Creators as Commerce

Influencers Are Now the Point of Sale

For years, influencers were seen as brand amplifiers—broad reach, aesthetic alignment, maybe a swipe-up link for good measure. But that model has evolved. Maybe obvious to you, but old dawgs are learning new tricks. Today’s consumer shopper journey doesn’t stop at just inspiration. It clicks right into transaction—and creators are snake oil salespeople with real products and real savvy.

As Inmar’s Ranjana Choudhry recently put it (Adweek: https://www.adweek.com/brand-marketing/why-retail-media-needs-creators-who-convert/): “Creators are not just brand amplifiers anymore. They are the final point of sale.” And, that line hits because in today’s commerce environment, the influencer isn’t just a spark—they’re the virtual shelf, product demo, and floor salesperson.

Content is Commerce

Consumers don’t make decisions in clean funnels anymore. They see something once, twice, maybe three times on social by the time they hit that Buy Now button—often without ever stepping foot on a dot com, or going to Amazon, or venturing out to the mall or store. Remember the sore? Anyway, my point is the content is the commerce. And the creator? They’re they’re closing the sale.

This new reality demands more rigor, more measurement.

At Public Label, we’ve long believed in creator-led commerce—but we’re seeing the best brands evolve beyond vanity metrics and gut checks. They’re asking:

• Did this creator drive discernable velocity?
• Can we measure incremental retail lift?
• Do their followers shop the category—or just scroll through it?

It’s Not Just Influence—It’s Impact

Creator selection today needs to blend art and science. Yes, the brand fit still matters. But so does the ability to drive behavior. Commerce creators should be fluent in product education, cultural translation, and in some cases, retailer integration.

We’ve seen beauty creators seamlessly embed add-to-cart links for Ulta and Target. We’ve seen BevAlc influencers drive pre-game purchase trips with nothing more than a well-timed post and a link to delivery provider. This is performance marketing masquerading as lifestyle content aimed at converting consumers into shoppers into buyers - in 8 seconds.

It’s emotional conversion at scale. Today’s creator is a media channel, a conversion lever, and—if chosen wisely—a sales tool. It’s time to brief them like a commerce partner. Measure them like a tactic. And respect them like a shelf.

At Public Label, we build campaigns that ignite action. Sometimes that starts with a creator. Sometimes it ends with one. Either way, we make sure it moves product—not just perceptions.

Want to find creators who can actually close the deal?
Let’s talk.