From media relations and press launches to influencer marketing and social content, brands now have more ways than ever to bring new products to consumers. Increasingly, another valuable ingredient is joining that mix: employees.
In 2026, growing numbers of brands are turning their own staff into content creators in a bid to bring their product launches to life, drive consumer engagement and stand out in a fast-changing media landscape.
Kathryn Turner, director of product development at M&S Food, has become the poster child for the trend. At the time of writing, she has amassed more than 174,000 followers on Instagram, nearly 260,000 on TikTok and 20,000 on LinkedIn - all in just a matter of months.
One of the standout features of Turner’s social media presence is that it leans into her status as an experienced industry insider. Many of her posts highlight “hidden gems” from the M&S foodhall and contain personal recommendations. A recent TikTok post took followers behind the scenes of the M&S archive and showed how product developers working on a new range of chocolate bars took inspiration from retro packaging.
This approach speaks to an important aspect of employee-generated content’s appeal: authenticity and real-life experience. Consumers like to know they’re getting a sneak preview of new launches, behind-the-scenes access or unfiltered insight into how products are “actually” made.
M&S is not alone in embracing EGC. TikTok has launched a suite of tools through its Creator Networks designed specifically to help employers boost their staff’s content-making prowess. Starbucks is one of the companies trialling it, having previously launched its own Green Apron Creator Program for employees. In the US, some retailers have even started putting content creation into the job description for sales assistants and store managers.
What’s noteworthy about M&S is that it’s chosen to use one of its senior executives in front of the camera. As marketing expert Lottie Unwin wrote on LinkedIn: “A lot of brands would look at this and think we need to hire someone who can do content. Whereas M&S trusted someone who'd spent three decades building products, understanding customers and genuinely believing in what they sell.”
Cutting through with EGC
Brands are investing in EGC because such content increasingly rivals more traditional influencer-fronted campaigns for impact. Some commentators estimate the reach of Turner’s posts is already worth in excess of £300,000 to M&S.
Authenticity and relatability have a lot to do with it. As AI-generated content becomes more common and audiences are quicker to disengage from content that feels overly scripted or sales-led, influencers who are seen to “excessively” promote products can turn people off. By contrast, 40% of consumers and 62% of Gen Z say they frequently discover new products through social media content posted by employees, a US survey found. The desire for greater authenticity isn’t limited to Instagram and TikTok. ‘AI slop’ buttons on platforms like Substack and LinkedIn, and Anthropic’s plans to start watermarking writing generated by Claude, suggest many consumers now put a premium on authentic, human-made content.
Journalists are also responding. AI detection tools like Pangram are increasingly being used by newsrooms to weed out AI-generated pitches and commentary. And after several publications were taken in by AI-generated commentary from ‘fake experts’, there is greater scrutiny of written commentary, particularly where its provenance or expertise isn’t clear.
While we haven’t reached the stage where journalists are refusing to accept written comments from brands, we’ve noticed a definite shift towards wanting to do more interviews. To unlock coverage in top-tier publications, the ability to speak to journalists – and do so in a way that feels natural and unscripted – is becoming increasingly important.
Doing authenticity at scale
At the same time, demand for more authentic, personable content doesn’t mean PR strategy and corporate messaging go out of the window.
Embracing EGC shouldn’t mean letting employees loose on social media and hoping for the best. Messaging discipline is still key. Training, guidance and support are essential. Turner herself has praised the social media team supporting her efforts and helping her understand what does and doesn’t land on different platforms.
EGC at its best feels spontaneous and effortless, but brands must not underestimate how much work it takes to do it well. It shouldn’t be seen as a cheap option. As with all content, employee-generated content works best when it’s backed by proper strategy and investment.
