Marine Layer, creator engine

Ten creators, one number to protect

A first roster for Marine Layer: Coastal Merino knits, flannels and quarter zips on camera, with pay bands, a claims sheet and a Monday report.

creators live by week six: 10
creator videos a month at the full roster: 303
weeks from the first creator to the full roster: 5

Cold morning, Coastal Merino Crewneck

Illustrative: a creator films the Coastal Merino Crewneck Sweater, $158.00, on a cold commute and says how soft it feels, with the paid tag on screen.

Illustrative post

Summary

Creator engine summary
Roster	10 creators, two added a week	Live by week: 0, 2, 4, 6, 8, 10. Six-week ramp (Proposed).
Who	Knitwear and layering creators	People who already wear sweaters, flannels and cardigans on camera, matched to the piece they would buy.
Production	7 videos per creator per week	303 creator videos a month at 10 creators (Calculated). Five formats, one variable per test.
Pay	Three bands, Starter to Premium	Starter $300 fee, $600 cap. Standard $500 fee, $1,000 cap. Premium $800 fee, $1,500 cap (Proposed).
Bonus	$50 flat past 100,000 views	One bonus per creator per month, organic views only (Proposed).
Compliance	Claims sheet from your own wording	Creators quote only lines like Free Returns for 365 Days. Anything else is asked in the channel first.
Rule for the category	Paid tag on every post	No fiber, fit or sustainability promise beyond the sheet. Apparel makes no health promise.
Goal	$1 per 1,000 views (Proposed)	The simulator starts at $5.74 on Assumption inputs. Closing that gap is the job.
Report	Every Monday, one page	Cost per 1,000 views, best hook, losers killed early, creators to move up or out.
Decision	Ceiling $15,000, bonuses excluded	Yes or no to ten creators at that ceiling (Proposed). Stop or resize at day ninety.

Part 1 of 15, continued

The program in numbers

Creators live at full roster: 10; Proposed
Videos per creator per week: 7; Proposed
Creator videos a month: 303; Calculated
Base pay per creator: $1,000; Proposed
Bonus past 100,000 views: $50; Proposed
Bonus at the top cap of the highest band: $700; Calculated
Program cost a month, bonuses included: $10,050; Calculated
Views a month at the assumptions: 1.8M; Calculated
Cost per 1,000 views: $5.74; Calculated
Target cost per 1,000 views: $1; Proposed

Part 2 of 15

Why me

Former COO of Tabs. I built its creator program to 100M monthly social impressions, and the paid ad engine alongside it. The numbers below come from videos that program produced.

At Tabs I built the creator program to 100M monthly social impressions, with the paid ad engine alongside it. This is the same playbook pointed at casual apparel, starting with Marine Layer's merino knits. I have not run this category, so the claims sheet and the apparel rules come from your site and your team, not from me.

monthly social impressions at Tabs: 100M+
views on one reel: 17.7M
views on one video: 8M
views on one video: 6.5M

Part 3 of 15

Why now

$75
A free shipping line to build around
Free shipping on orders over $75 gives every cart video a concrete moment: the cart crossing the line. One creator format is built on it.
Published
365
Free returns make try-on easy to film
Free Returns for 365 Days turns a try-on into a low-risk video. Creators can say it as written once the team confirms how it applies.
Published
Less than .5%
A certification story, in your own words
Marine Layer says less than .5% of apparel brands meet the standards behind its certification. Creators never restate it; the sheet gives them the exact wording.
Published

Part 4 of 15

Principles

One number to protect
Cost per 1,000 views, target $1 (Proposed). Every format, creator and bonus is judged against it, the way paid ads are.
One variable per test
Five formats, one hook change at a time. Losers killed early, winners go into the hook library. 7 videos per creator per week gives enough reps to see it.
Claims come from your pages
Creators quote the claims sheet only, lines like Free Returns for 365 Days. A question goes to the channel before the post, not after it.
One channel for the work
Briefs, claim questions, drafts and the Monday report live in one team workspace. If it is not in the channel, it did not happen.

Part 4 of 15, continued

One channel for everything

#briefs

Briefs, drafts, reviews and the weekly numbers

Illustrative

TheoMon 8:30 AM
This week: the Coastal Merino Crewneck Sweater at $158.00 and the Tahoe Flannel Shirt at $138.00. Use the soft test format, one hook per video. The claims sheet is pinned.
MaraTue 10:15 AM
Can I say the cardigan keeps me warm at the beach?
Not as a promise. Say what you felt on camera and use a sheet line: Impossibly soft knits, inspired by the coast.
Weekly botAppMon 7:00 AM
Weekly report posted: cost per 1,000 views against the $1 target, best hook of the week, formats to cut, creators to move up a band.
TheoWed 2:40 PM
Draft sent back to Jonas: the line about the scarf saving the planet comes out. Keep the paid tag in the first frame and use a sheet line instead.
Weekly botAppFri 11:05 AM
Mara's cardigan video passed 100,000 views, organic only. Bonus rule applies: $50 flat, one per creator per month.
TheoFri 4:00 PM
Friday check: every live post carries the paid tag, one sheet claim, and no deadline wording. Anything missing goes back to #drafts today.

