Building a profitable creator community: How OLIPOP’s hybrid commission approach drives 12% of sales

Hundreds of creator applications poured in weekly. OLIPOP, the prebiotic soda brand, hadn’t anticipated this tidal wave of interest when it launched its creator affiliate program in 2021. What began as a management challenge quickly became its most authentic marketing channel. 

Today, OLIPOP’s creator community contributes 12% of total sales and has an impressive 982% return on investment—all built through a hybrid approach that combines $36 product samples with a performance-based commission structure starting at 10% on sales generated.

“We had this huge influx of creator and influencer applications that came out of nowhere,” recalls Gary Marcoccia of GravityFed, the agency managing OLIPOP’s affiliate program. “People were so excited about the brand that applications just kept coming and coming. That’s when we realized they were trending so aggressively that people, many of whom were already customers, were actively seeking out OLIPOP’s affiliate program.”

The challenge: Managing explosive creator community growth at scale

OLIPOP, founded in 2018 by Ben Goodwin and David Lester, set out to revolutionize the soda industry with drinks that not only taste good, but contain fiber and prebiotics that support gut health. Their mission to make healthy alternatives both accessible and enjoyable resonated deeply with health-conscious consumers, so deeply that their creator program quickly faced overwhelming interest.

“It went on for like a year and a half,” Marcoccia explains. “It was exciting to see, but it became a challenge early to manage. Who do we approve? What do we do with them once they’re in?”

As applications continued flooding in, the OLIPOP team needed to develop a scalable approach to building its creator community while maintaining quality partnerships. They faced several critical questions:

• How could they efficiently vet hundreds of weekly creator applicants?
• What criteria should determine who joins their creator community?
• How could they maintain close partnerships without a massive management budget?
• What incentives would work best for different types of creators?

Developing strategic creator selection criteria

Rather than accepting everyone who applied, OLIPOP and GravityFed established clear guidelines to keep the creator community aligned with brand values while embracing passionate advocates. The guidelines included: 

• A minimum of 10,000 followers on at least one social platform
• Exceptions made for engaged health advocates, including registered dietitians and nutritionists
• No creators associated with adult, gaming, vaping, political, or religious content

“If it’s not one of those health-oriented profiles like registered dietitians who are really interested in spreading OLIPOP’s message, then we require that 10,000 count on at least one social profile to gain access,” says Marcoccia.

This approach allowed OLIPOP to be selective while still welcoming credible brand advocates, including 82 registered dietitians, who have become powerful voices for the brand’s health benefits within their creator community.

The strategy: Building an authentic creator community through simple gifting

While product gifting is the foundation of OLIPOP’s creator approach, its program succeeds through a thoughtful hybrid compensation model. Beyond receiving the $36 variety packs, creators also earn commission on sales generated through their unique codes and links.

“All creators in the program receive a minimum commission alongside their gifts,” explains Marcoccia. “We have different tiers based on performance and relationship, and I have flexibility to adjust rates for creators who demonstrate strong results.”

This hybrid approach gives creators both immediate value (product) and long-term incentive (commission), creating relationships that evolve over time. By combining product sampling with performance-based rewards, OLIPOP maintains creator enthusiasm while the program delivers measurable business outcomes.

Trust and creative freedom drive trustworthy creator content

While many brands micromanage creator relationships with strict guidelines and approval processes, OLIPOP took a different approach to fostering its creator community:

“I really appreciate OLIPOP’s progressive approach to getting products in people’s hands,” Marcoccia explains. “I’ve worked with other brands that almost bog down the whole process with requirements like, ‘You need to tell me when you get the product. You need to have a post within 3 days. You need 15 different requirements as part of your post.’ With OLIPOP, we just give people the creative freedom, and they’re really creative and excited, and it comes through.”

This content autonomy has led to honest promotional content that resonates with audiences. Rigid brand guidelines don’t bind creators, allowing them to showcase OLIPOP in ways that feel genuine to their followers—a key factor in building a sustainable creator community.

