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In a world where consumers are discovering brands through creators, communities and culture as much as traditional advertising, simply showing up on social isn't enough.
So, how do you create content that people genuinely want to watch, engage with and share?
At sync, we welcomed Eilish Anderson, Head of Influencer, Social and YouTube at JD Sports, to share how one of the UK's leading retailers is evolving its approach to creators, social and video.
From long-term creator partnerships and YouTube series to putting consumers at the heart of brand experiences, Eilish took us behind the scenes of how JD Sports is building relevance with its core 18–25 audience. At the heart of the strategy is a simple idea: listen to your audience, understand the culture they are part of, and give creators the freedom to make content that feels native to it.
Start with the consumer, not the campaign
For JD Sports, understanding its audience starts with looking at the people already engaging with the brand. Rather than deciding which creators to work with based purely on reach or follower numbers, the team looks at who is already talking about JD, wearing its products and having conversations around the brand.
As Eilish explained: “Our core consumer is at the heart of what we do.” That thinking has shaped some of JD's biggest creator partnerships. The team looks at creators such as the Bov Boys, Chunkz and Jensen and asks a simple question: are they already part of the conversation?
“Our partnerships with Bov Boys, with Chunkz, with Jensen for example, those partnerships were born out of who is talking about JD organically, who is wearing our products organically, and then within that is what is our consumer saying about us.”
For Eilish, this organic connection matters. “It's about looking at the values of that creator, are they already talking about your brand and your product? If they are and they're talking about it in an organic way, then that is something that you should be pursuing.”
It’s a shift away from treating creators as simply another media channel. Instead, the relationship starts with relevance.
From influencers to genuine partnerships
That approach also changes what a creator partnership looks like. Rather than working with an influencer for a single campaign, JD Sports is increasingly focused on building longer-term relationships where both sides bring something to the table.
The Bov Boys are a good example, as the partnership became the foundation for Race to the Game, a YouTube series created around the FIFA World Cup. For JD Sports, the opportunity wasn't simply to attach the brand to an existing audience. It was about finding a way for the creators and the brand to complement each other.
“We really wanted to make sure that we went into that partnership with them invested in us as a brand and our capabilities, but also in how we could complement each other.” For Eilish, this is particularly important when a relationship is going to last: “Especially when it's a long-term partnership it needs to be a two-way street in order for it to be a success.”
That two-way approach also meant giving the creators space to do what they do best. Rather than forcing the content into a traditional brand format, JD allowed the creators to lead the creative direction.
The result was a significant increase in engagement: “The retention and the watch rate on that and how long people were staying for was astronomical.” It demonstrated the value of allowing creators to make content for their audience, rather than simply using them as a distribution mechanism for a brand message.
Let consumers into the room
The shift in JD's approach isn't only happening with creators. The brand is also rethinking who gets access to its biggest experiences.
Historically, influencer marketing often meant inviting large numbers of creators to events and asking them to produce content in return. But Eilish explained that the model is changing.
At a recent performance opportunity, JD had access through a brand partnership and initially had the opportunity to invite talent. Instead, the team looked at its Status Program and asked a different question: what if we gave this experience to the people actually spending money with JD?
“Historically speaking, two / three years ago we'll just put a load of influencers in, give them deliverables and it'll be amazing. But the model shifted.” The team reduced the number of influencers and opened up access to JD's consumers instead.
The result was a model that still delivered brand coverage while giving something back to the people who make up the brand's community. “We still had that coverage, that's super important, we still showed up for the brand, but we gave an opportunity back to our consumer.”
It's an important evolution in influencer marketing. Creators can help brands reach new audiences, but consumers don't necessarily want to feel like they are watching a brand experience from the outside. Sometimes, the most relevant people to bring into the room are the people already buying from you.
Create for the platform, not around it
Another key lesson from JD's approach is the importance of being native to the platforms where audiences spend their time. The brand has experimented across different channels, but Eilish explained that part of becoming more effective on social has been recognising where JD can genuinely add value.
That has meant moving away from platforms where the brand isn't naturally part of the conversation and instead finding ways to integrate with creators who already own those communities - YouTube has been particularly important.
The success of Race to the Game showed what can happen when creators are given the freedom to make content in the way their audience expects. Rather than making a piece of branded content and putting it onto YouTube, JD built something that people actually wanted to watch.
The distinction is subtle but important, being present on a platform isn't the same as being native to it. For brands, that means understanding the behaviour, language and expectations of each platform before deciding what content to create.
The human touch still matters
For all the focus on platforms, data and technology, Eilish's message ultimately comes back to people. “When you're a brand talking to other humans, you need to ensure you have got that human touch and element to it to be realistic.” That human element is particularly important when trying to connect with a younger audience.
JD's approach is deliberately social-first and agile, with the team listening closely to its audience and bringing different perspectives into the decision-making process. Sometimes that means getting input from store staff, sometimes it means involving younger contributors who understand a particular cultural conversation better than the wider business, and sometimes it means allowing internal teams to challenge leadership.
Eilish credits the diversity of interests within JD's own team as an important part of this. The team isn't made up of people who all have the same cultural references or interests. Instead, different people bring different perspectives into the room, from social trends to music scenes such as house music. That diversity can help a brand spot opportunities that might otherwise be missed.
The lessons behind JD Sports' strategy
While JD Sports operates at a scale that few brands can replicate, Eilish's approach highlights several principles that can apply across industries.
- Start with the audience, the strongest creator relationships often come from understanding who is already talking about your brand, rather than simply looking for the biggest audience.
- Build partnerships, not transactions, long-term creator relationships work best when both sides have something to contribute and the creator is given space to bring their own voice.
- Let creators create, the success of Race to the Game demonstrates the value of giving creators ownership over the content their audiences actually want to consume.
- Give something back to consumers, influencer marketing doesn't have to be exclusively about influencers. Bringing loyal customers into brand experiences can create a different kind of connection.
- Be native to the platform, content shouldn't simply be repurposed across every channel. Understanding how people behave on each platform is essential to creating something that feels authentic.
Ultimately, JD Sports' approach to social isn't about chasing every trend or being everywhere at once. It's about listening closely to its audience, understanding the culture around them and creating partnerships that feel natural within it.
From long-term creator relationships to YouTube-first content and putting consumers at the centre of experiences, JD's strategy reflects a wider shift in how brands build relevance. The future of social isn't simply about getting into the feed, It's about creating something people actually want to be there for.
Listen to the full session on demand now.
