1️⃣ Blend the Movie Into the Creator’s Native Format

Tactic: Don’t ask creators to “post about the movie”
Insert the movie into their storytelling system.

🔥 Example 1: Khann Journey × Sydney Sweeney × Christy Martin

Khann is known for one simple format on TikTok:
He asks strangers, “What do you do for a living?”

Average: ~213K views per content
With Sydney + the real boxer she plays: 3.4M views.

Same format.

No ad feel. Just story.

Sydney used a similar creator-led play for Anyone But You — blending into native content instead of pushing a trailer.

@hikhann_

What do you do for a living? #fyp #viral #foryou #tiktok #whatdoyoudoforaliving

🔥 Example 2: The Group Chat × Netflix

Sydney Jo Robinson’s TikTok series The Group Chat has pulled in 160M+ views across 3 seasons.

For the final season of You, Netflix didn’t run a standard ad.

They created a “deleted scene” from You inside her normal Group Chat format — as if it was a crossover episode.

It didn’t feel like promo.

It felt like content.

2️⃣ Creators as Red Carpet Interviewers

Tactic: Replace traditional press with culturally relevant creators

🔥 Simon Squibb × The Running Man Premiere

Simon Squibb is a UK entrepreneur/creator known for dream-building content.

At the Running Man premiere, he filmed red carpet access and cast interactions — but framed it through his usual “chase your dreams” storytelling.

→ 3M+ views on a single piece of content

The movie wasn’t the ad. The premiere became part of his narrative.

@simonsquibb

This moment was special... 🥹 I recently snuck into the premiere of the The Running Man Movie and got to interview Glen Powell on the red c... See more

🔥 Easton Simpson × Planet of the Apes

Easton Simpson is a Gen Z creator known for chaotic, slightly mumbling red carpet interviews.

At the Planet of the Apes premiere, he interviewed the cast in his signature awkward, rapid-fire style — which made the clips feel raw and funny instead of polished press.

The result?
36M+ combined views across TikTok and Instagram

The red carpet didn’t feel like publicity.

It felt like viral content.

@eastonsimp

Mumbling to the cast of #KingdomOfThePlanetOfTheApes 😂 @20th Century Studios movie out May 10th #mumble #hollywood #redcarpet

3️⃣ Design Viral Merch Creators Have to Meme

Tactic: Create physical artifacts built for social sharing

🧥 Marty Supreme Jacket

Before the film released, the Marty Supreme jacket became the campaign.

Studios seeded it with celebrities and creators, turning it into a fashion drop, not merch.

It was covered by Vogue, GQ and Harper’s Bazaar and generated millions of organic impressions across social.

The jacket went viral.

The movie stayed top of mind.

🪱 Dune: Part Two Sandworm Popcorn Bucket

Went viral.
Resold for hundreds of dollars.
Memed across TikTok and X.

The object promoted the movie.

Not the other way around.

4️⃣ Embed Creators Directly Into the Promotion Engine

Tactic: Hire creators to create the distribution itself.

Studios (including Lionsgate) are now hiring TikTok editors to produce platform-native trailer cuts.

Studios also:

👉️ Invite influencers to advance screenings before critics

👉️ Seed early reactions for algorithm momentum

👉️ Engineer behind-the-scenes content for creators to film

Instead of hoping fans clip trailers, they build it into the plan!

5️⃣ Creators Inside the Full Distribution Strategy

Tactic: Treat creators as media channels.

Studios now:

✔️ Integrate influencers into press junkets

✔️ Send actors to top creator podcasts (Call Her Daddy, Diary of a CEO, etc.)

✔️ Localize interviews per market (Deadpool × local creators)

✔️ Launch influencer gifting tied to story IP (Inside Out books)

✔️ Build FOMO experiences (Airbnb “Emotion Headquarters”)

✔️ Offer creator access to mission-style stunt events (Paramount / ILM)

This isn’t influencer marketing.

It’s full-funnel creator distribution.

Awareness → social proof → urgency → ticket purchase.