Too many influencer campaigns feel like random acts of marketing. They rack up views and likes, but don’t drive sales, signups, or brand loyalty. At the end of the day, engagement means nothing if you’re attracting the wrong audience.
Effective influencer marketing is creative, yes. However, it’s also designed to achieve a specific outcome. Whether that’s conversions, awareness, or positioning, the goal should shape the strategy, not the other way around.
In this article, we’ve pulled together eight standout influencer campaigns across B2C and B2B that prove creativity and performance don’t have to be at odds. Each one includes the platform, format, audience fit, and business results — so you can walk away with practical ideas for your next campaign.
8 Creative Influencer Marketing Examples to Learn From
Working with influencers? Here are eight creative influencer marketing examples to inspire your next campaign.
1. Daniel Wellington
What the campaign is about: Daniel Wellington, a Swedish wristwatch brand, collaborated with micro and nano-influencers in the fashion and style niche to promote its wristwatches. The influencers created short, UGC videos that were posted on the brand’s page. The brand also tagged them in the captions to drive traction to their accounts.
Platform: Instagram
Why it worked: The campaign was successful because Daniel Wellington leveraged the high trust and engagement that micro-influencers typically have, as opposed to popular influencers who may have a less engaged audience.
Results: Daniel Wellington received the most influencer mentions on Instagram (20,000+ mentions from 7200 influencers), ahead of bigger brands like Nike and Sephora. It also:
Became one of the most recognized watch brands on Instagram.
Grew from $15k startup to $200+ million in revenue within 4 years.
Maintained low marketing overhead thanks to gifting and commission-based partnerships.
Takeaway: Mass micro-influencer marketing can outperform big-name partnerships when executed consistently and with clear branding.
2. Chipotle
Platform: TikTok
What the campaign is about: To celebrate National Avocado Day, Chipotle launched the #GuacDance Challenge on TikTok, encouraging users to post videos of themselves dancing to a quirky, upbeat song about guacamole.
The campaign was a mix of influencer seeding and user-generated content (UGC). Chipotle partnered with popular TikTok creators to start the trend and relied on regular users to join in and spread it.
At the heart of the campaign was a limited-time offer: free guac with digital orders, which gave the campaign a real-world incentive. The challenge was designed to be playful and low-barrier. Anyone could participate by simply dancing in front of their phone.
Why it worked: Here are two reasons why the guac challenge generated outstanding results:
Influencer-led momentum: Starting the trend with popular TikTokers (Like Brent Rivera) gave it immediate reach and credibility.
Clear CTA + reward: The offer of free guac tied the fun online action to real-world behavior.
Results: The Guac Challenge was TikTok’s highest-performing branded challenge in the U.S in 2019. It also translated into business results like a 68% increase in avocado usage due to customer demand.
Takeaway: Tie your influencer campaigns to real-world benefits to drive organic traction and participation.
3. HelloFresh
Platform: TV and YouTube
What the campaign is about: HelloFresh launched a reality TV-style digital series called “Refresh with HelloFresh,” hosted by UK television personality Davina McCall.
‘Refresh with HelloFresh’ wasn’t your typical sponsored content drop. It was structured like a mini reality show, complete with weekly tasks, high stakes, and personal storytelling. For 21 days, 15 UK-based influencers learned how to create healthy meals from scratch and change their lifestyles.
Why it worked: The 'Refresh with HelloFresh' campaign was successful because it was structured like a reality TV show. Each week, participants took on challenges that required them to cook HelloFresh meals while managing time, stress, and personal goals.
The format gave audiences a compelling reason to keep watching — not just to see what recipe was featured, but to follow the transformation of the creators themselves.
Results: The campaign generated 5.5 million organic post impressions on social media and resulted in 461 influencer posts. Also, 20% of the influencers’ followers mentioned HelloFresh on Instagram.
Takeaway: Step outside the traditional ad format and create influencer campaigns that build emotional connection.
4. Goldcast
Platform: LinkedIn
What the campaign was about: To promote its AI capabilities, Goldcast partnered with well-known B2B marketers and creators who already had strong followings within Goldcast’s ideal customer profile (ICP): event marketers, demand gen leads, and GTM teams. Instead of forcing a rigid script, Goldcast lets each creator bring their own voice and humor to the content.
