Creators That Convert: Four Business Leaders on Driving Full-Funnel Marketing Results

Creator marketing is no longer just about generating awareness or social engagement. It is becoming a measurable growth engine that can influence consumers throughout the entire marketing funnel.

In this episode of Adspeak by ADWEEK, host Zoë Ruderman sits down with four business leaders from Microsoft, Pearpop, and AntiSocial: Marie-Laure De Veyt, Beth Everhart, Christopher Franco, and Cole Mason to explore how brands can turn creator partnerships into measurable business results.

The conversation examines how Microsoft scaled a campaign to 42 creators and 69 assets in just six weeks while maintaining authenticity, creative quality, and performance. The guests discuss why creator content should be treated as a core paid media asset, how brands can measure impact through search lift, foot traffic, and brand lift studies, and why long-term creator relationships can build deeper trust and product knowledge.

They also explore how creator-led market research can replace rigid creative briefs, how brands can balance authenticity with brand safety, and why extending creator content into retail media and CTV represents a significant untapped opportunity.

What You'll Learn:

• How to run a six-week, 42-creator campaign at scale without sacrificing authenticity or creative quality
• Why creator content should be treated as a core paid media asset
• The "Familiar Faces" framework for building long-term creator relationships
• How to measure creator campaign impact beyond impressions
• Why ditching the traditional creative brief in favor of creator-led market research can uncover insights brands would otherwise miss
• How to identify brand safety and creative fit without stifling a creator's authentic voice
• Why underutilizing existing creator content across retail media networks and CTV is one of the biggest missed opportunities for brands today
• How to look beyond the "typical" creator demographic (like Gen Z)

About the Guests:

Marie-Laure De Veyt is a strategic and creative senior marketing leader with deep expertise in social and creator marketing across global consumer brands. She has led high-impact campaigns for Surface, Windows, and Microsoft 365, including Microsoft’s first creator-led Retail Media Network content. Passionate about influence, commerce, and culture, she builds authentic partnerships that drive engagement, brand love, and measurable business results.

Beth Everhart is the Managing Director at AntiSocial and a collaborative marketing leader with nearly 15 years of experience developing integrated campaigns and strategies for B2B and B2C clients across national and global markets. Known for building strong relationships and leading cross-functional teams, she thrives in fast-paced environments, bringing together people, ideas, and expertise to deliver exceptional results.

Christopher Franco is currently an SVP, Data and Activation at Pearpop. Christopher Franco brings experience from previous roles at Hearts & Science, Merkle, Maxus Global, and Mindshare. Christopher Franco holds a degree in Political Science and International Relations from the University of La Verne. With a robust skill set that includes Ad Serving, Marketing Science, Clarinet performance, Technology Evaluation, Graphic Design, and more.

Cole Mason is the Founder and CEO of Pearpop, a creator marketing platform specializing in pairing authentic creator content with strategic paid media distribution. With expertise in scaling creator partnerships at enterprise level, Cole has pioneered approaches that treat creators as independent production partners rather than vendors.

Host and Guest Resources:

• Marie-Laure De Veyt on LinkedIn
• Microsoft Website
• Beth Everhart on LinkedIn
• AntiSocial Website
• Christopher Franco on LinkedIn
• Cole Mason on LinkedIn
• ADWEEK Website

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