Lowe’s launches ‘Into The Blue’. Why the Retail Giant is turning to creators

Moving upstream from affiliate links to original product development, Lowe’s builds ‘Shark Tank for Creators’ to let niche communities decide what hits retail shelves.

For years, creator marketing followed a predictable, bottom-of-funnel pipeline: brands sent finished products to influencers, gave them affiliate discount codes, set up creator storefronts, and occasionally collaborated on co-branded colorways.

Home improvement giant Lowe’s just disrupted that timeline. With its launch of Lowe’s Creator: Into the Blue, a…