For many Filipino micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs), having a good product is only half the challenge. Reaching potential customers, explaining what makes a product useful, and earning shoppers’ trust can be just as difficult, especially for businesses working with limited marketing budgets.
Creator partnerships are providing another way to address these challenges. Through Shopee’s Affiliate Program, local sellers can work with content creators who introduce products to their audiences through demonstrations, recommendations, and everyday use cases.
Rather than relying solely on traditional advertisements or product listings, businesses can show shoppers how an item works and where it fits into their daily lives. Creators, meanwhile, have an opportunity to earn through the products they feature.
Shopee reports that affiliate-driven traffic and sales on its platform grew by more than 1.5 times. The company points to three local businesses, Herah, Hyperbrands, and B Coffee Co., as examples of how creator partnerships can support different stages of the online shopping journey.
How product demonstrations helped Herah find new customers
For homegrown innerwear brand Herah, one challenge was communicating the practical value of its products through online listings alone.
An affiliate video demonstrating how the brand’s nipple covers could be washed using dishwashing liquid became an unexpected sales driver. The demonstration gave shoppers a clearer idea of how the product worked, turning a simple everyday tip into content that encouraged purchases.
The experience also showed Herah that a creator’s reach is not necessarily the only measure of a successful partnership. A useful demonstration that answers a shopper’s questions can be just as valuable.
Herah subsequently used Shopee’s Affiliate Program to discover niche creators and monitor their performance. By studying which content formats generated results, the brand gained insights into the types of partnerships worth pursuing. It eventually established an internal team dedicated to managing creator relationships.
“Hindi ka mapapahiya when you recommend Herah. When someone recommends us to their friends, family, and followers, they’re putting their own reputation behind the product. We want to make sure we deserve that trust,” said Ryan Uy, CEO of Herah.
Hyperbrands uses creator feedback to refine its approach
For Hyperbrands, the company behind pet-care brands Dentalight and Moochie, creator partnerships offer a way to reach pet owners through people who can share firsthand experiences.
Pet owners who feature products such as treats and food can demonstrate how these items fit into their pets’ routines. Their personal experiences also give potential buyers another perspective beyond the information found in a product listing.
Hyperbrands uses performance data from Shopee to evaluate creator content, identify formats that resonate with shoppers, and adjust its approach based on results. This allows the company to treat affiliate marketing as an ongoing process of testing and learning rather than relying on assumptions about what might work.
Some creator videos have even performed better than the team initially expected.
“Those moments remind us that there is always more to learn. Even when we think we have found a winning approach, creators bring fresh ideas that encourage us to keep experimenting and exploring,” said Luis Gan, CEO of Hyperbrands.
B Coffee Co. makes home coffee more relatable through creators
For B Coffee Co., the challenge is less about demonstrating a single product feature and more about helping shoppers understand the experience of making coffee at home.
The Filipino-owned coffee capsule brand was established in 2020 with the goal of making premium, barista-quality coffee more accessible through convenient, one-touch brewing.
For consumers who are unfamiliar with home coffee machines, product specifications may not be enough to explain their value. Creator videos help bridge that gap by showing what home brewing looks like in everyday settings, whether beside a laptop during a workday or on a kitchen counter.
“A product listing can explain what a coffee machine does. A creator can show why you would want one beside your laptop or on your kitchen counter,” said Miguel Guerrero, CEO of B Coffee.
The ability to purchase directly after discovering a product through creator content also helps reduce the steps between interest and checkout.
“For a growing brand, having inspiration and checkout in the same journey is powerful,” Guerrero added.
Beyond working with affiliates, B Coffee has participated in Shopee’s KOLLAB, an initiative that brings businesses and creators together to explore potential collaborations and build new relationships.
Shopee expands creator connections through KOLLAB
For MSMEs that are still exploring affiliate marketing, finding suitable creators and establishing working relationships can be an additional hurdle.
Shopee’s KOLLAB initiative provides an opportunity for businesses to meet creators directly and discuss possible partnerships. In 2026, the platform held more than 30 KOLLAB events, connecting over 100 brands with more than 500 creators and affiliates, according to the company.
The initiative has also reached businesses outside Metro Manila. Its Cebu and Davao editions partnered with local creator networks, helping participating brands connect with creators who have stronger ties to their respective communities.
“Through our Affiliate Program and initiatives like KOLLAB, we're making it easier for MSMEs to connect with the right creators and turn content into real business results. We'll keep investing to make these opportunities accessible to more businesses and creators across the country,” said Jack Ng, Head of Commercial, Shopee Philippines.
Why creator partnerships matter to growing businesses
The experiences of Herah, Hyperbrands, and B Coffee Co. show that creator partnerships can serve different purposes depending on what a business needs to communicate.
A product demonstration can answer practical questions. A pet owner’s experience can help establish relevance and credibility. A lifestyle video can make an unfamiliar product feel more accessible to someone considering a purchase.
For smaller businesses, these approaches offer another way to put products in front of potential customers without depending exclusively on conventional advertising.
The results will still depend on the product, the creator, the quality of the content, and how well the partnership connects with the intended audience. But as more Filipinos discover products through online creators, affiliate marketing is becoming an avenue that local brands can explore as part of their broader digital selling strategies.