Custom coupon codes: Amplifying creator impact across channels

A critical component of OLIPOP’s creator program is its custom coupon codes. These unique, creator-specific discount codes (offering 15% off) serve multiple purposes in strengthening their creator partnerships:

1. They make tracking easier for creators who primarily work on platforms like Instagram and TikTok where direct link sharing can be difficult
2. They create a sense of ownership and personalization for creators within the community
3. They enable offline word-of-mouth promotion that still attributes back to specific creators

“I love the offline-online crossover for these codes,” says Marcoccia. “Some people are spreading these word of mouth. We’ve had people tell us they appreciated the code because they mentioned it on a podcast, and sure enough, there were 8 conversions during that hour.”

Powering performance-based rewards

These codes also serve as the backbone of OLIPOP’s hybrid compensation model. They create a seamless attribution system that connects each sale to the specific creator who influenced it, enabling OLIPOP to accurately track and reward performance.

“The codes are instrumental for those groups growing as a percentage of overall contribution,” Marcoccia explains. “For creators who primarily work on platforms like Instagram or TikTok, traditional tracking links are challenging to use effectively. But with custom codes, we can track their influence across any channel—online or offline—and compensate them accordingly.”

This approach not only simplifies tracking for OLIPOP but also gives creators flexibility in how they promote the brand. Whether mentioned in a video caption, shared in a podcast interview, or recommended in person, these codes allow creators to receive credit and commission for every sale they generate. With over 1,400 custom codes created over three years, this system has become central to OLIPOP’s ability to accurately measure and reward creator performance.

The results: How OLIPOP’s creator community drove exponential growth

What began as a modest program has evolved into a significant revenue driver for OLIPOP. The story behind their creator community’s growth reveals important shifts in how consumers discover and purchase products in today’s digital landscape.

Building a diverse creator ecosystem

Over four years, OLIPOP has carefully cultivated a creator community that spans various influence levels and expertise areas. Their network now includes a balanced mix of micro-influencers, larger accounts, and subject matter experts like registered dietitians—all contributing to the program’s success in different ways.

“We classify influencers at 10,000 or more followers, then we classify above 100,000, and I also have a micro group,” explains Marcoccia. “I’ve watched over 3 or 4 years now how those groups contribute more and more to the bottom line.”

What’s particularly fascinating is the rising importance of micro-creators within this ecosystem. Initially contributing just 3% to the program’s performance, these smaller creators now account for approximately 20% of creator-driven sales. This shift highlights how engagement and authenticity often matter more than follower count when building an effective creator community.

From niche channel to major revenue driver

Perhaps the most impressive aspect of OLIPOP’s creator program is its steadily increasing contribution to overall business results. What began generating just 4% of total sales in 2021 has grown to account for 12% in 2024—a 3x increase in relative importance to the business.

This growth is especially remarkable considering OLIPOP’s simultaneous retail expansion. As Marcoccia explains, “Their overall business is massive now. It’s so accessible. Three years ago, you could only really get OLIPOP in a few places and on the website. Now, everywhere you go, even gas stations have them.”

Despite this broader availability, which naturally decreased direct-to-consumer sales percentages, creator influence has become increasingly vital. This demonstrates how a well-managed creator community complements physical retail presence rather than competing with it.

Exceptional return on creator partnerships

Throughout this growth, OLIPOP has maintained impressive efficiency in its creator marketing program. Their creator community has delivered an average 982% return on investment over four years, with peaks reaching nearly 1,200%.

For perspective, this means that for every dollar invested in product sampling and creator community management, OLIPOP has generated nearly $10 in attributable sales, all while building lasting relationships with creators who genuinely love their products.

“The whole objective of these codes is to introduce a consumer to the brand,” Marcoccia notes. This focus on new customer acquisition through strong creator relationships has proven effective and sustainable as their creator community matures.

Behind the success: Streamlined creator management workflows

Managing nearly 2,000 creator relationships requires efficient systems. OLIPOP and GravityFed developed streamlined creator management workflows using impact.com’s platform that balance personalization with scalability.

