An e-commerce brand wanted to refresh its understanding of how creator content influenced discovery and purchase. As relationships between shoppers, creators and AI tools evolved, the brand needed a clearer view of what effective creator engagement should look like next.

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The Task

Plum explored both sides of this relationship: how creators approached content and brand partnerships, and how shoppers used that content when making purchase decisions. The aim was to inform future collaborations and the role of creator content on the platform.

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The Approach

We worked directly with creators across technology, beauty and fashion through 1-hour in-depth interviews. Conversations included creators affiliated with the client and those linked to competing brands, bringing different partnership experiences into the research.

These discussions explored the work behind the content: how creators engaged their audiences, what they experienced when collaborating with brands, and what they needed from effective partnerships. Their perspectives helped us understand the conditions in which creator collaborations could work for both sides.

We complemented these conversations with 1.5-hour Super Consumer Salons involving category-intense shoppers. These sessions examined how creator content shaped brand perceptions and influenced the journey from discovery to purchase.

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The Outcome

We translated creator and shopper perspectives into a strategic roadmap for future creator collaborations and onsite content integration. The findings identified emerging patterns of influence, evolving shopper mindsets and clear priorities for the brand’s engagement with creators.

We also presented the findings at the brand’s creator event, bringing the research directly into its conversation with the creator community. Our involvement extended from working with creators during the study to sharing what the combined creator and shopper perspectives meant for future partnerships.

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