Define your objective before you start Influencer gifting campaigns are often one of the first steps brands take into creator marketing. But while sending product to creators is easy, running a campaign that actually delivers results requires a clear strategy.
Not all gifting campaigns are the same. Some brands are looking for reach and awareness. Others want high-quality content they can reuse across ads and marketing channels. Some are launching a new product and want a strong initial burst of visibility. Others are focused on building a steady stream of content over time.
Knowing what you want to achieve shapes everything that follows — from the creators you choose to the way you structure the campaign.
Choose creators based on alignment, not just reach Once your objective is clear, the next step is selecting the right creators.
This isn’t just about follower count. It’s about alignment.
Brands should look for creators whose audience matches their target customer and whose content style fits their brand. A creator’s tone, aesthetic and storytelling approach all influence how a product will be presented.
Diversity also matters. The most effective campaigns include a mix of creators — different audiences, different styles, different perspectives. This creates a broader and more authentic representation of the brand.
When reaching out to creators, personalisation makes a difference. Generic outreach gets ignored. The strongest campaigns come from brands that take the time to connect with creators in a way that reflects their content and style.
At the same time, over-briefing can reduce the effectiveness of a campaign. One of the biggest advantages of gifting and creator collaborations is authenticity. Creators know their audience. Giving them space to interpret a product in their own way usually results in more engaging content than heavily controlled briefs.
Build gifting into an ongoing strategy, not a one-off campaign The most successful brands treat gifting as an ongoing strategy — not a one-off campaign.
Instead of running a single burst, they run campaigns regularly. This creates a consistent flow of content and keeps the brand visible across different audiences over time.
Many brands also combine different types of gifting. PR-style gifting can generate volume and reach, while more targeted, higher-value collaborations can produce content that is better suited for ads and brand assets. Together, this creates a balanced content mix.
Across industries, there are strong examples of this approach in action.
Life of Colour regularly partners with multiple creators, tailoring outreach to each creator’s style and producing a diverse range of content that works across both organic and paid channels.
Hommey has successfully gifted the same product to a cohort of mid-sized creators, generating both strong reach and a consistent set of usable content assets.
NGV has used gifting to drive targeted awareness by partnering with local creators aligned with art and culture, ensuring the right audiences are reached.
Grill’d has focused on reach and variety, working with a wide mix of creators to connect with a broad audience.
Platforms like #gifted make this process easier to manage. By structuring campaigns and allowing brands to match with creators who opt in, #gifted helps streamline the entire workflow — from outreach to collaboration to content management.
The result is a more efficient way to run influencer gifting campaigns that deliver both reach and content — without the chaos of manual processes.
