- UGC and EGC are reshaping the creator economy, with brands like Wonderskin successfully using UGC to scale.
- TikTok is driving entertainment consumption with viral moments, as seen in Netflix’s Black Mirror campaign.
- Live shopping is booming, with TikTok Shop seeing a 93% increase in daily sessions by the end of 2024.
- One-funnel commerce helps brands create seamless customer journeys from awareness to conversion using creator-driven content.
- Trust in creators and creative freedom are key for successful campaigns, as seen in BookTok trends.
- Superdrug’s live shopping campaign exemplifies successful full-funnel execution using celebrities and creators.
- Authenticity and boldness are essential for brands and creators to connect with audiences in meaningful ways.
The CreatorIQ Connect Europe Summit hosted some of the leading voices from TikTok, providing insights on the evolving landscape of creator monetization, content trends, and the intersection of commerce within the platform.
The event, held on May 7, 2025, in London, brought together top brands, agencies, and creators, all eager to understand how the creator economy is shaping up and how to capitalize on the latest trends.
We'll unpack key takeaways from the summit and explore how brands and creators can adapt and thrive in a rapidly evolving digital landscape.
TikTok’s Role in the Creator Economy
At the heart of the summit was a TikTok-led panel featuring Anastasia Evans, Madolyn Grove, and Emily Eldridge, who shared their expertise on the shifts taking place in the world of content creation and commerce.
The panel touched on a variety of topics, from user-generated content (UGC) to the growing popularity of live shopping, offering valuable perspectives on how creators, brands, and platforms are evolving together in this new digital age.
Evolving Content Trends: The Rise of UGC and EGC
One of the major takeaways from the panel was the increasing importance of UGC (user-generated content) and EGC (employee-generated content).
Anastasia Evans, Head of Creative Operations at TikTok, explained how UGC is rapidly becoming a mainstream component of the creator economy, with brands tapping into content produced by their own consumers and employees. This trend is reshaping how companies engage on TikTok.
“UGC has really emerged as a mainstream piece of the creator economy,” said Evans. A great example of this shift comes from Wonderskin, a beauty brand that utilized TikTok’s Creative Challenge product to mobilize hundreds of UGC creators.
@haleyybaylee When you put a viral lip stain to the test right before date night 😳👀❤️@Wonderskin Beauty Wonder Blading Lip Stain #wonderyou ♬ original sound - haleyybaylee
“Their scaling on TikTok really came through this powering of thousands of pieces of UGC in one go,” Evans highlighted.
Additionally, Madolyn Grove, Head of Creators for the U.K., Ireland, and Nordics, discussed how employee-generated content (EGC) is also growing in relevance.
Brands like SheerLuxe and Currys have used employee-driven content to establish a more relatable and engaging brand presence on TikTok. Grove noted that SheerLuxe has grown significantly by focusing on building a personal connection through EGC, saying, “I follow half of the SheerLuxe office individually now,” showcasing how EGC can humanize a brand and make it more accessible to the audience.
@sheerluxe
Meet the SL team – part 2… Watch on to see what everyone’s roles are… SheerLuxe Team SheerLuxe Office SheerLuxe Fashion Working In Fashion Fashion Careers
TikTok as a Driver of Entertainment and Innovation
Grove further emphasized that TikTok is driving entertainment consumption, with creators leading the way in delivering results. She pointed to a standout campaign by Netflix promoting its Black Mirror series.
Netflix cleverly created a fake tech company in the show to promote The Nubbin, an in-show gadget, and gifted it to creators. This sparked a wave of unboxing videos, reviews, and organic content, which amplified the brand’s reach.
@chrisisainmdom Replying to @Elizabeth Hines thanks @BlackMirror for the Nubbin @Netflix @Netflix UK & Ireland #whattowatch #nubbin #netflix #streamberry #blackmirror ♬ memories - leadwave
“What the real power that Netflix harnessed wasn’t the paid campaign. It was the halo effect of everybody else in the community going, ‘This is so Black Mirror,’” Grove shared.
The ability of TikTok creators to drive organic, viral content was clear throughout the panel discussion, emphasizing the role TikTok has in shaping cultural moments and influencing consumer behavior.
The Rise of Live Shopping and Creator Commerce
Emily Eldridge, Head of Top UK Creators at TikTok, delved into the growing trend of live shopping, a key area where TikTok has seen significant success.
Eldridge shared a powerful example of a 12-hour live stream with beauty creator Kari Ann Wright, where over 6,700 products were sold, resulting in more than £150,000 in sales. She emphasized that live shopping is no longer a novelty but a fundamental part of the TikTok experience.
“By the end of 2024, TikTok saw over 6,000 daily live shopping sessions, marking a 93% increase from earlier in the year,” Eldridge noted, highlighting the explosive growth in the live shopping sector.
She also touched on Valerie Von, a Scottish mom and former hairdresser who taps into TikTok’s live shopping format with campaigns that coincide with platform events. Eldridge’s example of these successful live shopping campaigns demonstrated that TikTok is revolutionizing e-commerce through live, real-time engagement.
Check out the TikTok Eyes Japan for E-Commerce Push: A Key Move in Its Global Social Commerce Strategy
One-Funnel Commerce and Full-Funnel Campaigns
The panel discussed the concept of one-funnel commerce, where TikTok is helping brands engage creators at different stages of the customer journey—awareness, consideration, and conversion.
Evans illustrated this through a case study with ASOS, showing how creators worked across different stages to build brand association and guide audiences to conversion. She explained that remixing content from creators into conversion-driven assets is the way forward, creating a seamless connection between brand messaging and user engagement.
@asos Here’s another reason to add the @PUMA.UK ♬ original sound - asos
Trust and Creative Freedom: Essential for Campaign Success
One of the key themes that emerged during the panel was the importance of trust in creators. Grove made it clear that for a creative campaign to succeed, trust is critical.
“If you’re embarking on a creative campaign and you don’t have trust, there’s almost no point doing it,” she explained. She stressed that brands must give creators the freedom to create content that resonates with their audience, even if the CEO doesn’t “get the reference.”
She cited BookTok as an example of how understanding the ecosystem and the creator community can lead to successful campaigns. Grove emphasized that “People love feeling like they’re in on the joke” and that creators need the freedom to interact authentically with their audience to maximize impact.
@kierralewis75 BOOK HAUL 📚 🥳sharing some of the books I purchased during the Amazon Book Sale. Be sure to shop it now through April 28 HELLOOO #ad ♬ original sound - Kierra Lewis
Boldness, Authenticity, and Testing New Ideas
The panel encouraged brands and creators to be bold and authentic in their campaigns. “Some of the most successful creative brand partnerships come from places you wouldn’t expect,” Eldridge noted.
Grove echoed this sentiment, saying, “When brands and creators lean into that, they create the most impactful campaigns.”
With UGC, live shopping, and cross-brand collaboration on the rise, TikTok continues to reshape how brands and creators connect with consumers. The CreatorIQ Connect Europe Summit offered valuable insights on how to capitalize on these trends and stay ahead of the competition in an evolving digital ecosystem.