To promote Goldcast AI, the company partnered with B2B leaders who already have a huge following and align with their ICP. Each one created slightly humorous videos, aligned with their style and audience, to promote the AI.
Why it worked: Here are three reasons why this campaign was successful:
Authenticity: Each post felt native to the creator’s usual content style — no forced messaging.
Humor: The funny, self-aware tone cut through typical B2B noise and made the product memorable.
Audience alignment: These creators already had trust with the exact people Goldcast wanted to reach, so the message landed with more weight.
Key takeaway: Influencer marketing in B2B works best when it doesn’t feel like marketing. Let creators lead with their own voice and humor, and your product becomes a natural part of the story, not a forced sales pitch.
5. Levi
What the campaign was about: In a bold homage to its own legacy, Levi’s partnered with Beyoncé to co-create a modern retelling of the iconic 1985 “Launderette” commercial, originally made famous by a young man stripping down to his boxers to wash his Levi’s 501s.
In this updated version of the ad, Beyoncé turns the original idea on its head. Instead of being a background character or just watching things happen, she’s the main focus. Wearing custom Levi’s denim, she walks into the laundromat with confidence and style, completely owning the space.
The scene, which originally played into outdated, male-centered ideas of sex appeal, now feels bold, modern, and in Beyoncé’s control. The visuals are clean, stylish, and carefully designed to blend Levi’s classic heritage with Beyoncé’s powerful presence.
Why it worked: Here’s why this influencer campaign received positive attention:
Beyoncé’s status elevated the campaign far beyond fashion. It became a cultural moment. It let style, symbolism, and Beyoncé’s presence do the heavy lifting to connect and leave an impression on the audience’s mind.
The campaign dropped just as Beyoncé’s Cowboy Carter album was making waves — an album rooted in reclaiming and redefining American culture through a Southern, Black, and genre-bending lens.
The Levi’s ad, featuring cowboy hats, denim, and a modern take on an Americana classic, fit seamlessly into that narrative and felt like a continuation of the album’s themes. It aligned with the Cowboy Carter aesthetic and message, tapping into a cultural conversation already in motion.
Takeaway: Timing is everything. The most impactful campaigns don’t just follow trends aligned with cultural moments that amplify their message. When your brand taps into the right conversation at the right time, you don’t have to fight for attention. Instead, you ride the wave.
What are the types of influencer marketing campaigns?
There are many ways to work with an influencer depending on your goals, budget, and audience. Here are the most common types of influencer marketing campaigns.
Meaning
Best For
Sponsored content
The influencer creates and shares content promoting your product or service, like a post, Story, Reel, or video.
Brand awareness and reach
Product gifting
You send the influencer free products in exchange for a potential post. There’s no guaranteed content, but it works well with nano- and micro-influencers.
Cost-effective exposure, early-stage campaigns
Affiliate marketing
Influencers earn a commission for every sale made through their unique referral link or code.
Driving conversions and leads
Giveaways and contests
You partner with influencers to run a giveaway for their audience. This can grow your following and generate buzz.
Audience growth, engagement, and lead generation
Brand ambassadorship
Longer-term partnerships where influencers consistently promote your brand over time, becoming a trusted face for your product.
Loyalty, brand trust and growing visibility
Unboxing and product reviews
The influencer shares their first impressions or reviews your product on video or Stories.
Building trust and showcasing product features
What is the scope of work for influencers?
On the surface, it might seem like an influencer’s job is just to post a video or Instagram Story — but so much more happens behind the scenes.
Their scope of work often includes:
Content planning: The influencer reviews the brief and makes sure your brand messaging aligns with their voice and audience’s expectations. Then, they brainstorm creative angles and storytelling formats to bring your vision to life.
Scripting and storyboarding: The influencer creates the video script and storyboard, and shares them with your team for review. In some cases, they're in charge of finding the right location, props, and equipment for the shoot.
