Lowe's announced today that it will offer members of its creator network the opportunity to not only create content for the home improvement retailer, but also participate in product development. The move combines the Lowe's Creator Network, launched last June, with the earlier "Into the Blue" program, which helped entrepreneurs bring products to Lowe's customers.

"We've been thinking about the evolution of the creator network, moving it from content and curation to creation," said Jen Wilson, Lowe's senior vice president and chief marketing officer. "We've helped other small businesses manufacture and distribute products, so we know how to do this without building up too much inventory or disrupting existing systems... We have a proven blueprint."

As part of the "Lowe's Creators: Into the Blue" program, creators can submit existing products that need distribution, scaling, and retail exposure; product ideas that need development and sourcing support; and collaboration proposals with Lowe's existing products. The application deadline is September 1.

The program also builds on recent collaborations with MrBeast, the YouTube superstar who was the first major name to join when the Lowe's Creator Network launched. Lowe's announced a series of workshops in May centered on exclusive MrBeast Lab Swarms toys, showcasing how creators can move from content and digital storefronts to physical products and experiences.

"We were really inspired by that process and felt the natural extension was to open it up to other creators who might have their own ideas," Wilson said of the latest collaboration with MrBeast. "It could be our product design team working with a creator who has a vision for patio furniture, or someone who has an idea for a new tool belt, or even a new tool, a new feature, or a product we've never seen before."

Marketing Dive spoke with Wilson about the evolution of the creator network and other recent marketing initiatives around culture and sports.

The following interview has been edited for clarity and brevity.

Marketing Dive: The creator network has been live for nearly a year. How would you assess its progress?

Jen Wilson:We have about 28,000 creators right now and hope to reach 30,000 by the end of the year. We're very pleased with the overall size of our first-party creator network. We run both first-party and third-party networks, but from a revenue perspective, the first-party creator network is growing the fastest.

We continue to see very high engagement. We had a huge viral moment on Black Friday that helped us achieve solid results during the holiday season. Specifically, we leveraged the creator network around our Lowe's blue bucket giveaway and got massive viral traction: over 500 million views and engagements on Black Friday alone.

For our loyalty program, we offer free member gifts, and the creators supported it heavily. We saw lines of 30 to 100 people outside stores across the country waiting for the free gifts.

Lowe's is marketing around the World Cup in several ways, including a 10-foot inflatable Lionel Messi and related social activities. What is Lowe's strategy for the event?

One big thing we try to do is engage with consumers where they are most active. We know most people either have their phones in hand while watching live or are following the game on their phones.

In a world where we know we can't break through purely through broadcast, because we don't have sponsorship rights and don't have that much advertising budget, we felt we should focus more on the social space. We wanted to capture some of the hot moments where people talk about Lowe's in a curious way.

There will be merchandise signed or worn by Messi, offered at the Messi halftime show we're hosting during (the tournament final). It will be a cool and unexpected way to bring Lowe's into the World Cup ecosystem.

Last month, Lowe's launched partnerships with A'ja Wilson and Jalen Brunson. Wilson is arguably the best player in the WNBA, while Brunson was less well-known before helping the Knicks win the championship. What do you look for in sports partners?

It all starts with core values. We are a very driven, results-oriented, people-first organization, and we look for athletes who embody those traits. We align on values when we meet and talk with these players, and we saw that in Jalen and A'ja.

The coolest part is that I think people saw firsthand Jalen Brunson's composure and emotional maturity. Seeing someone stay calm and professional under pressure is very rare.

The day after they won the championship, we offered 11x points for loyalty members (a nod to Brunson's jersey number), letting members celebrate with him. We got great engagement, especially in New York, as you can imagine.

What can consumers expect from Lowe's new partnership with Live Nation?

Music is another bond that brings people together. (Concerts) aren't just where young families gather; professionals listen to music when they're on the job site. This isn't just a summer activity but a year-round experience, and we want to offer special perks to our rewards members.

Another thing we're looking forward to with Live Nation is being able to pass this benefit on to some of our supplier brands through our media network. We've structured the agreement so that some supplier brands can advertise at these concert venues, take over some of the tailgate parties, and create experiences.

I'm trying to elevate the brand from just home improvement to life improvement, making it more lifestyle-oriented. People's lifestyles are expressed through sports, home, live music, and other great experiences. We want to be a brand that can bring and unlock those experiences for them.