Building Brand Advocacy

In this week's episode of Building Brand Advocacy, Samantha Critchell, VP of Corporate Communications at e.l.f Beauty, explores how e.l.f built a zero-distance community by blurring the line between employee passion and consumer co-creation. We also unpick how generosity, cultural alignment, and asking consumers what they actually want transforms advocates into brand co-creators, and why straying from your core values is where advocacy collapses.In this episode, we cover:How e.l.f's zero-distance community model blurs boundaries between brand and consumers Why employee passion and internal alignment fuels external advocacyThe importance of consumer co-creation & digital communityUsing purpose, values, and generosity as advocacy currency How to adapt with consumers without sacrificing authenticityChapters00:00 Introduction To Samantha01:20 e.l.f.’s Zero Distance Philosophy03:34 Hiring For e.l.f Culture05:24 Values, Cost, Quality, And Speed07:00 The Significance Of Superfans And Co Creation10:41 The New Age Of Social Content As Conversation14:31 The Purpose Led Advocacy Flywheel18:30 Zero Distance In Practice24:27 How Generosity Fuels Word Of Mouth28:07 Unexpected Community Activations29:22 Cannes Goals And Wrap Up🔔 New episodes every Wednesday — subscribe so you never miss an episode.FOLLOW SAMANTHASamantha Critchell: https://www.linkedin.com/in/samantha-melissa-critchell1016/e.l.f Beauty: https://www.instagram.com/elfcosmeticsuk/FOLLOW USSubscribe: www.youtube.com/@buildingbrandadvocacyInstagram: www.instagram.com/building_brand_advocacyTikTok: www.tiktok.com/@building.brand.advocacyVerity: www.linkedin.com/in/verityhurd/

In this week's episode of Building Brand Advocacy, Lindsey Gamble, creator economy strategist at IZEA,  unpacks the latest creator economy shifts, from B2B vs B2C creator strategy to behavioural psychology, and the value of content creators in the modern industry.We also delve into which brands are winning at advocacy right now, how to turn consumers into advocates, and the impact of showing up in AI-powered search.In this episode, we cover:The creator economy landscape; key trends, creator value, and why popularity is surgingB2B vs B2C creator strategyHow brands connect with consumers vs creatorsThe state of brand advocacy, who's doing it right, and how to earn itShowing up in AI-powered searchChapters00:00 Welcome to Cannes Lions02:38 Top Creator Trends05:30 B2B vs B2C Creators Explained11:21 Creator Tiers and Trust14:14 Everyone Is a Creator17:12 The Current State of Advocacy22:18 Earning Brand Love26:20 How AI Search Will Impact🔔 New episodes every Wednesday — subscribe so you never miss an episode.FOLLOW LINDSEYLindsey Gamble: https://www.instagram.com/lindseygamble_/?hl=en-gbFOLLOW USSubscribe: www.youtube.com/@buildingbrandadvocacyInstagram: www.instagram.com/building_brand_advocacyTikTok: www.tiktok.com/@building.brand.advocacy

In this week's episode of Building Brand Advocacy, Camilla Craven, former Global Brand & Marketing Director at FaceGym and now Fractional CMO & Consultant to multiple beauty brands, unpacks why advocacy is becoming the backbone of modern marketing strategy, from the operational realities of building community to the rise of employee-generated content and AI's growing role. We also dig into why the best marketing leaders aren't just measuring advocacy, they're listening.In this episode, we cover:Advocacy's place in modern marketing and why it's no longer a nice-to-haveCommunity, influencers, and the power of actually listeningTuning out industry noise to focus on what genuinely makes impactOperational struggles, team structures, and the rise of employee-generated contentAI's growing role in how brands build and scale advocacyChapters00:00 Welcome Back Camilla02:45 Advocacy Over Performance10:20 What To Believe When Everyone’s an Expert16:28 Fractional CMO Patterns20:10 Tools, Data, and Adoption21:57 The importance Of Listening First23:41 Measuring Advocacy Impact25:30 Influencer Performance Nuance27:07 Future Generations and The Social Media Ban28:29 Martha Stewart MAC Campaign33:39 The Rise In Employee Generated Content (ECG)39:39 AI Tool Consolidation43:14 Who Does Advocacy Best?44:41 TikTok Shop Brand Dilution49:56 Cringe or Community Game51:39 Wrap Up🔔 New episodes every Wednesday — subscribe so you never miss an episode.FOLLOW CAMILLACamilla Craven: https://www.instagram.com/camillablyss/FOLLOW USSubscribe: www.youtube.com/@buildingbrandadvocacyInstagram: www.instagram.com/building_brand_advocacyTikTok: www.tiktok.com/@building.brand.advocacyVerity: www.linkedin.com/in/verityhurd/

