Polished brand content will always have its place.
But right now, the most effective content on social media is coming from staff who know the products, customers and culture better than any brief. Audiences love genuine opinions, first-hand knowledge and authentic passion. EGC brings all that to the feed in a way scripted brand content rarely can.
From breakout employee creators to store accounts winning at scale, here are five EGC examples worth watching this month.
#1 The Staples Baddie
Kaeden Rowland (@blivvxx) was a print specialist at a Staples in upstate New York, bored on shift, when she started posting deadpan TikToks that hyped up the store's services like they were the best-kept secret in retail. A hundred-odd videos later she's "the Staples Baddie", sitting on 590K+ followers and 16.9M likes, with one clip about making paper chains passing 19M views.
Staples picked up on what was happening, sent her some branded company merch to unbox, and even had Rowland in to share her ideas with the corporate team.
Why it works:
The Staples Baddie has proven that the right insider knowledge is more powerful than any traditional product campaign. A following came for her energy and stayed for everything else she had to say.
What brands can learn:
Your best product storyteller might already be serving customers every day. Give staff a platform to talk about what they love, and you might be surprised what they do with it.
#2 Waitrose
Waitrose shows how powerful EGC can be when local teams are given the space to create in their own voice.
Rather than relying exclusively on one national brand account, Waitrose has over 150 local stores creating content across TikTok and Instagram. @waitrose_maidenhead has grown to 40K+ followers, showing audiences are hungry for authentic content that feels like it came straight from the supermarket floor.
TRIBE has been working closely with Waitrose to build an employee creator program that empowers and supports employee content creators at scale.
Why it works:
Their content feels local, on-brand and genuinely staff-led. Store partners jump on trends, show off products and let their personalities do the rest. Some of the best clips star team members you'd never expect to see in a TikTok trend, which is exactly what audiences love.
What brands can learn:
Local, staff-led content humanises a brand and its products in a way targeted ads simply can't. The trick is giving employee creators enough guidance to stay on-brand, without losing the humour and personality that audiences love.
#3 Glen Ellyn Public Library
A library might not be the first place you’d expect to find a viral content masterclass, but that’s what makes @glenellynpl's viral reel so good.
The set-up is simple. A thrown book is physically unstoppable, so the viewer simply has to see where it goes. The delay draws attention to what’s being said, while the timing and payoff bring everything together. It’s an eye-opening reminder that the right hook can make any message land.
Why it works:
The opening gives the video instant momentum, pulling the viewer into a moment of suspense before a simple, oddly satisfying reveal.
What brands can learn:
Hooks don’t need to be complicated to be effective. Give viewers something to wait for, then let the suspense do the rest. For employee creators, that balance is powerful: eye-catching opening + unexpected moment = genuine interest.
#4 Stax Burger Co.
Fair warning: @staxburgerco is not afraid of colourful language.
But that’s also part of why the brand’s content feels so distinctive. Their social presence has long leaned into an unapologetic, no-filter attitude. Recently, they made headlines after setting every item on Uber Eats to $500 as a protest against the delivery platform. One customer even accidentally paid $1,000 for a burger and chips before being promptly refunded.
Why it works:
Stax Burger Co.'s personality shines through everything they do. There’s no gear change between the funny moments and the important messaging, which is exactly what makes their content so watchable.
What brands can learn:
The takeaway isn't "be rude for clicks." It's commitment. When a brand knows its lane and goes all in, they can sneak in messaging while everyone's laughing.
#5 Bernardi Toyota
@bernardi.toyota nails the “message written in the clouds” trend to make a call to action feel more like a reveal. Hook the viewer, hold for a beat, then deliver whatever brand line you want. Instead of fighting for space, that line becomes the payoff.
Why it works:
The format creates a small moment of excitement and anticipation that grabs attention. It’s simple, easy to follow and keeps the viewer watching until the end.
What brands can learn:
Trends are so much more than a song and dance. The best ones give employee creators a structure they can drop brand knowledge, offers or messaging into, while still keeping the content light, engaging and easy to watch.
Build the program behind the content
EGC is one of the strongest plays a brand can make on social in 2026. Those getting it right aren’t leaving it to the algorithm.
They’re giving employee creators the support, guidance and confidence to turn what they already know into content people actually want to watch.
If you’d like to learn more about what that looks like for your brand, get in touch below.
