Real-world examples of influencer marketing campaign examples that actually worked

Standout examples of influencer marketing campaign examples in 2024

When marketers ask for examples of influencer marketing campaign examples, they usually want two things: proof that this stuff works, and enough detail to actually copy the strategy. Let’s start with recent, well-documented campaigns that show how different brands approached creators, content, and measurement.

1. Dunkin’ & Charli D’Amelio: TikTok product collab that drove real sales

Dunkin’ didn’t just pay Charli D’Amelio to hold a cup and smile. They created a co-branded drink, “The Charli,” and built an integrated campaign around it:

• Platform focus: TikTok, with support on Instagram and in-app placements
• Tactic: Named drink, custom menu item, creator-led content
• Impact: Dunkin’ reported a 57% increase in app downloads on launch day and a 20% sales boost for cold brew the day after release, according to public statements in trade press.

Why this is one of the best examples: Dunkin’ aligned the product with Charli’s existing behavior (she was already known for loving Dunkin’ cold brew), then turned that into a permanent menu item. That’s a lot more persuasive than a random one-off post.

2. Gymshark’s long-term athlete program: From micro creators to a global brand

Gymshark is practically a case study factory for examples of influencer marketing campaign examples done right. Instead of chasing only mega influencers, they built a roster of “Gymshark Athletes” — mostly fitness creators with highly engaged audiences on YouTube, Instagram, and now TikTok.

Key elements:

• Long-term contracts instead of one-off posts
• Co-created workout programs, meetups, and product drops
• Heavy use of YouTube for long-form training content

According to industry estimates, Gymshark passed $1 billion in valuation in part because of this influencer-first strategy. The real lesson: treat influencers like sponsored athletes and collaborators, not just ad inventory.

3. Adobe & creators on TikTok: Turning a software brand into a social-native player

If you’re in B2B or SaaS, you might assume there aren’t many relevant examples of influencer marketing campaign examples. Adobe proves that assumption wrong.

Adobe has partnered with designers, photographers, and video editors on TikTok, Instagram, and YouTube to:

• Share editing tutorials using Photoshop, Lightroom, and Premiere Pro
• Run hashtag challenges like #MakeItWithAdobe
• Highlight creator stories tied to mental health and creativity

The strategy here is subtle: creators show how they use Adobe tools in real workflows. Adobe then amplifies those posts via paid social and creator whitelisting. It’s a textbook example of influencer marketing for a complex product: focus on outcomes, not features.

For context on how social media shapes mental health and creativity, the National Institutes of Health (NIH) has published research on social media use and psychological outcomes: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4183915/

4. #EyesLipsFace by e.l.f. Cosmetics: A TikTok sound that exploded

You can’t talk about the best examples of influencer marketing campaigns without mentioning e.l.f.’s #EyesLipsFace push on TikTok.

What they did:

• Commissioned an original song that sounded like it belonged on TikTok
• Seeded the sound with creators across beauty, comedy, and lifestyle
• Encouraged users to show makeup transformations using the track

The result: over 5 billion views on the hashtag and massive brand exposure. While not every brand can hit those numbers, the strategy is repeatable: design a concept that fits the platform’s native behavior and then use influencers to give it initial momentum.

5. Duolingo & TikTok creators: Brand personality as the “influencer”

Duolingo’s TikTok success is a slightly different example of influencer marketing. Instead of relying only on external creators, the brand turned its own mascot, Duo the owl, into a creator-style personality, then collaborated with other TikTokers.

Tactics included:

• Collabs with comedy and language-learning creators
• Duets and stitches with trending videos
• Self-aware, slightly chaotic humor that matched TikTok culture

This hybrid approach — in-house creator + external influencers — is one of the more modern examples of influencer marketing campaign examples. It shows that your brand account can behave like an influencer while still tapping external voices for reach and credibility.

For a broader look at how social media impacts learning and attention, Harvard’s Graduate School of Education has useful commentary and research summaries: https://www.gse.harvard.edu/news

6. Peloton & fitness instructors: Turning employees into influencers

Peloton’s instructors are effectively in-house influencers with personal brands, large followings, and real parasocial relationships with members.

How Peloton uses this:

• Instructors promote new classes and programs on Instagram and TikTok
• Co-branded drops (apparel, music-themed rides, and challenges)
• Live shoutouts and community-building that spill over into social media

This is a powerful example of influencer marketing that doesn’t always look like “marketing.” The instructors are employees, but fans follow them as if they were independent creators. If you have charismatic subject-matter experts in your company, this is a model worth studying.

7. Health & wellness brands partnering with evidence-focused creators

The health space is full of bad influencer marketing — but there are also solid real examples where brands partner with credentialed experts.