Creator vetting and onboarding

“I do it all manually,” Marcoccia says of reviewing applications. “If we take a break for a few days and come back, there might be 200 applications waiting.”

While this hands-on approach requires time investment, it preserves program quality and proper alignment with brand values. Once approved, creators receive a comprehensive acceptance email explaining the program and how to request their custom code

Efficient influencer product gifting

Rather than using complex influencer marketing platforms, OLIPOP maintains a straightforward process:

1. GravityFed collects creator information and addresses via Google Sheets
2. OLIPOP fulfills orders and provides tracking codes
3. GravityFed forwards tracking information to creators
4. Creators share content links or screenshots after posting

“It’s seamless honestly,” explains Marcoccia. “It’s not at the volume where it needs to be automated at this point. I probably once every 2 weeks request maybe a dozen gifting requests. Maybe 30 or 40 code requests. And they just take care of it.”

Measuring creator performance

While OLIPOP doesn’t aggressively track engagement metrics for each post, it uses several impact.com tools to monitor creator program performance:

• Promo code reporting to attribute campaign performance
• Creator dashboards to track commissions and new customer acquisitions
• Customized reporting dashboards with up to 10 pinned reports
• Automated alerts to detect anomalies or potential issues

“I log into [impact.com’s reporting tool] at least a few times a week,” says Marcoccia. “The alerts we get are super helpful – you get anomaly reporting that allows you to at least be aware of things.”

Key takeaways for brands building creator programs

OLIPOP’s experience offers valuable lessons for any brand looking to build or expand its creator program:

1. Product enthusiasm matters more than follower count

While OLIPOP maintains minimum follower requirements, they make strategic exceptions for passionate advocates like nutritionists and dietitians who deeply connect with their health mission. This approach recognizes that organic enthusiasm often delivers better results than pure reach metrics:

• They identified specific professional categories (dietitians, nutritionists) whose expertise aligns with their product benefits
• They developed different evaluation criteria for different creator types rather than using a one-size-fits-all approach
• They recognized that smaller, highly targeted audiences can sometimes deliver stronger conversion rates than broader audiences

“You can do a lot with gifting only if you have a good product,” Marcoccia emphasizes. “Don’t have to sweat too much. Just get a budget together in terms of what number of units you want to put out and give them the creative freedom.”

2. Creative license produces better content

By avoiding strict guidelines and approval processes, OLIPOP enables creators to showcase their products in ways that feel natural and genuine to their audiences. This trust-based approach has several advantages:

• Creators develop more innovative and platform-native content when not constrained by rigid brand rules
• Content feels more genuine to audiences, who are increasingly sensitive to overly scripted promotions
• The brand benefits from diverse creative approaches that they might not have conceived internally
• Less management overhead is required for detailed content reviews and revisions

“I’ve worked with other brands that almost bog down the whole process with requirements,” Marcoccia notes. “With OLIPOP, we just give people the creative freedom, and they’re really creative and excited, and it comes through.”

3. Custom codes bridge the online-offline gap

Custom discount codes serve as versatile attribution tools that work across multiple channels, including offline conversations and audio formats like podcasts. This multi-channel flexibility offers several benefits:

• Creates attribution options for platforms where direct linking is difficult (Instagram, TikTok)
• Enables tracking of word-of-mouth recommendations that happen off social media
• Gives creators a simple call-to-action that works across all their content formats
• Builds creator loyalty through personalized codes that feature their name or brand
• Provides cleaner performance data for evaluating creator impact

“I love the offline-online crossover for these codes,” says Marcoccia. “We work with companies that get codes in the hands of their ambassadors, and then they share their code word of mouth. I love that online-offline crossover when you’re leveraging influencers and creators to this large degree.”

