For years, brands have searched outside their organizations for creators who could make their products feel more authentic. Starbucks thinks the next great creators may already work there.
Rather than relying exclusively on outside creators, Starbucks is investing in the people who already represent the brand every day. Together with TikTok, the company has launched a first-of-its-kind Creator Network, building on its Green Apron Creators program to empower employees to tell their own stories.
It’s a sign that creator marketing is evolving. Some of a brand’s most credible voices may already be on its payroll.
Here’s what marketers can learn from Starbucks’ approach and why building a successful employee-generated content program requires much more than simply handing employees a camera.
Employees Are The New Layer Of Influencer Marketing
Five years ago, brands asked which creators to hire. Today, more of them are asking who inside the company is already influencing customers.
The creator economy trained brands to look outward for people with established audiences who could introduce products to new communities.
The creator economy trained brands to look outward for people with established audiences who could introduce products to new communities. But employees bring something influencers often can’t: firsthand expertise, daily experience with the product, and a genuine connection to the brand.
One of the earliest examples came during the pandemic, when Tony Piloseno (@tonesterpaints) built a devoted following by sharing mesmerizing paint-mixing videos while working part-time at Sherwin-Williams. His content attracted millions of views and introduced a younger generation to the paint category through entertaining, behind-the-scenes storytelling.
After pitching the company on using TikTok to reach younger consumers, Piloseno says the opportunity was declined. He was later fired for what Sherwin-Williams described as gross misconduct, including filming during work hours and using company equipment.
For many marketers, Piloseno’s story became less about paint and more about a missed opportunity. Rather than embracing an employee who had developed genuine enthusiasm for its products, Sherwin-Williams became a cautionary tale of how brands often viewed employee creators as liabilities rather than assets.
Staples offered a different blueprint. When Kaeden Rowland, better known online as the “Staples Baddie,” began posting TikToks showcasing the retailer’s lesser-known printing services, Staples embraced the momentum. Her content resonated because it came across less like advertising and more like discovery from someone who really understood the business.
If Tony Piloseno represented what happened when brands ignored employee creators, and Staples showed what was possible when they embraced them, Starbucks is taking the next step by building an entire system around them.
Unlike traditional employee advocacy programs that encourage employees to share company messaging, Starbucks’ Creator Network empowers employees to create original content in their own voices while providing the structure and resources to help them succeed.
The Best Employee-Generated Content Can’t Be Manufactured
Brands have spent years investing in external creators because they provide reach, creativity, and established audiences. Employees offer something different: earned credibility.
Customers recognize the difference between someone who was hired to promote a product and someone who works with it every day. That familiarity creates a level of trust that scripted campaigns commonly struggle to achieve.
Trust has become one of the most valuable currencies in marketing. 81% of consumers consider trust essential when making purchasing decisions. Employee-generated content (EGC) gives customers a window into the people behind the brand, whether it’s a barista sharing their favorite drink order or a day-in-the-life video from behind the counter. By investing in employee creators from the start, Starbucks is recognizing that some of the best stories from the people closest to the customer can build trust in ways traditional marketing often can’t.
What Brands Can Learn From Starbucks
The good news is that building an employee-generated content program doesn’t require thousands of employees creating content. It starts by identifying the people who already enjoy telling your brand’s story and giving them the support to do it well.
The goal is not to turn every employee into a creator. It is to identify the employees who already enjoy creating content and give them the support to do it well.
First, identify your natural storytellers. Many employees are already educating customers, documenting their work, or building communities online without being asked.
Next, provide guardrails instead of scripts. Clear brand guidelines and training help employees create confidently. Additionally, recognize content creation as valuable work. Whether that’s through compensation, career development, or revenue sharing, rewarding employees demonstrates that their creative contributions are part of the brand’s long-term strategy.
Finally, treat employee-generated content as a complement to influencer marketing, not a replacement. External creators introduce brands to new audiences. Employee creators deepen credibility with existing ones. Together, they create a more complete and authentic brand story.
The Next Chapter Of Creator Marketing
The future of creator marketing isn’t about replacing influencers. It’s about expanding the definition of who a creator can be.
For years, brands have invested in creators because audiences trust people more than traditional advertising. Starbucks is betting that some of the people consumers trust most are the ones making their coffee, answering their questions, and representing the brand every day.
The next generation of creator marketing may not start with recruiting someone new. It may start by empowering the people who already know the brand best.