The messages illustrate the working channel, with invented people: briefs go out on Monday, claims questions get an answer the same day, and nothing posts without the check.

Part 5 of 15

Formats

Brief 01
Soft test
“Absurdly soft? I'm testing that on camera.”
Close on the Coastal Merino Crewneck Sweater, $158.00. Hand across the knit, then one full outfit, natural light.
Brief 02
Cardigan three ways
“One cardigan, three ways to wear it.”
Coastal Merino Crewneck Cardigan, $188.00: over a tee, over a shirt, then open. Same spot, one continuous cut.
Brief 03
Cart math
“Spend $75 and shipping is free. Here's my cart.”
Screen-record a cart crossing the free shipping line, then show what arrived: the Coastal Merino Crewneck Sweater at $158.00.
Brief 04
Try-on and returns
“Free returns for 365 days, so I tried it all on.”
Mirror try-on of the Coastal Merino Crewneck Cardigan. Fit comments in plain words, end on the returns line.
Brief 05
Gift wrap
“Gift wrap is $10. Watch this.”
Wrap a Coastal Merino Long Scarf, $88.00, from shelf to box. One take, hands only, no cuts.

Every product line in a video comes off the claims sheet word for word, for example “Oh hey, we make absurdly soft clothes that are good for people and the planet.”, “Free Shipping On $75+ Orders. Free Returns for 365 Days.”, “We’re serious about sustainability.”. Product names are said as printed.

Part 6 of 15

Recruiting

Four sources in

Knitwear and layering creators
Creators already filming outfits in sweaters, quarter zips and flannels. Start with saved wardrobe videos and cold-weather outfit posts.
People who already wear the brand
Customers who tag Coastal Merino or Flex Terry pieces in their own posts. Ask first, then run them through the same five filters.
Coastal and travel lifestyle
Creators whose feeds already look like the coastal setting Marine Layer sells: weekend trips, beach towns, cold mornings by the water.
Affiliate or ambassador page
I did not find an affiliate or ambassador page on the site, so creators have no public way to apply that I could see. This roster would be that path.

Five filters, fewer each step

1Looks right in knitwear
The feed already shows layers, textures and fit on camera, not only close-ups of faces.
2Honest voice
Says what they felt, not what a script says. Soft, warm and itchy are all allowed words.
3Claims discipline
Repeats the sheet, asks before improvising, and takes a draft sent back without drama.
4Disclosure habit
Already tags paid partnerships clearly, in the first frame, not buried in the caption.
5Hooks on demand
Can film the same piece with a different opening line, which is how one-variable tests work.

Part 7 of 15

Who

Cold-commute dresser
Films the walk to work in a hat and scarf, talks about what is on, not what it promises.
Likely product: Coastal Merino Beanie
Layering minimalist
Builds one outfit three ways. Quiet colors, clean edit, strong on fit.
Likely product: Coastal Merino Crewneck Cardigan
Weekend flannel dad
Cabin, grill, kids' soccer. Shows a flannel that works outside and at dinner.
Likely product: Tahoe Flannel Shirt
Stretch-pant desk worker
Sits, walks and commutes in one pair. Honest about comfort and fit.
Likely product: Flex Terry Moleskin Pant - Athletic Fit
Outerwear collector
Reviews coats the way others review shoes: fabric, weight, how it hangs.
Likely product: Colette Wool Topcoat
Gift-season planner
Makes holiday gift guides and shows the wrapping, the unboxing and the reaction.
Likely product: Coastal Merino Long Scarf

Left off, every time

Always out: creators who make fiber or sustainability promises beyond the site's own wording, anyone who hides the paid partnership, accounts with bought followers, and anyone who ties clothing to a health promise.

Part 8 of 15

First twenty

Cold-weather outfit creators with a steady weekly series
Commute-in-the-city creators filming the walk to work
Beach-town weekend travelers who pack light
Capsule-wardrobe minimalists
Fall layering specialists
Quiet-luxury knitwear fans
Dads who film weekend cabin trips
Couples who style matching outfits
Thrift and slow-fashion creators with honest opinions
Gift guide makers who film wrapping and unboxing
Work-from-home dressers who live in stretch pants
Outerwear reviewers who talk fabric and weight
Teachers and nurses sharing what they wear at work
Road-trip and van-life creators who need soft layers
Petite and tall fit reviewers
Menswear creators focused on casual shirts and polos
Autumn hikers who dress for the trail and the pub
Wardrobe-refresh creators who film closet clear-outs
Hat and scarf accessory stylists
Ex-retail staff who explain fit and fabric plainly

Part 9 of 15

Claims

Approved, word for word

Quoted exactly as the brand publishes it.

