DTC brands grew fast by cutting out retailers.
Today, the real edge comes from cutting creative inefficiency.
User-generated content and influencer marketing help DTC brands reach audiences faster, test content cheaply, and build loyalty.
Then list what the article covers:
- How UGC and influencers fuel DTC marketing
- Key strategies to scale creator content
- Real brand examples and next steps
We won’t keep you waiting any longer - let’s get started.
What is DTC in Marketing?
Direct-to-consumer (DTC) marketing is a model where brands sell directly to customers instead of going through retailers or distributors.
That control over the buying experience also means control over your content, data, and brand story.
Modern DTC brands use that control to build direct relationships through creators.
Rather than relying on polished ads, they lean on authentic content from customers and influencers to earn trust and drive conversions.
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A simple example is Gymshark, which turned its audience into a global community by consistently using creator content across channels.
Its early use of UGC and athlete partnerships helped it grow from a small fitness label into a billion-dollar brand.
That’s the power of pairing DTC and creator-led marketing: full ownership of data, story, and creative pipeline.
How Does DTC Marketing Work?
In traditional retail, brands rely on intermediaries to sell their products — distributors, marketplaces, and retailers.
In DTC, those middle layers disappear. Brands handle everything: from product to content to customer relationship.
But today’s most successful DTC brands go one step further.
They bring creators into the process to bridge reach and trust. Instead of running generic ads, they use real people to tell real stories.
Here’s what that looks like in practice:
- Creators build awareness. Influencers and UGC creators introduce the brand through short-form content, reviews, or product demos.
- Brands own distribution. Instead of depending on retail exposure, DTC companies run performance ads or post organically with that content.
- Customers drive the next wave. Their feedback and user videos fuel retargeting and future campaigns.
This loop creates constant social proof while reducing dependency on third-party platforms.
A strong example is Gymshark, which built its audience around fitness creators.
Their videos didn’t just advertise products, they created culture and community around the brand.
When done right, this is how DTC marketing works today:
full ownership of sales channels, powered by creator partnerships that make growth scalable and authentic.
How to Build a Creator-Led DTC Marketing Strategy
DTC brands win when their marketing looks and feeils real.
Instead of studio ads, they use content from creators, customers, and influencers who already connect with their audience.
Here’s how to build that kind of strategy.
1. Use UGC to drive trust and conversion
UGC helps DTC brands show proof before the pitch.
It’s quick to produce, authentic, and ideal for testing different ad hooks at scale.
Work with creators who fit your customer profile, share simple briefs, and let them express your product naturally.
Then use that contnt for both organic and paid campaigns.
Example: Quip built its presence by reposting creator videos and customer reviews instead of polished ads.
Through consistent creator storytelling, it built brand trust that translated into sales.
Pro tip: Use a UGC platform like Insense to source creators, manage rights, and track content performance all in one place.
2. Partner with influencers who reflect your brand
Influencers can amplify your story and introduce your product to communities you can’t reach alone.
The key is picking creators whose audience overlaps with your customers — not just large followings.
Work with micro and mid-tier influencers (10K–200K followers) for higher engagement and better cost efficiency.
Provide them with a clear goal, freedom to create, and transparent deliverables.
Example: TULA Skincare scaled its DTC growth by collaborating with beauty influencers who showed real routines instead of scripted ads.
The result: higher engagement and repeat customers.
3. Repurpose creator content for ads
Top DTC brands don’t just post UGC once — they turn it into high-performing ad assets.
Repurpose winning videos across TikTok, Meta, and YouTube Shorts to test hooks, visuals, and CTAs.
Example: Mejuri uses influencer and creator videos in its paid social campaigns.
The brand adapts organic creator clips into ads that feel natural in-feed, helping lower cost per result and improve ROAS.
Workflow tip: create a short loop — test → pick top performer → re-use across ad sets → refresh weekly with new UGC.
4. Use creator content across owned channels
Your best creator videos don’t just belong in ads. Use them in emails, product pages, or retargeting flows.
Authentic visuals lift click-through rates and time on page.
Example: Harry’s uses lifestyle UGC in email banners and landing pages to show how real customers use their products.
This adds personality and credibility without heavy production.
5. Turn loyal customers into advocates
Referral programs work even better when powered by real content.
Ask satisfied buyers to post reviews or videos in exchange for small rewards.
Then feature that content in social proof sections or ads.
Example: Blissy uses referral discounts plus creator partnerships to expand reach and trust simultaneously.
Real DTC Examples Using UGC and Influencer Marketing
In this last section of our guide, we’re covering some examples of DTC marketing to get you motivated.
We’ll try to include brands from different industries so it’s more likely that you’ll find them relatable.
Let’s start.
Example #1: MEL Science
The first case we’ll feature is that of MEL Science.
It’s a brand offering monthly science related subscription boxes directly to its customers.
Suitable for kids, millennials, or anyone else interested in learning more about science, this DTC brand has taken advantage of some of the strategies we covered earlier.
First of all, by partnering with Insense it managed to generate high-quality UGC for its social media profiles, which total over 400,000 followers on Instagram alone!
Apart from that, it used those posts created by users in paid ads to expand its brand awareness even more through the promotion of authentic content.
Just like in the following image, where UGC was leveraged for a Facebook ads campaign.
What’s more, it's heavily invested in content creation for its blog which generates almost 50,000 monthly organic visits.
