Costco’s Word-of-Mouth Strategy: Turning Customers Into Creators w/ Robin Ross

Costco’s Word-of-Mouth Strategy: Turning Customers Into Creators w/ Robin Ross

Author: The Influencer Marketing Factory April 1, 2026 Duration: 26:16

In this episode of The Influence Factor, Alessandro Bogliari chats with Robin Ross, AVP of Corporate Marketing at Costco, shares insights into the company's marketing journey, the evolution of social media strategies, and the importance of community engagement.


He discusses his mission to amplify employee ideas, the challenges of navigating customer feedback, and the balance between brand identity and current trends. Robin emphasizes the significance of user-generated content and the need to adapt to various social media platforms while considering the future of long-form content.


🌟 Leave a 5-star rating on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Apple Podcasts⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ and ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Spotify⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠🚀 Start Your Next Influencer Marketing Campaign:⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Get In Touch⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠🎙️Want to be a guest? ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Apply here⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠


Show Notes:

(01:20) Introduction to Robin Ross

(03:07) Robin's Mission, Achievements, and Purpose

(06:58) The Emergence of Social Media at Costco

(11:11) Navigating Customer Feedback and Engagement

(14:34) The Balance of Brand Identity and Trends

(17:10) Content Strategy: UGC and Employee Contributions

(18:40) Adapting to Different Social Media Platforms

(21:15) The Future of Long-Form Content

(24:05) Conclusion and Future Insights


Check out some of our previous episodes!


Hosted by Alessandro Bogliari, CEO and Co-Founder of The Influencer Marketing Factory, The Influence Factor pulls back the curtain on the rapidly evolving world of digital promotion. Each conversation moves beyond surface-level trends to examine the real mechanics of influencer marketing, social media strategy, and the burgeoning creator economy. You’ll hear from a range of guests-from brand leaders to successful creators themselves-who share candid insights on what actually works. Discussions often delve into the practicalities of social commerce, campaign measurement, and navigating the shifting algorithms of major platforms. This isn’t about vague theories; it’s a grounded look at the tactics and relationships that drive modern brand growth. For anyone involved in marketing, business development, or content creation, this podcast serves as a direct line to the expertise of a leading global agency. The dialogue is focused on actionable knowledge, whether you're looking to understand the ROI of a partnership or the future of digital community building. Tune in for thoughtful analysis that treats influencer marketing as the sophisticated business discipline it has become.
Author: Language: English Episodes: 100

The Influence Factor by The Influencer Marketing Factory
Podcast Episodes
How To Master Your Personal Finances w/Vivian Tu (Your Rich BFF) [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 21:07
In the latest episode of The Influence Factor, Alessandro Bogliari, CEO & Co-Founder of The Influencer Marketing Factory and the podcast host, is joined by Vivian Tu, CEO & Founder of Your Rich BFF and content creator. T…
Fly High, Market Higher w/ Arielle Berlinsky (Delta Vacations) [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 26:28
In the latest episode of The Influence Factor, Alessandro Bogliari, CEO & Co-Founder of The Influencer Marketing Factory and the podcast's host, is joined by Arielle Berlinsky, Social Media Marketing Coordinator at Delta…
How Does SMS Forge the Creator's Connection w/ Sarah Schmidt [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 29:53
In this week’s episode of The Influence Factor podcast, Alessandro Bogliari, the CEO, and Co-Founder of The Influencer Marketing Factory, sits down with Sarah Schmidt, VP of Marketing & Communications at Subtext, to expl…
What is Creator Culture w/ Danny Desatnik (#paid) [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 33:50
In this week’s episode of The Influence Factor podcast, Alessandro Bogliari, CEO and Co-Founder of The Influencer Marketing Factory and the podcast’s host, engages in an in-depth discussion with Danny Desatnik, Manager o…