Frank breaks down the unglamorous—but essential—operational infrastructure required to scale: creative supply chains, decisioning layers, and data/legal ops. The takeaway: creator marketing isn't a tactic—it's a full-funnel operating system CMOs can roadmap. In this episode, you'll learn: How creators are now the engine behind modern targeting and demand creation The shift from disconnected creator efforts to coordinated marketing systems How creator programs contribute to measurable revenue outcomes Connect with the Guest: Frank's LinkedIn - @fdudley   Connect with Brit Starr & CreatorIQ: Brit's LinkedIn - @britmccorquodale CreatorIQ LinkedIn - @creatoriq Follow us on social: CreatorIQ YouTube - @CreatorIQOfficial CreatorIQ Instagram - @creatoriq CreatorIQ TikTok - @creator.iq CreatorIQ Twitter - @CreatorIQ

In this episode of Earned, CreatorIQ CMO Brit Starr sits down with Gracie Schram, Head of Strategic Initiatives for Creators at Epidemic Sound, live from Dubai during the 1 Billion Followers Summit. Gracie brings a rare, dual perspective to the conversation, shaped by nearly 15 years in the music industry as a recording artist and her current role helping creators and brands harness the power of sound at scale. Together, Brit and Gracie explore how the creator economy has matured into the economy—and why sound is one of the most underutilized tools in modern storytelling. Gracie breaks down the concept of sonic branding, explaining how music shapes emotion, identity, and audience retention across platforms, from YouTube and TikTok to Netflix and global brand campaigns. She also demystifies Epidemic Sound's unique model, where music is fully licensed to travel anywhere without risk, enabling creators to scale without friction. The conversation dives into how creators can think more intentionally about sound design, the difference between viral sound and intentional scoring, and why emotional resonance matters just as much in educational content as cinematic storytelling. Brit and Gracie also discuss the growing overlap between brands and creators, the role of data and AI in music discovery, and why global creator communities—far beyond the U.S.—are shaping what comes next. In this episode, you'll learn: Why sound is a core part of creator branding, not an afterthought How sonic consistency drives emotional retention and recall with the audience What creators often miss about music licensing and long-term scale   Connect with the Guest: Gracie's LinkedIn - @gracieschram   Connect with Brit Starr & CreatorIQ: Brit's LinkedIn - @britmccorquodale CreatorIQ LinkedIn - @creatoriq Follow us on social: CreatorIQ YouTube - @CreatorIQOfficial CreatorIQ Instagram - @creatoriq CreatorIQ TikTok - @creator.iq CreatorIQ Twitter - @CreatorIQ

In this episode of Earned, CreatorIQ CMO Brit Starr sits down with Sam Clanon, Director of Product, Create at LinkedIn, live from Dubai during the Billion Follower Summit, to explore how today's platforms can better serve creators, professionals, and businesses alike. Sam reflects on his career shaping content ecosystems at TikTok and Snapchat before stepping into LinkedIn's uniquely complex mandate: designing tools that help people translate content into real economic opportunity—not just attention. At the heart of the conversation is LinkedIn's philosophy of "Create," not "Creator." Sam breaks down the three major forces defining creation on the platform today: people creating content in service of their careers, professional creators building media businesses, and brands behaving as creators in a world where distribution is a prerequisite for growth. Together, Brit and Sam unpack why LinkedIn prioritizes credibility over clout, rewarding perspective, experience, and specificity rather than purely viral engagement. The episode also dives into how LinkedIn thinks about content distribution, the balance between personal and professional expression, and why impressions alone are often the wrong metric. For many creators and founders, Sam argues, success may come down to a single meaningful message—from the right customer, investor, or employer. Brit and Sam discuss the challenges of building for such a wide range of use cases, the importance of avoiding survivorship bias in product decisions, and how better analytics and clearer feedback loops can help creators define what "performance" actually means for them. In this episode, you'll learn: How LinkedIn is evolving to support diverse creators. The shift from virality to credibility in content strategy. Why personalization drives real professional connections on LinkedIn.   Connect with the Guest: Sam's LinkedIn - @samclanon   Connect with Brit Starr & CreatorIQ: Brit's LinkedIn - @britmccorquodale CreatorIQ LinkedIn - @creatoriq Follow us on social: CreatorIQ YouTube - @CreatorIQOfficial CreatorIQ Instagram - @creatoriq CreatorIQ TikTok - @creator.iq CreatorIQ Twitter - @CreatorIQ

