Fake tan has always promised transformation. A glow-up in a bottle. Confidence by morning. Sure, you might resemble a loaf of tiger bread by the end of the week, but no one said beauty was easy.
Now, the ‘can’t live without’ product of many Aussies is also doing some heavy lifting in the creator economy.
Sticki has strengthened its position in Australia’s beauty marketing landscape, securing new partnerships with Bondi Sands and John Frieda to support their micro-influencer programs, as brands move beyond big-name creators and lean into scaled, data-led influence designed to convert – not just look good on a grid.
The dual wins see Sticki appointed to deliver always-on and campaign-led micro-influencer activity for both brands, reinforcing a broader shift away from macro-only creator strategies toward scaled ecosystems built on data, diversity and conversion.
A loaf of tiger bread, or my legs at the end of the week after not topping up my tan? You decide.
Full-funnel creator strategies come into focus
Bondi Sands appointed Sticki as it broadened its influencer strategy to cover the full funnel, with micro-influencers playing a growing role in representation, reach and retail conversion.
Sticki was selected for its ability to activate high volumes of creators without sacrificing quality, supporting initiatives spanning retailer promotional pushes, localisation and new product development.
John Frieda has also signed Sticki as its always-on micro-influencer partner, with a clear brief to re-energise the brand’s social presence and connect with younger audiences.
The year-round program is designed to lift audience quality, engagement and creator diversity across both ongoing and campaign moments.
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Data-led integration across content and performance
Both brands have also onboarded DataSauce for paid media, extending the remit across creator networks and performance channels. The integrated setup aims to streamline optimisation, measurement and cross-channel impact, tightening the pathway from content through to conversion.
Megan Gunn, Head of Marketing at Kao, said creators are increasingly central to beauty discovery and engagement.
“Creators are playing an increasingly important role in how consumers discover and engage with beauty,” Gunn said.
“Sticki provides the scale, diversity and data-led approach we need across our portfolio to deepen relevance and reach new communities. Their model supports both the evolution of our social strategy and the way we bring our brands to market in 2026 and beyond.”
Across both accounts, Sticki’s creator data, talent-matching capability and operational capacity were key differentiators – particularly as brands look to execute micro-influencer programs that can be resource-intensive to manage internally.
Sticki and DataSauce Head of Brand & Partnerships Rachael Webb said the partnerships reflect a wider recalibration underway in the beauty and FMCG sectors.
“These partnerships underscore the shift we are seeing across the category,” Webb said.
“Brands want micro influencers not just for their reach, but for relevance, authenticity and bottom funnel impact. We are excited to help two powerhouse beauty brands build that next layer of capability.”
As beauty brands continue to compete for attention in crowded social feeds, the deals signal a clear trade-off: micro-influencers, backed by data and performance accountability, are no longer a tactical add-on – they’re becoming core to growth strategies.