“Oh hey, we make absurdly soft clothes that are good for people and the planet.”
Opening line of the first video of any format
“Impossibly soft knits, inspired by the coast”
Coastal Merino knit videos
“Wildly stretchy. Really good-looking.”
Flex Terry pant videos
“Free Shipping On $75+ Orders. Free Returns for 365 Days.”
Cart math and try-on videos
“It all began with a really soft tee.”
Tee and brand-story videos
“Saving countless clothes from landfill.”
Only when the video is about the Re-Spun program
“Soft, dreamy, and brand new”
Rugby polo and new arrivals videos

Never said

Each one with the reason it stays out.

Never say it is warmer than a down jacket
A comparison the site does not make.
Never say every garment is made from recycled material
A sustainability claim wider than the site's own wording.
Never say the merino keeps you warm in any weather
A performance promise the site does not give.
Never say the knits will not pill or shrink
A durability promise with no source.
Never say one-hour delivery reaches every city
A coverage claim; availability by location is not confirmed.
Never say Marine Layer is the top certified brand in apparel
A ranking claim beyond the certification wording.
Never say sale prices last all season
An invented deadline on an offer.

To confirm with the brand

Held until someone on the brand side signs off.

Free returns for 365 days on every order
The exceptions to this offer need the brand lead's answer before creators say it without limits.
One-hour delivery in a creator's own city
Coverage by location is not on the pages read; the team confirms where it applies.

Part 10 of 15

Pay

Starter
$300–600
a month, by band
Starter: new to creating, one piece at a time, such as the Coastal Merino Beanie.
Bonus at the cap: $300
Standard
$500–1,000
a month, by band
Standard: steady weekly output across knits and flannels, with hooks that hold.
Bonus at the cap: $500
Premium
$800–1,500
a month, by band
Premium: proven reach and a full wardrobe on camera, ready for a Fair Isle or Suri Alpaca story.
Bonus at the cap: $700

Under 100,000 views
$0
The base pay covers the work.
100,000 views
+$50 flat
Whatever the band.
1,000,000 views
Top-up to your cap
Bonus = band cap − base pay.

One bonus per creator per month, however many videos break through.
The bonus counts per video: one post past 100,000 views earns the flat $50.
Organic views only: boosted or paid views never count toward it.
No bonus on a video that broke the claims sheet or the category rule.

Starter: $600 cap − $300 fee = $300 bonus; Standard: $1,000 cap − $500 fee = $500 bonus; Premium: $1,500 cap − $800 fee = $700 bonus.

The bonus pays for reach after the work is done, never instead of it. One bonus per creator per calendar month keeps it an incentive and keeps the program cost predictable.

Part 11 of 15

Simulator

The simulator starts at $5.74 per 1,000 views against the $1 target. To close it, 4.2% of videos go viral or the median video reaches 21,711 views, other inputs held.

Program facts

Marine Layer creator engine, per month

Monthly cost: $10,050
Base pay: $10,000
Est. bonuses: $50
Videos / month: 303
Est. views / month: 1.8M
Cost per 1,000 views: $5.74

Above the $1 target at these inputs.

To hit $1, the roster needs about 10.1M views a month. That means about 4.2% of videos going viral, or a median near 22K views per video. That is why the day-90 gate exists: keep the accounts that clear it, replace the rest.

Proposed, not measured. Views = videos × median, breakouts at 10× the median, viral at 750K. Bonus: +$50 for a viral video, one per creator per month.

Part 11 of 15, continued

What moves the result

Cost per 1,000 views by median views per video
If the median is	Views / month	Monthly cost	Cost / 1K	Hits target
750	1.4M	$10,050	$6.96	No
1,500	1.8M	$10,050	$5.74	No
3,000	2.4M	$10,050	$4.24	No

Cost per 1,000 views by share of viral videos
If the viral share is	Views / month	Monthly cost	Cost / 1K	Hits target
0.3%	1.2M	$10,000	$8.44	No
0.5%	1.8M	$10,050	$5.74	No
1%	2.9M	$10,150	$3.52	No

The math. Videos a month = 10 creators × 7 a week × 52 ÷ 12 = 303. Views per video = (1 − 4% − 0.5%) × 1,500 + 4% × 10 × 1,500 + 0.5% × 750,000 = 5,782.5; 303 videos × 5,782.5 = 1.8M views a month. Cost = 10 × $1,000 = $10,000 base + 1 bonus × $50 = $10,050. Cost per 1,000 views = $10,050 ÷ 1.8M × 1,000 = $5.74 against a $1.00 target. To hit the target, either 4.2% of videos go viral or the median video reaches 21,711 views, other inputs held.

