Adobe MAX is the company’s flagship annual creative conference, where product updates for tools like Photoshop, Illustrator, and the AI-powered Adobe Firefly are announced. Historically, content around this event centered around product release education, making it feel very localized within the walls of the event. The Great Big Giant MAX Creator Challenge was conceived to bring the energy, education, and excitement of Adobe MAX to a global audience, using a social-first competition format that leverages influencers as the central engine of storytelling.
The campaign had several challenges:
- Perception & attention: MAX content often risks being viewed as purely informational. The campaign needed to entertain while delivering product updates.
- Content integration: Multiple product releases had to be highlighted equitably across a cohesive narrative.
- Reach and engagement: Content needed to land across YouTube, Instagram, TikTok, LinkedIn, and Threads while driving measurable audience interaction.
The Big Idea
Turn the Adobe MAX product launch into a creator-driven competition show. Nine creators competed in studio challenges, showcasing Adobe products in hands-on scenarios, while five expert panelists provided real-time commentary and insights. By letting influencers perform, react, and educate simultaneously, the campaign merged entertainment with product education. Social-native snippets, confessionals, and long-form episodes created a scalable ecosystem of content, amplifying reach and maximizing the influence of each creator.
The genius of the idea lies in making influencers the protagonists. Their expertise, energy, and personalities delivered product demonstrations organically, rather than through overt product messaging. This made learning entertaining, shareable, and culturally resonant.
Insights & Strategy
Three insights drove the strategy:
- Audiences trust personalities over brands. Creators drive engagement when given space to showcase their authentic voice.
- Competitions increase retention and shareability. Episodic challenges and cliffhanger-style cuts encourage repeat viewing.
- Syndicated content amplifies reach. Long-form episodes can be repurposed into short-form reels, TikToks, and carousel posts, maximizing impressions and engagement while targeting specific product messages.
The strategy centered on PR-led influencer storytelling: each creator’s performance demonstrated Adobe product capabilities while the panel commentary reinforced the messaging in a natural, entertaining way.
Execution
- Production: Four long-form episodes and roughly 20 short-form cutdowns were produced. Challenges were shot in-studio; panelists were filmed live at Adobe MAX. Keynotes and Creative Park footage were integrated to highlight the event’s energy.
- Talent: 9 creators competed; 5 panelists offered commentary; 1 host anchored the series. Talent contracts and compensation were transparently managed, aligning incentives with engagement and reach.
- Editing & Modular Content: Episodes were designed for cross-platform adaptability: long-form on YouTube, short-form reels and TikToks for social, meme carousels on Instagram. Modular editing allowed creators’ moments to live independently while maintaining narrative cohesion.
- Amplification: Paid and organic social campaigns leveraged creators’ existing followings, driving awareness, engagement, and positive sentiment.
Within 30 days of launch:
- 36.3 million total interactions
- 2.16 million engaged interactions (20% of all Adobe MAX engaged interactions)
- 6% engaged interaction rate, double the Adobe FY24 social baseline
- Expanded awareness and adoption of 5 priority products, including Adobe Firefly and Photoshop, through entertaining, creator-led demonstrations
- Demonstrated strong cultural traction, showing that influencer-driven content can elevate Adobe MAX beyond the physical event
The campaign successfully merged PR objectives with influencer marketing, proving that creators can authentically communicate product value while driving measurable engagement and cultural impact.
Why This Campaign is Award-Worthy
- Influencer-First Execution: Creators are the protagonists, driving engagement and product education simultaneously.
- Cultural Relevance: The competition format, humor, and episodic storytelling made Adobe MAX approachable, entertaining, and shareable.
- PR-Led Strategy: Every interaction is rooted in storytelling and product messaging, with metrics demonstrating engagement, reach, and perception shift.
- Cross-Platform Reach: Modular editing and social-first design maximized impressions, sharing, and audience participation.
- Measurable Impact: Clear KPIs exceeded expectations, demonstrating the value of influencer-led, PR-driven campaigns for major brand events.