To sum up, MEL Science is a great example of a DTC brand selling products directly to its customers and taking advantage of DTC strategies to grow.
Let’s move on to the next one.
Industry: Subscription boxes
Why we like it: It combines many DTC marketing strategies
Example #2: Cosy House
The next example is that of Cosy House.
Cosy House is a DTC brand offering a wide range of bedding products, such as pillows and sheets.
According to their website:
“Cosy House has been disrupting the entire bedding industry after we discovered just how many “middle men” were between the manufacturer and customers. We decided to import these pristine products ourselves and instead of going the traditional retail route, we wanted to get these products directly to customers”
Clearly, the direct-to-consumer model has been a logical business model and a big success for the company.
What’s more, common DTC marketing tactics have also been utilized, like the use of UGC - by partnering with Insense - content marketing, and email marketing.
Needless to say that content made by creators has been utilized in paid ads, just like the one below.
Cosy house is just one of the many brands that have incorporated UGC into their advertising campaigns, especially when considering the fact that 71% of consumers trust reviews made by creators more than branded content.
Let’s continue.
Industry: Home bedding
Why we like it: It offers pristine products directly to customers
Example #3: Daniel Wellington
Our third example is Daniel Wellington.
Being somewhat of a legacy brand in its industry, Daniel Wellington offers stylish watches directly to its customers without any retailers involved.
The reasons behind its success are many, but as in any DTC business, the online content marketing strategy has played a great role.
User-generated content in particular has been at the core of the strategy, with thousands pieces of content having been created by individuals on various platforms.
They generate an enormous amount of exposure for the brand and make a substantial contribution greatly to eCommerce sales, with revenues hovering around the $200 million mark.
Moving forward to the next example.
Industry: Fashion and accessories
Why we like it: It can be considered as a UGC success story.
Example #4: Teddy Blake
Teddy Blake offers high-end Italian handbags which are handmade.
While most similar companies display their luxurious products in retail stores, Teddy Blake went another direction and opted to offer them through its own online store.
According to the company, although it had the chance to partner with retailers, it decided to stay exclusively online because the prices were too high.
This means that it recognized the advantages of DTC marketing - which we covered earlier on - and decided to take advantage of them.
Digital marketing has also been a part of the company’s success, since by partnering with Insense it managed to achieve a 12x ROAS on Instagram Ads.
In the following image, you can also see a TikTok post generated from a user in order to be used in paid ads.
Impressive, right?
Let’s continue to the next example we have for you.
Industry: Fashion and accessories
Why we like it: It offers luxurious items directly to consumers
Example #5: The Farmer’s Dog
The next example on our list is a company called The Farmer’s Dog.
This DTC brand aims to deliver fresh and healthy dog meals directly to its clients, without any pet stores interfering.
The way it works is simple; meals are tailored around each dog's needs and sent ready-to-serve to customers.
With user-generated content, email marketing, and affiliate marketing being successfully implemented, it’s easy to see why it’s such a successful brand.
The image above is just one of the many UGC examples the company has used in order to raise awareness for its products.
What’s more, following the example of many other brands, it has also utilized user-generated content as part of its advertising campaigns.
The image below shows how a video from content creator kismet_house, has been used by The Farmer’s Dog as part of its Facebook ads campaigns, where the use of a discount code has also been leveraged.
Let’s continue to our last example, shall we?
Industry: Pet food
Why we like it: It’s a unique, pet-friendly DTC company
Example #6: Trinny London
Last but not least, we’ve got Trinny London.
Trinny London is a DTC beauty brand specialized in makeup.
The eCommerce-focused brand also offers hybrid formulations of skincare, makeup, and accessories.
To increase the reach of its high-quality products, it also takes great advantage of bloggers and other content creators.
For instance, the following is a blog post by Christina Miller on her blog called The Daydreamer, where she writes about her experience using Trinny London’s cosmetics.
All in all, this is a great case study of a makeup company that's managed to avoid middlemen like retailers and stick to the direct-to-consumer path successfully
Industry: Beauty
Why we like it: It’s a high-quality DTC brand
Those were a few examples of great DTC companies that you can get inspiration from.
Let’s now wrap things up with some final thoughts.
Now Over to You
There you have it.
That was our full guide on DTC marketing.
What did we cover?
Definitions, strategies, examples, as well as many tips to get you started in case you’re a DTC brand already or thinking about starting one.
What’s more, if you need help in executing your strategy around UGC as successfully as the companies we looked at, make sure to book a free demo with Insense and we’ll guide you step-by-step.
Thanks for reading!
FAQs
1. What’s the difference between UGC and influencer marketing?
UGC is content created by everyday customers or paid creators for a brand to use in ads or social posts.
Influencer marketing involves creators sharing content on their own channels to promote your brand.
2. How can DTC brands measure ROI from UGC or influencer campaigns?
Track metrics like ROAS, CAC, engagement rate, and conversions from promo codes or UTM links.
Also measure cost per asset and how many ad versions each piece of creator content produces.
3. How much does UGC or influencer content cost for DTC brands?
UGC videos from small creators often range between $100–$500 per asset.
Influencer posts vary widely — micro creators (10K–50K followers) usually charge $100–$1,000 per post, depending on reach and usage rights.
4.Should DTC brands focus more on UGC or influencer marketing?
Start with UGC for cost-efficient testing and social proof.
Once you know what content performs, add influencer partnerships to expand reach.
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