How Dove Turns Cultural Moments into Creator Marketing

In this episode of Earned, CreatorIQ CMO Brit Starr sits down with Dana Paolucci, Head of Influence and PR at Dove North America, to unpack how one of beauty's most iconic brands is evolving creator marketing—without losing sight of its mission. Dana reflects on the "everything and nothing changes" reality of the space, from creators becoming full-fledged brands and franchises to the enduring importance of trust, community, and authenticity. Brit and Dana explore how Dove has scaled from a traditional, tightly controlled campaign model to an always-on creator engine—while staying grounded in Dove's commitment to real beauty. Dana shares how the team engaged over 10,000 creators and generated 30,000+ pieces of content, guided by strict standards like Dove's no digital distortion policy and a clear filter: partnering only with creators who contribute to a positive beauty experience online. The conversation also dives into Dove's program structure, including full-funnel product launches, trend-responsive content, and the Dove Love community initiative designed to increase earned creator content through reciprocal relationships, replenishment, and life-moment support. Finally, Dana breaks down the cultural insight and agility behind Hot Seats—Dove's music-fandom-driven platform that turned sweaty concerts and Coachella commentary into brand-relevant moments that drove real lift. The takeaway: listen deeply, release control, and show up with solutions.

In this episode, you'll learn:

1. The shift from one-off influencer campaigns to always-on creator strategies at Dove

2. How to balance earned and paid media in creator marketing

3. The power of event-based campaigns in driving authentic creator content

Connect with the Guest:

• Dana's LinkedIn - @danapaolucci

Connect with Brit Starr & CreatorIQ:

• Brit's LinkedIn - @britmccorquodale

• CreatorIQ LinkedIn - @creatoriq

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• CreatorIQ YouTube - @CreatorIQOfficial

• CreatorIQ Instagram - @creatoriq

• CreatorIQ TikTok - @creator.iq

• CreatorIQ Twitter - @CreatorIQ