The two layer approach: the future of influencer and creator marketing
Imagine launching a brand and media campaign that doesn’t just grab attention but dominates conversations, flooding social feeds with authentic, high-performing content.
That’s the power of the two-layer approach, a strategy we’ve pioneered that integrates influencer-generated content (IGC) with creator-generated content (CGC) to maximize impact across both organic and paid channels.
This new model blends authenticity and reach with precision and performance. We’ve successfully implemented it for major brands like Logitech’s Ultimate Ears, Medela, and Foot Locker, proving that when executed correctly, influencer and creator content together can deliver unmatched engagement and ROI.
Understanding the two-layer approach
Layer 1: Influencer-generated content (IGC)
This layer leverages influencers’ organic reach and credibility. By collaborating with influencers who align with your brand’s ethos, you tap into their trust and authenticity, leading to deeper audience engagement. Influencers create organic posts that feel genuine, helping to build brand affinity.
Layer 2: Creator-generated content (CGC)
While influencers drive reach, content creators drive conversion. This second layer ensures that we not only leverage the influencer’s community but also use optimised assets in performance marketing campaigns. CGC is designed to be platform-native, adaptable, and scalable—making it a key driver in conversions and brand storytelling.
Why this works as a brand and media strategy
- Authenticity meets performance: influencers create authentic content that resonates with their audience while creators produce strategic assets that fuel brand-owned and paid channels.
- Higher engagement: IGC often sees 3x higher engagement rates compared to traditional brand-created content.
- Cost efficiency: influencer content lowers the cost per acquisition (CPA) by up to 30%, making it a budget-friendly strategy with high ROI. On top of that, CGC is a cost-efficient way to produce platform-native content, including the rights for paid media usage. Influencer buyouts are generally more expensive.
- Cross-platform reach: with creators producing assets for Instagram, TikTok, YouTube, and Meta ads, you can ensure consistent messaging across multiple channels. Plus, your brand messaging is more exact since creators aren’t creating content for their personal channels.
Case study: Ultimate Ears x DEPT®
For the Ultimate Ears EVERBOOM launch, we executed the two-layer approach to drive both awareness and conversions. Here’s how:
Influencer layer: We partnered with five lifestyle influencers across the US and UK to showcase EVERBOOM’s durability and superior sound quality. These influencers created organic content that blended seamlessly with their everyday lives, making the product feel aspirational yet accessible.
Creator layer: Simultaneously, seven content creators produced high-quality paid media assets. These assets were strategically used in Meta and TikTok ads, outperforming traditional branded content by more than 1,000%.
This campaign proved that leveraging influencer engagement while simultaneously scaling with creator-driven assets creates a powerful synergy that traditional influencer campaigns alone can’t achieve. With high brand recall and audience sentiment, we reinforced Ultimate Ears as a lifestyle brand beyond just tech consumers.
+162%
organic impressions against benchmark
+196%
IG view rate against benchmark
+1K%
CGC against toolkit branded assets
Case study: Foot Locker x DEPT®
During the Foot Locker holiday campaign, we wanted to position the brand as the ultimate gift destination. The two-layer approach allowed us to maximise both reach and conversions during a critical shopping period.
Influencer layer: we activated 12 influencers across France, Italy, the UK, and Spain, featuring a mix of hero, macro, mid, and nano-tier creators to ensure broad yet personal appeal. Their organic posts generated buzz around Foot Locker’s exclusive sneaker collections.
Creator layer: Eight content creators developed paid social assets, emphasising the excitement of gifting Foot Locker products. These were optimised for Meta, TikTok, and YouTube Shorts, where product-driven storytelling performed best.
By running these influencer and creator activations simultaneously, we unlocked higher reach, stronger engagement, and lower cost per engagement than traditional influencer campaigns. For Foot Locker, TikTok content drove the highest engagement, proving the platform’s dominance in influencing purchase decisions.
10.8M
total impressions (more than double the KPI)
5.6%
engagement rate
€356K
earned media value, delivering a 3.9x ROI
What’s next for the two-layer approach?
As we move into 2025 and beyond, influencer marketing is evolving fast. The future lies in:
- AI-driven content optimisation to personalise influencer and creator content in real-time.
- More integrated brand-creator collaborations, where brands co-create with influencers rather than just sponsoring content.
- Diversified platforms, including Twitch, Reddit, and LinkedIn, for niche audience engagement.
The two-layer approach is more than just a trend—it’s the next evolution in brand storytelling. If you want to drive real impact, now is the time to integrate influencers and creators into a seamless, performance-driven strategy.