4. Long-tail creator approach drives scalable growth

Rather than focusing exclusively on a few large influencers, OLIPOP embraces a diverse creator ecosystem – from micro-influencers to registered dietitians to large accounts. This diversified approach provides several strategic advantages:

• Creates redundancy so the program doesn’t depend on any single creator relationship
• Allows for testing different creator types to identify which deliver the best performance
• Enables reaching diverse audience segments through different creator categories
• Often delivers better ROI as smaller creators typically charge less or accept product-only compensation
• Builds a more sustainable program that can weather individual creator transitions

“Even if you’ve got 10,000 followers on Instagram, how many times can you post about OLIPOP? Maybe once every year,” Marcoccia explains. “So it’s almost like a long tail approach – covering a lot of ground with micro and medium-sized influencers instead of just certain large audiences with one or two of the large ones.”

5. Consistent vetting maintains program quality

Despite the volume of applications, OLIPOP sticks to careful manual review, allowing only well-aligned creators to join the program. Rather than using a purely automated approach that might accept misaligned partners, they’ve developed specific guidelines that help streamline the process while maintaining quality:

Establishing non-negotiable brand alignment standards (avoiding adult, gaming, vaping, political, or religious content)

• Creating tiered follower thresholds with strategic exceptions for specific expert categories
• Setting up efficient workflows in impact.com to track and organize applicants
• Periodically reviewing the effectiveness of these criteria as the program evolves

This disciplined approach to creator selection has protected OLIPOP’s brand image while still allowing for scale. Similar principles could be applied with more automation for larger brands, but the focus on thoughtfully defined acceptance criteria remains valuable regardless of program size.

The unexpected win: Million-follower magic

While most of OLIPOP’s creator success comes from mid-sized and micro-influencers, occasionally, their approach yields extraordinary results. During a holiday campaign, a creator with over one million followers produced an elaborate holiday video featuring OLIPOP—all for just a $36 product sample.

“That’s a good win in my book,” Marcoccia recalls. “I don’t know that I’ve ever had someone with that much of an audience, with that much engagement, that actually took a $36 product and showed so much excitement and invested a lot of time into producing it.”

This unexpected success story underscores the potential of OLIPOP’s approach: when a brand naturally generates enthusiasm, even minimal investment can yield outsized returns.

Frequently asked questions 

Looking forward: Starting your own creator program success story

While OLIPOP’s journey provides valuable insights, the true power of its story is how you can apply these lessons to your own brand. As creator marketing continues to evolve, consider these action steps to build your own success:

Start with your passionate customers

Your existing customer base likely contains potential brand advocates. Consider how you might identify and activate these individuals through:

• Customer surveys to identify those already sharing your products
• Social media listening to find who’s mentioning your brand organically
• Creating simple pathways for customers to join your creator program

Define your version of “success”

Not every brand needs thousands of creators. Determine what success looks like for you:

• Is your goal awareness, consideration, or conversion?
• Do you need wide reach or deep engagement with niche audiences?
• What metrics will you track to measure progress?

Start simple, then scale

Begin with manageable creator relationships and streamlined processes:

• Test different creator types to see what works for your specific product
• Develop clear criteria for who you’ll partner with
• Create templates for outreach, onboarding, and partnership agreements
• Consider technology platforms like impact.com that can grow with your program

Build for authenticity

The most successful creator programs, like OLIPOP’s, prioritize genuine connections over manufactured content:

• Look for creators who appreciate your product
• Consider how much artistic discretion you can comfortably provide
• Develop partnership terms that align with each creator’s unique strengths
• Focus on long-term relationships, rather than one-off posts

As Marcoccia’s experience with OLIPOP demonstrates, creator marketing doesn’t have to be complicated or expensive to be effective. With the right approach, even modest investments in credible partnerships can yield impressive returns for brands willing to trust in the power of genuine advocacy.

Want to build your own creator program? Visit impact.com to learn how our partnership management platform can help you scale creator relationships and drive measurable results.

Browse our recommended resources for additional insights, strategies and tips:

• https://impact.com/referral/complete-guide-to-referral-links/
• https://impact.com/influencer/influencer-marketing-trends/
• https://impact.com/affiliate/affiliate-marketing-tracking-strategies/
• https://impact.com/podcasts/episodes/building-scalable-creator-partnerships-natasha-scholnick/ 
• https://impact.com/videos/customer-journey-data-driven-insights-path-to-purchase-pars-web-imp-cn-nam/