In this week's episode of Building Brand Advocacy, Verity sits down with Georgie Fox, Head of Brand at LOOKFANTASTIC, to dissect what it actually takes to rebuild a brand's foundation from the inside out, and how community became their sharpest growth lever.This episode covers the brand-partnership relationship, why consumer connection has to run deeper than product, and how brands can fill the gap left by traditional media. Georgie shares the internal culture shifts that made it possible, LOOKFANTASTIC’s anti-gatekeeping approach to knowledge, and the "sausage machine" analogy that redefines what good marketing looks like.  In this episode, we cover:Rebuilding LOOKFANTASTIC's brand foundation, closing the business-social understanding gap, and why consumer connection must run deeper than productHow brands can fill the void left by traditional media and publishing, using community as the gateway through accessWhat good marketing actually looks like and how to measure it effectively using the "sausage machine" analogy Building a fuelled 360 creator and affiliate strategy, from nurturing genuine partnership relationships to scaling the brand x partner modelAnti-gatekeeping as strategy, making employee content creation part of the role and earning real buy-in across the businessChapters00:00 Welcome and Guest Intro05:47 The Home of Iconic Beauty09:09 Building Brand Foundations16:29 Proving Brand Impact21:45 Anti Gatekeeping Strategy27:30 Creators and LOOKFANTASTIC’s Aspiration Balance29:43 Influencer Strategy Origins31:31 From Funnel To Flywheel37:29 Reddit And Authenticity41:12 Molly Mae’s Evolution42:51 Ambassadors Within The Community53:04 The Future Of Brand Marketing54:58 Cringe Or Community Quickfire56:01 Wrap Up🔔 New episodes every Wednesday — subscribe so you never miss an episode.FOLLOW LOOKFANTASTICLOOKFANTASTIC: https://www.instagram.com/lookfantastic/TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@lookfantastic?lang=enFOLLOW USSubscribe: www.youtube.com/@buildingbrandadvocacyInstagram: www.instagram.com/building_brand_advocacyTikTok: www.tiktok.com/@building.brand.advocacyVerity: www.linkedin.com/in/verityhurd/

In this week's episode of Building Brand Advocacy, Beth & Michael, founders of Slice social media agency, break down their 5-Step Social Strategy: Discovery, Storytelling, Challenge, Problem-Tension-Goal, and Solution. Plus, why the "Fast & Slow" approach to social is the framework that separates brands that win from brands that just post.This is an episode designed to give you direction in social media, to integrate a purpose into your posting and work strategically to reach your end objective. In this episode, we cover:00:00 Introduction 05:15 The 5-Step Social Media Strategy06:45 Step 1: Discovery20:06 Step 2: Storytelling through strategy 29:24 Step 3: The Challenge33:39 Step 4: Problem, Tension, Goal 34:50 Step 5: Solution 44:17 The Fast & Slow Approach To Social 🔔 New episodes every Wednesday — subscribe so you never miss an episode.CONNECT WITH BETH & MICHAELBeth: https://www.linkedin.com/in/betheleanorthomas/Michael: https://www.linkedin.com/in/michaelrichardcorcoran/Slice Social: https://www.slice-social.com/FOLLOW USSubscribe: www.youtube.com/@buildingbrandadvocacyInstagram: www.instagram.com/building_brand_advocacyTikTok: www.tiktok.com/@building.brand.advocacyPaul: TikTok: ⁠www.tiktok.com/@building.brand.advocacy⁠Verity: www.linkedin.com/in/verityhurd/