In this episode of Earned, CreatorIQ CMO Brit Starr sits down with Jenna Habayeb, President of Posh Peanut and four-time CMO (formerly of IPSY and Ruggable), to unpack how community, speed, and product obsession power sustainable brand growth. Jenna shares Posh Peanut's origin story—founded by Fiona on Etsy—and how the brand differentiated itself in kids apparel through buttery-soft viscose bamboo fabric, bold maximalist designs, and a founder-led commitment to listening closely to customers. At the center of the conversation is retention. Jenna explains how Posh Peanut's exceptional repeat purchase rates are fueled by both product quality and a highly engaged VIP Facebook community of nearly 250,000 members. This community plays an active role in shaping the business—providing real-time feedback, influencing product decisions, and getting early access to launches. Brit and Jenna dive into Posh Peanut's fast-paced drop model, from weekly collections to daily drops during key moments like Black Friday and "Poshmas," and how scarcity and newness keep customers coming back. Jenna also reflects on her transition from CMO to President, why brand and performance must work together, and how creators drive a full-funnel flywheel—from ambassador content to paid amplification and organic celebrity momentum. Looking ahead, Jenna shares the key questions brands should be asking as they scale: balancing acquisition and retention, evolving distribution, and defining the right role for AI in the business. In this episode, you'll learn: How community engagement fuels retention and product demand. The importance of hands-on founders in sustaining momentum and trust as brands scale. Why weekly drops and creator moments keep customers coming back. Connect with the Guest: Jenna's LinkedIn - @jennahabayeb   Connect with Brit Starr & CreatorIQ: Brit's LinkedIn - @britmccorquodale CreatorIQ LinkedIn - @creatoriq Follow us on social: CreatorIQ YouTube - @CreatorIQOfficial CreatorIQ Instagram - @creatoriq CreatorIQ TikTok - @creator.iq CreatorIQ Twitter - @CreatorIQ

As 2025 comes to a close, Alex Rawitz—CreatorIQ's Director of Research & Insights—hosts the final How to Build Brands and Influence People: Live of the year with a special crossover guest: Brit Starr, CreatorIQ's Chief Marketing Officer and host of the Earned podcast. Together, they unpack the biggest creator marketing shifts of 2025 and lay out what brands should prepare for in 2026. Brit names 2025 the year the creator economy became inevitable—an inflection point where creators moved from "nice to have" to a true business imperative. They dig into the data behind that momentum, including a major budget realignment: creator marketing investment surged, with significant net-new budget coming from traditional and paid advertising. The takeaway is clear—creators didn't just stay relevant; they took a bigger share of center stage. From there, the conversation turns to brand safety—why it became a top priority for enterprise brands and agencies, and how safety and suitability now go beyond binary "safe/not safe" decisions into nuanced, values-based alignment. Alex and Brit also explore the evolving role of AI in creator marketing, where adoption is growing but audiences (and creators) are signaling a renewed preference for human-led authenticity. Finally, they look at the platform landscape heading into 2026—why YouTube may be poised for a breakout year, how LinkedIn is evolving into a true creator platform, and why multi-platform strategy and tighter community-building will define what's next. In this episode, you'll learn: How creator marketing matured in 2025 and what that means for budget and planning decisions in 2026. Why brand safety and suitability are now prerequisites for scaling creator programs. Where AI supports creator programs and where human judgment still matters most. Connect with the Guest Host: Alex's LinkedIn - @alex-rawitz-1a8353b2   Connect with Brit Starr & CreatorIQ: Brit's LinkedIn - @britmccorquodale CreatorIQ LinkedIn - @creatoriq Follow us on social: CreatorIQ YouTube - @CreatorIQOfficial CreatorIQ Instagram - @creatoriq CreatorIQ TikTok - @creator.iq CreatorIQ Twitter - @CreatorIQ