Examples include:

• Registered dietitians on Instagram partnering with food or supplement brands and clearly disclosing sponsorships
• Doctors on TikTok explaining how to use at-home health devices safely
• Fitness trainers collaborating with wearable tech brands to show data from real workouts

The better campaigns stick close to scientific evidence and public health guidance. For example, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) provides detailed health communication resources that brands and creators can use to align messaging with current guidance: https://www.cdc.gov/healthcommunication/index.html

If you’re in health, wellness, or anything remotely medical, build your influencer briefs around sources like CDC, NIH, or Mayo Clinic to keep claims grounded:

• CDC: https://www.cdc.gov
• Mayo Clinic: https://www.mayoclinic.org

8. LinkedIn B2B influencer plays: Executives and creators as demand drivers

B2B marketers often assume influencer marketing is just for beauty and fashion. That’s outdated. Some of the best examples include:

• SaaS companies sponsoring well-known LinkedIn creators to host live events or webinars
• Cybersecurity firms partnering with respected analysts and researchers to break down complex threats
• HR tech brands collaborating with workplace and leadership influencers to discuss culture, hiring, and retention

These campaigns rarely look like “ads.” Instead, they show up as:

• Co-authored posts and newsletters
• Live panels and virtual events
• Thought leadership videos with subtle product mentions

If you’re trying to find examples of influencer marketing campaign examples in B2B, look at how top LinkedIn creators reference tools they use daily. The best partnerships feel like genuine recommendations, not forced shoutouts.

Patterns across the best examples of influencer marketing campaign examples

Once you zoom out from the individual case studies, patterns start to appear. The best examples include a few consistent traits.

Creators are treated as partners, not ad slots

In almost every standout example of an influencer campaign, creators have input into:

• The creative concept
• The format and timing of posts
• How the product fits into their content

Dunkin’ didn’t script every frame of Charli D’Amelio’s content. Gymshark doesn’t force athletes into stiff product placements. Adobe lets creators teach in their own voice. This flexibility is a big reason these examples of influencer marketing campaign examples feel authentic instead of awkward.

The product is naturally integrated into the content

In weak campaigns, the product shows up out of nowhere. In strong ones:

• Peloton instructors talk about features while actually using the bike or app
• Beauty influencers apply e.l.f. products in real tutorials
• Fitness creators wear Gymshark gear in full workout videos

The lesson: design the campaign so the product is necessary for the content to exist.

Measurement goes beyond vanity metrics

Good campaigns track more than likes and comments. Brands in the best examples include:

• Unique discount codes or URLs per creator
• Uplift in branded search volume during the campaign window
• App downloads, free trials, or email signups tied to influencer traffic

If you’re building your own program, plan tracking before you ever DM a creator. The most useful examples of influencer marketing campaign examples are the ones where you can see the full funnel impact, not just awareness.

How to adapt these real examples to your own influencer strategy

Use these campaigns as templates, but don’t copy-paste them blindly. Instead, ask a few blunt questions:

1. Where does your audience actually hang out?
If your buyers live on YouTube and LinkedIn, a TikTok-only strategy is a mismatch. Match your platform mix to where your best customers already spend time.

2. What type of creator do they trust?
For health products, that might be doctors or registered dietitians. For dev tools, it’s engineers and technical YouTubers. For parenting products, it might be mom and dad vloggers. The most relevant examples of influencer marketing campaign examples always start with audience trust, not just follower count.

3. What can you measure realistically?
If you’re early-stage, you might only be able to track:

• Referral codes
• Site traffic spikes
• Email list growth

Larger brands can layer on brand lift studies, incrementality tests, and multi-touch attribution. Don’t overcomplicate it on day one, but don’t fly blind either.

4. Can you think longer-term than a single post?
The strongest examples include recurring collabs:

• Quarterly product drops
• Ongoing ambassador programs
• Creator-hosted content series

You’ll usually get better pricing, better performance, and stronger creative when creators feel invested in your brand over time.

FAQ: examples of influencer marketing campaign examples and how to use them

Q1. What are some simple examples of influencer marketing campaigns a small brand can run?
A small skincare brand might send products to a handful of estheticians and skincare creators on Instagram, ask for honest reviews, and then turn the best-performing posts into paid ads (with permission). A local gym could partner with a few micro fitness influencers to host free community classes and share clips on TikTok. These are straightforward examples of influencer marketing campaign examples that don’t require a huge budget.

Q2. What is one example of a bad influencer marketing campaign?
A classic negative example of influencer marketing is when a creator posts a clearly copy-pasted caption (“[insert brand here]”) or promotes a product totally unrelated to their usual content. Engagement tanks, comments call out the inauthenticity, and the brand gets little to no sales. The problem isn’t influencers in general — it’s poor alignment and lazy creative.

Q3. How do I find real examples in my own niche?
Search your category on TikTok, YouTube, and Instagram and filter by “recent.” Look for:

• Sponsored posts with high engagement relative to follower count
• Creators who repeatedly work with the same brands
• Brands that appear in multiple creators’ content over months, not days

These are usually the live, real examples of influencer marketing campaign examples that are working right now in your space.

Q4. Are micro influencers worth it compared to big names?
Often, yes. Many of the best examples include a mix: one or two big names for reach, plus a long tail of micro influencers for depth and trust. Micro creators (say, 10k–100k followers) often have higher engagement rates and more targeted audiences.

Q5. How important is disclosure in influencer marketing campaigns?
Very. In the U.S., the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) expects clear disclosure of sponsored content. Brands that ignore this risk fines and reputational damage. Influencers should use obvious labels like “#ad” or “Paid partnership.” For official guidance, see the FTC’s endorsement guides: https://www.ftc.gov/business-guidance/resources/ftcs-endorsement-guides-what-people-are-asking

If you treat these real examples of influencer marketing campaign examples as playbooks — not shortcuts — you’ll be miles ahead of brands still throwing free product at random creators and hoping something sticks.