This article was created in partnership with Pearpop
The social media collaboration platform Pearpop is redefining the ways brands partner with influencers by taking an authenticity-first approach to alignment.
At ADWEEK’s 2025 Social Media Week conference in May, Pearpop founder and CEO Cole Mason and investor Alexis Ohanian sat down with ADWEEK’s chief content officer, Zoe Ruderman, to discuss their business philosophy, which starts with the idea that everyone is a creator.
“Everyone has influence in some way,” Mason said. “If my mom posted something [about] a new taco shop, someone is going to go try out the taco shop.”
This mindset is empowering because it means everyone has influence, but it’s also daunting to sift through. Mason estimates that there are 50 million creators in the world today, which means finding the right “fit” between brand and creator is tricky.
“It’s impossible to find the right creator by swiping through TikTok or Instagram,” Mason added.
This is where Pearpop’s creative strategy comes in.
AI-powered partnerships
With a proven track record of pairing influencers with brands like Chipotle and Microsoft, Pearpop is leveraging a data-backed creator pairing to find the right creator with the right message for the right brand. That method combines AI and human creativity.
“It’s a mix of art and science,” Mason said. “You’re pairing AI with the subjective ability to be able to find the right creator. You do have to find the diamonds in the rough.”
Mason likens Pearpop’s method to “moneyball,” the famous roster-building system pioneered by the Oakland A’s and their general manager, Billy Beane: “We’re taking the data that’s behind the [creator’s] profile and using that to connect to the campaign.”
By training AI on that data, Pearpop has the edge in providing brands a precise set of creators to choose from.
Moving beyond creator follower count
Mason and Ohanian believe brands must move away from past marketing metrics such as follower counts and celebrity-style endorsements. Nowadays, follower count isn’t as meaningful as authentic engagement based on real experiences.
“There is a long tail of creators who just want to share the stories of their lives in an honest, authentic, earnest way and build a community,” Ohanian said.
Mason agreed.
“That’s where the attention is. That’s where the trust is,” Mason said. “People would rather hear from people about a product that they should be looking into, as opposed to seeing or hearing a radio ad on your way to work. It doesn’t connect in the same way.”
Establishing relationships with creators
While one-off campaigns are still common, Mason says he’s seeing creators establish relationships with brands where there’s always access and approachability.
“We work with brands in terms of building out a roster to also help build out their own social content,” he said. “The power of creators is that you can work with creators in so many different ways.”
For creators, this way of working is refreshing because it’s focused and provides them with an exciting future.
“What I’m most excited about [for the future] is creators building out their own companies. It has been so awesome to see creators take the next step,” Mason said. “They’re the curators of what’s cool now.”
Mason and Ohanian clearly believe there is an alchemy in the creator/brand relationship that’s based in authenticity, especially in the age of AI.
“If you pair the right creator with the right message, it’s truly magical,” Mason said.
FEATURED PANELISTS
Zoe Ruderman – ADWEEK
Cole Mason – Pearpop
Alexis Ohanian – Seven Seven Six
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