The consumer journey has become the guiding metric for CPG marketing, according to a new study from Circana and Ibotta Inc. — and the findings carry a clear warning for brands working with creators: don't discount promotion strategies.

The study, highlighted in a sponsored Digiday feature, indicates that promotions can deliver measurable incremental business outcomes for CPG brands. That's a significant data point for creators, who often pitch themselves as the awareness engine at the top of the funnel. The research suggests that performance-driven tactics — like digital coupons, loyalty offers, and retailer-specific deals — remain a critical lever for converting that attention into actual sales.

The broader context is a marketing landscape being reshaped by two forces: the exponential growth of AI and continued media fragmentation. Savvy CPG marketers are responding by more tightly connecting media, promotions, and commerce into a single strategy. For creators, that means brand partners are increasingly evaluating campaigns not just on views or engagement, but on how content feeds into a measurable path-to-purchase loop.

The implication is that creators who understand the full consumer journey — from discovery to deal to checkout — will be better positioned to collaborate with CPG brands. Rather than treating promotional content as "lesser" work, creators can lean into it, demonstrating how their audiences respond to offer-driven storytelling or limited-time incentives.

It's worth noting that the source is a sponsored article from Ibotta, a company with a commercial interest in promoting the value of promotions. Still, the underlying strategic point aligns with broader industry trends: in a fragmented media environment, the brands that win will be those that connect every touchpoint — creator content included — back to the consumer journey. For creators, that's an invitation to speak the language of incremental sales, not just impressions.