I met Spencer Barbosa on the street at Walt Disney World and it was incredible to see her fans’ reactions in person!
When I heard young girls screaming, I wondered which celebrity was incognito at Disney Springs. It turned out to be Spencer Barbosa, a creator with over 18 million followers. Out of all the celebrities you could run into at Disney World, it was funny how all the hype was for someone from Toronto.
Spencer’s visit to Orlando and collaboration with Hollister, owned by Abercrombie & Fitch, felt like a mini case study in influencer marketing. I’ve been involved in the industry since the beginning, yet moments like this still surprise me.
After our spontaneous run-in, Spencer hosted a Galentine’s Party with Hollister at The Mall at Millenia. She drew a crowd unlike any meet and greet I’ve ever seen! The turnout arguably exceeded the crowds I’ve seen at Sephora events, such as Winnie Harlow and Mario Dedivanovic’s appearances. Fans lined up inside, outside, upstairs and downstairs for a photo op, which required a purchase. The TikTok star estimated that more than 1,000 fans showed up to shop and say hi.
When Spencer shared footage from the event on Instagram, the scale of it was wild. That mall is huge and seeing it filled with her fans must have been surreal for the 23-year-old influencer.
I went to The Mall at Millenia a few days earlier because I love Macy’s, so watching her recap with a fresh perspective on her audience size really resonated. I was lucky to meet a few of my favourite creators last year, such as Leah Rudick and Sam Doll. In that sense, the excitement from Spencer’s fans was very relatable.
Hollister’s PR team clearly identified the right influencer who could drive measurable offline results. Spencer hosted a memorable seasonal event leading up to Valentine’s Day, which reinforced how long-term creator partnerships can pay off. It also built on the momentum of Spencer’s Hollister collection, designed to make women feel confident.
This campaign struck the right balance between sweet and strategic. It truly stood out amidst all the cliché pink, red and white merchandise on sale now. Spencer Barbosa’s fans double-tapped online and those hearts translated into a community that showed up in person and made Hollister relevant again.
All of this confirmed celebrity culture will never be the same. Spencer Barbosa’s Hollister event in Orlando showed how creators can attract crowds that convert! It was fun to see Spencer in action while I was on vacation in Florida and I hope we can reconnect in Toronto.
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