American Eagle needed the back-to-school season to hit differently. REACH built a creator gifting program that put their product in the hands of the right people, at the right time, with zero forced deliverables.
American Eagle wanted to deepen brand presence and cultural relevance within the college demographic during Back-to-School. The goal wasn't banner ads or sponsored posts -- it was authentic peer influence that could genuinely resonate inside campus communities.
The target: college creators with real on-campus impact. Student org leaders, day-in-the-life creators, community figures. People whose recommendations carry weight because they're trusted friends, not paid spokespersons.
REACH executed a college-focused gifting and micro-influencer program anchored at USC, activating 28 student creators with strong on-campus influence -- members of multiple student organizations, day-in-the-life campus creators, and recognized community leaders. Each creator received a personalized care package with 5 products curated to their style.
Then we layered in macro amplification. Bri Seaberg (680K+ TikTok), Cosette Rinab (2.3M+ TikTok), and Lexi Brandt (168K+ TikTok) extended reach beyond campus while the micro layer provided the credibility. No required posts at any tier. Genuine excitement drove every piece of content.
The best creator content is content creators actually want to make.
Creator UGC
On-campus creators embedded across student orgs, Greek life, and campus communities
Macro amplification from Bri Seaberg (680K+), Cosette Rinab (2.3M+), and Lexi Brandt (168K+)
Strong content output and campus-level buzz driven entirely by genuine creator enthusiasm
82% of consumers are more likely to follow a micro-influencer recommendation than a prominent macro influencer. Micro-influencers have up to 22.2x more purchase-driving conversations per week than the average consumer. REACH built the American Eagle program around that truth -- not around follower counts.
The strategy: find creators with genuine campus influence, give them product they'd actually wear, and let authenticity do what paid posts can't. The result was strong organic content output, real campus-level buzz during Back-to-School, and high creator satisfaction that reinforced brand affinity long after the campaign ended.
"American Eagle has held a special place in my heart for over a decade. Thanks to REACH, working with this iconic brand was a creatively liberating experience warmly embraced by my audience."
Shelbi Woodard · USC · REACH Creator
"Reach gives me the opportunity to work with bigger names that I wouldn't be able to access by myself. American Eagle was a dream brand partnership of mine and REACH made that a reality."
Katherine Vlamis · USC · REACH Creator
