What If Live Shopping Isn’t About Selling at All?
New research suggests we might have to re-think the roles of creators
Hi friends,
This week felt like a reset moment for the creator economy, less hype, more homework.
A couple of interesting studies dropped, that all ask some version of the same question: are we actually using creators, content, and AI the right way?
The UK's IPA says brands are still treating creators like ad space. Sabre thinks chatbots might finally fix what creators couldn’t, converting inspiration into sales.
It’s a week full of data and experimentation, and a reminder that everyone’s still figuring out where humans end and where algorithms begin. But more importantly, what does it mean for us as marketers?
Let’s get into it.
(October 21st)
📉 1. IPA’s Latest Findings
“We’ve Been Using Creators Wrong This Whole Time”
At this year’s IPA Effectiveness Conference, WPP’s Jane Christian unveiled new econometric research showing that creators might be digital’s first true brand-building channel. The IPA study analyzed over 220 campaigns across £133M of creator spend, and found that while creators match TV’s short-term ROI, they deliver the highest long-term returns of any digital medium (!!!).
In other words: creators aren’t just good at selling; they’re incredible at sticking.
Released the same day, Les Binet’s new IPA report Go Big or Go Home backs that up. It found that while media ROI is technically rising, long-term profit is falling, proof that marketers are still chasing clicks over brand. Creators work best when they’re used for storytelling and long-term brand building, not just quick performance wins.
✈️ 2. Sabre
“Chat as the New Influencer”
In a new white paper, travel tech giant Sabre argues that AI-driven chat could finally make social commerce work in travel, an industry that’s long nailed inspiration but struggled with conversion. The company’s thesis: creators got people dreaming about destinations, but chatbots and AI agents will close the loop by answering questions, building trust, and completing the booking, all in one conversation. It’s less “click the link in bio” and more “book it right here.” For an industry built on storytelling and trust, AI might just be the missing travel agent.
In other news,
🎮 e.l.f. Becomes the First Beauty Brand to Test Twitch Live Shopping Ads
e.l.f. Cosmetics is officially leveling up by becoming the first beauty brand to test Twitch’s new live shopping ad format. The campaign dropped during The Sims Spark’d tournament, letting viewers watch, chat, and buy in real time. For a platform long dominated by gaming and tech brands, this marks a fascinating crossover: Gen Z’s favorite beauty brand meeting Gen Z’s favorite hangout. If it works, expect other beauty players to follow fast, Twitch’s built-in loyalty and community are a marketer’s dream.
🧠 Brand Move of the Week
Poppi “finally” joins TikTok Shop: and sets the pace for the prebiotic soda category
I say “finally” because I really don’t get the Poppi craze. Anyway, Poppi has officially launched on TikTok Shop, marking one of the first major beverage brands to enter the “better-for-you” drink space on the platform. Early performance looks strong, with creators quickly rallying behind the prebiotic soda brand and helping it dominate category visibility within days of going live.
The move fills a long-standing gap. Despite the wellness boom on TikTok, no leading prebiotic soda had yet established a presence on TikTok Shop, a delay that observers say left millions in potential GMV on the table. Now, Poppi appears positioned to own the lane if it scales fast.
TikTok Shop expert, Tyler Brechbiel highlighted three moves that could accelerate Poppi’s growth even further:
Build a Discord creator community — to coordinate content, share ideas, and run creator challenges.
Merge all flavor variations under one listing — so engagement, reviews, and sales momentum compound in TikTok’s algorithm.
Go live daily — brands that stream every day typically see 100%+ revenue lifts within the first month.
If Poppi leans into these playbooks, he estimate the brand could surpass $500K in monthly TikTok Shop sales within the next quarter, and cement its status as the category’s first real mover.
YOU get a Poppi…
@drinkpoppi everyone is leaving with a can in their hand if we have anything to do with it! 😮💨💓 #drinkpoppi #poppisoda #poppi #sodasback #spelmancoll... See more
🔭 Trend Watch
Have we been thinking about live shopping all wrong?
For years, live shopping’s been talked about like a shiny new sales lever, a (potentially) quick way to make money, move inventory, and juice the month’s GMV. But what if that’s missing the point?
The latest IPA and WARC research suggests we might be underestimating what live selling actually does or where creators are more powerful. When you strip it down, it’s not just a performance tool, it’s a brand-building engine.
Live shopping is the ultimate tool for brands to lean into creators for their human intput
Think about it: creators aren’t just reading a script. They’re shaping how people feel about a brand in real time, building trust, storytelling, answering questions, creating shared moments. It’s emotional marketing disguised as commerce.
The best live shopping brands know this. They don’t just go live to sell; they go live to connect. Every session becomes a focus group, a billboard, a TV spot, and a storefront rolled into one.
Maybe the right question isn’t “How much did we sell?” but “How much brand did we build while selling?”
If that’s true, live commerce isn’t a side channel, it might be the most complete marketing medium we have going forward.