Dick's invests in in-house influencers as brands seek control

"Applications opened this week for the retailer's third iteration of its creator program. That in-house program gives Dick's more control over its relationship with influencers and opens the door for ad revenue from external brand deals. "This program has become pretty much our entire ecosystem for influencer marketing. So any time a campaign comes our way, we first look at this roster," said Nicole Marcus, manager of influencer strategy at DICK'S Sporting Goods."

"DICK'S originally launched its ambassador program with employees in 2024 and opened to the public last year with more than 50 creators featured in more than 20 campaigns for Dick's as well as brands like Adidas, New Balance, On and Hoka. This year, Dick's is looking to beef up its program with more creators and more sports as everything from women's basketball to pickle ball become marketing opportunities industry-wide. The hope is a bigger, better program will produce bigger, better results, per Marcus."

Applications opened this week for DICK'S Sporting Goods' third iteration of its creator program. The in-house program gives Dick's more control over influencer relationships and enables ad revenue from external brand deals. The roster serves as the retailer's primary influencer marketing ecosystem and is used first for incoming campaigns. Several media campaigns are scheduled to start in May and feature athletes such as Tara Davis-Woodhall, Hunter Woodhall, and twins Haley and Hanna Cavinder. The program expanded from an employee ambassador initiative in 2024 to a public roster with over 50 creators and 20 campaigns. Comparable sales rose 5.7% in Q3.

Read at Digiday