Content creation: This is the influencer’s core responsibility. They will shoot the video, edit it, and incorporate your brand elements in a way that doesn't make the content inauthentic or suppress their voice.
Content publishing and promotion: Depending on the arrangement, the influencer might post the video on their social media channel or share it with your brand for your team to do the posting.
If it's the former, they'll be in charge of publishing the video during the hours when their audience is most active. That way, they can reach more people. They'll respond to comments and answer questions from followers, so the content gets a lot of organic interactions.
Reporting and analytics: After the campaign, the influencer will submit a performance report highlighting video metrics like views, reach, engagement, clicks, and any other success metrics. This helps you to score the campaign’s effectiveness and whether or not it achieved your marketing goals.
How do you choose the right influencer to work with?
Just because an influencer has thousands of followers doesn't mean they'll be a good fit for your brand. The right influencer-brand match comes from:
1. Audience relevance
Look for influencers whose audience closely matches your target demographic in terms of age, interests, location, and buying habits. That way, you're sure that you're putting your brand or product in front of the right people.
For example, let's say you sell CRM software. In that case, the right influencer for your brand is likely to be someone with an audience of salespeople.
2. Content-Brand Fit
The influencer’s content and style should naturally align with how you want your brand to be presented. Otherwise, there will be a fundamental mismatch that hurts both your brand and the influencer’s credibility.
For best results, look for influencers whose tone, values, and creative style mirror the vibe you want to convey. That way, your product feels like a natural part of their story.
For example, a brand like Ryan Air or Duolingo can collaborate with influencers who have a playful, sarcastic, or meme-driven content style. These brands thrive on humor and internet culture, so partnering with creators who lean into Gen Z humor, TikTok trends, and unapologetically bold takes would feel natural and on-brand.
3. Authenticity and trust
Look for influencers who are selective with the brands they work with. It's a sign that they've built trust with their audience, and wouldn't take on random gigs for a paycheck.
When an influencer only says yes to brands they truly believe in, their audience takes notice. So if they choose to work with you, it sends a strong signal that your product must be genuinely valuable.
In other words, you benefit from their reach and credibility, which drive meaningful influence and results.
4. Engagement rate
An influencer with 10,000 followers and a 7% engagement rate may be more impactful than one with 100,000 followers and a 0.5% engagement rate.
A high follower count looks impressive, but the engagement rate tells you whether anyone’s listening. Likes, comments, shares, saves, and replies signal that the influencer’s content resonates with their audience and sparks real interaction.
5. Platform Strength
Select influencers who are strong on the platforms your target audience actually uses, so you can reach the right people with your content. For instance, TikTok is great for Gen Z, while Instagram works well for lifestyle products, and LinkedIn is ideal for B2B brands.
Got more questions about influencer marketing? You'll find some helpful answers below.
Influencer marketing examples FAQs
How much do influencer collaborations cost?
Influencer collaborations can cost as much as $45,000 per post, depending on the influencer’s audience, platform, and collaboration duration. For example, sponsored TikTok videos cost $2700, on average, while YouTube partnerships with a nano influencer (less than 15,000 subscribers) cost between $1000 and $2500.
How do you measure influencer marketing success?
To measure influencer marketing success, you need to consider how well it accomplished the set goal for your campaign. Say your goal was to increase brand awareness. In that case, use these benchmarks to measure success:
Branded search volume
Share of voice
Content reach and engagement
Website referral traffic
What platforms work best for influencer campaigns?
Social media platforms like TikTok, LinkedIn, and Instagram work best for influencer campaigns because they offer built-in audiences, high engagement potential, and content formats tailored to authentic, creator-driven storytelling.
These platforms also give brands measurable insights, like reach, engagement, and follower growth, so that it is easier to track campaign impact.
How do you approach an influencer for collaboration?
Here's how to approach an influencer for a collaboration and boost your chances of getting a yes:
Research their audience and niche to make sure it's a good fit for your brand.
Personalize your outreach and show that you admire their work genuinely.
Share the basic campaign details (like timeline and goals) upfront.
Be clear on what they will gain from collaborating with your brand.
Make your message easy to respond to. Keep it short, polite and simple.
