Brands Moving away from Traditional Influencer Strategies
--> Performance, Performance, Performance
Welcome back to Sell! Sell! Sell! 🛍️
This week is all about one thing: performance.
Influencer Marketing has moved from spray and pray to show me the ROI. Brands want clarity—who’s driving real results, and why? And this week’s headlines prove that shift is in full swing.
Quick ask while I’ve got you: as we build tools to help brands get smarter about influencer spend, we’ve been hearing clear patterns around what’s working (and what’s not) in influencer marketing.
If you’re up for a 15-minute chat, we’d love to include your insights in our upcoming report. Click here to find a time!
Now, let’s dive in.
🚨 This Week’s Headlines
(July 29th)
🌏 Affiliate marketing takes over Southeast Asia
According to a new report, 80% of influencer marketers in Southeast Asia now rely on affiliate-based models—and it’s working. Brands in beauty, fashion, and even electronics are using TikTok and Instagram creators not just for reach, but performance-based sales.
As the US still debates influencer value, SEA is already doing a good job measuring it.
🏭 Inside TikTok Shop’s 12,000 sq ft content factory
Outlandish has built a live selling warehouse in L.A.—16 full-time studios, 70+ creators on-site, and brand partnerships with Crocs, Chemical Guys, and more. It’s TikTok Shop at industrial scale, where creators clock in and brands treat livestreaming like paid media.
This is the most literal version yet of what it looks like to “operationalize” social commerce. Content isn’t just king—it’s now running on a shift schedule.
📦 eBay Live goes all-in on collectors
eBay’s live-streaming strategy is all-in on passion-led verticals. From sports cards to comics, it’s building a live shopping experience for fandoms that buy with purpose—where people show up to win, not just browse.
As platforms compete to lock in the top hosts and most loyal audiences, the live shopping wars are heating up—and eBay is betting on depth over breadth.
📊 What creators (and brands) really care about now
Mashable pulled together the creator metrics that actually matter in 2025—and no, it’s not just follower count. Think: save rate, view-through rate, conversion %, and outbound clicks.
As marketers get more ROI-driven, the “vanity metrics” era is fading. Creators and brands who understand performance data will lead the next phase of the creator economy.
🎤 Seller Spotlight
Christos Garkinos turned Instagram Lives into a $200M+ resale and beauty empire
Primary Channel | Top Brands / Items | Hook |
Instagram Live | Luxury resale (handbags, fashion), skincare, beauty | High-energy livestreams + trust-based community connection |
In 2020, fashion insider Christos Garkinos went live on Instagram during lockdown—just to connect with shoppers. Five years later, he’s built a luxury resale and beauty commerce engine that’s moved over $200 million in product, with livestreams regularly pulling in $10K–$15K per hour.
Best known for co-founding Decades and starring in Bravo’s Dukes of Melrose, Garkinos’ comeback story now includes a full live selling operation. With beauty editor Kelly Atterton at his side, he’s expanded into skincare and cosmetics—hosting hours-long shows that blend product demos, founder interviews, and community hype. One stream with Dr. Diamond generated a whopping $200K!
Now with a seven-person host team, a new shopping app launching this fall, and home goods on the horizon, Christos calls it the “Netflix of shopping.” But it’s more than content—it’s commerce powered by connection.
🔭 Trend Watch
Performance or Brand? Smart teams pick one—then measure it accordingly.
I had a great call with a beauty retailer last week, and their influencer strategy boiled down to one smart distinction:
They separate creators into two clear buckets:
Brand Building
Performance
Brand Building is all about vibe: aesthetic, tone, alignment with values, earned media. Metrics include EMV, sentiment, and story resonance.
Performance, on the other hand, is cold-blooded commerce: clicks, conversions, sales volume. No fluff. Just receipts.
Why it matters: When influencer campaigns fall flat, it’s often because brands mix the two—or try to expect both. But the smartest teams don’t. They define the objective up front, pick the right creators for that lane, and measure success accordingly.
And that’s the thread tying this whole week together—from Southeast Asia’s affiliate shift, to TikTok Shop content factories, to creators obsessing over CTRs.
2025’s best-performing brands? The ones that know exactly what they’re measuring—and why.
See you next week. In the meantime, Sell! Sell! Sell! 🫡