EARNING TRUST & BUILDING ATTENTION
What actually makes someone stop scrolling? At Social Media Week 2026, we set out to answer that question in the most literal way possible—by creating moments people couldn’t ignore. Over three days, hundreds of attendees stepped into our Commerce Unleashed puppy pen—phones out, smiles wide, fully present.
What appeared to simply be a feel-good break from the conference floor was actually a live demonstration of what earns attention. People engaged instantly. They gathered to take pictures, create content, and share it with their networks. That’s the same dynamic brands are chasing in-feed every day: when something feels real, people respond.
BRINGING THE SAME PRINCIPLE TO THE MAIN STAGE
We took that idea one step further during our session, UGC Unleashed: A Live Experiment on What Drives Attention and Trust, lead by Heather Riccobono, Sr. Manager, Social Solutions Engineer.
First we asked the audience to react to content instinctively—brand-led or creator-led—and unpacked what drove those reactions. Lighting, tone, framing, and context all signaled whether something felt authentic or overly controlled. Those signals shape trust before a viewer even realizes it.
Then we turned the audience into collaborators. Together, we built a creative brief in real time—defining the product, message, tone, and guardrails—to give UGC creator & photographer Hannah Lorsch just enough direction to bring the asset to life.
With her camera and editing software on stage, Hannah was able to feature our tug toy swag in a friendly, relatable lifestyle moment that feels natural in-feed, while staying within clear guardrails for quality and brand safety. The final shot keeps both The Dogist and a PuppySphere pup at the center of the story.
Ending on a high note, we were able to convey that while brand content builds control and consistency and creator content builds credibility and connection, the strongest strategies use both—together.
For a full recording of the session and breakdown of key insights, check out ADWEEK’s recap.
LET’S STAY IN TOUCH
If you’re thinking about how to turn attention into trust—and trust into performance—we can help.
Fill out the form to learn how Inmar Social Creator Solutions can help you build content that connects and drives results.