Move the sliders and the label recalculates. The result is only as good as the guesses behind it, so the median views, the share of breakouts and the share of viral videos are marked as Assumptions until the first month of posts replaces them.

Part 12 of 15

Phases

Creators live by week (proposed): 0, 2, 4, 6, 8, 10

0Wk 1
2Wk 2
4Wk 3
6Wk 4
8Wk 5
10Wk 6

Creator ramp by week
Item	Wk 1	Wk 2	Wk 3	Wk 4	Wk 5	Wk 6
Creators live	0	2	4	6	8	10
Videos a week	0	14	28	42	56	70
Base pay a month	$0	$2,000	$4,000	$6,000	$8,000	$10,000

Warm-up
Briefs, sheet, first contracts
Briefs and the claims sheet go out. Creators go live by week: 0, 2, 4, 6, 8, 10, so each new batch starts with a sheet already tested.
Month one
Five formats, one variable
7 videos per creator per week, five formats, one hook change at a time. Kill the losers early and start the hook library.
Month two
Cut formats, move creators
Drop formats that miss the $1 target. Move strong creators to a higher band and test a Flex Terry hook against a Coastal Merino one.
Month three
Winners go to paid
303 videos a month at 10 creators gives enough volume to choose from. Winners follow the exit steps into paid.
Day ninety
Read it against the target
Compare cost per 1,000 views with the $1 target (Proposed). The simulator starts at $5.74. Keep, resize or stop.
Monthly ceiling
The most this can cost
All 10 creators at the top cap, bonuses excluded: $15,000 (Proposed). It is a ceiling, not a forecast.

$15,000 Monthly ceiling, all 10 creators at the top cap, bonuses excluded Proposed

The roster grows by two creators a week, so hook performance can be read week over week instead of by anecdote.

Part 13 of 15

Report

Every Monday: who posted, which format, views, cost per 1,000 views against the $1 target, and the one hook to repeat. Losers killed early are listed too.

Creator engine, last 4 weeks

Target $1 per 1,000 organic views Illustrative

Creators reporting: 5
Posts last week: 32
Avg cost per 1,000 views: $8.94
Bonuses owed: $0
Keep / Watch / Replace: 1 / 1 / 3

Per-creator results, last four weeks, sorted by cost per 1,000 views
Creator	Band	Format	Posts	Median	Best	Cost / 1K	Bonus	Flags	Call
Creator A	Starter	Soft test	7	2.1K	25K	$3.37	$0	None	Keep
Creator B	Standard	Cardigan three ways	7	1.4K	8.4K	$9.83	$0	Claim check	Replace
Creator C	Premium	Cart math	6	1.8K	54K	$7.94	$0	None	Watch
Creator D	Starter	Try-on and returns	5	900	3.6K	$12.99	$0	Over cap?	Replace
Creator E	Standard	Gift wrap	7	1.2K	11K	$10.59	$0	Release missing	Replace
All creators	not applicable	not applicable	32	1.5K	54K	$8.94	$0	not applicable	not applicable

Illustrative rows with invented creators, coherent with the pay bands above. Keep means the cost per 1,000 views is at or under the program average, Watch is up to half again over it, and Replace is anything higher.

Part 14 of 15

Exit

From organic to paid

Post organic first
The creator posts on their own account, tagged as paid, with a claim from the sheet.
Read the numbers
After the first full week, keep the videos with the lowest cost per 1,000 views.
Get usage in writing
Ask the creator for paid usage before any boost. Nothing goes into paid without it.
Boost with one change
Move the winner into paid and change one variable, as in any ad test.

From the video to the checkout

Send knit videos to the Sweaters collection.
Send scarf and hat videos to Beanies + Scarves.
Send price-led videos to the Under $100 collection.
Send gift videos to checkout, where gift wrap is $10.
Send local videos to Find a Store.

Part 15 of 15

Want to see the first briefs?

Grab a time here

A free shipping line to build around

Free returns make try-on easy to film

A certification story, in your own words

One number to protect

One variable per test

Claims come from your pages

One channel for the work

Soft test

Cardigan three ways

Cart math

Try-on and returns

Gift wrap

Four sources in

Five filters, fewer each step

Cold-commute dresser

Layering minimalist

Weekend flannel dad

Stretch-pant desk worker

Outerwear collector

Gift-season planner

Left off, every time

Approved, word for word

Never said

To confirm with the brand

Starter

Standard

Premium

Briefs, sheet, first contracts

Five formats, one variable

Cut formats, move creators

Winners go to paid

Read it against the target

The most this can cost

From organic to paid

From the video to the checkout

Casual apparel: what creators may say

Tag every post as paid

Fabric talk is felt, not promised

Sustainability uses the sheet

Prices and offers as shown

Fit is honest

No comparisons, no health promises

Want to see the first briefs?