Welcome to The Digest

Once you’ve decided UGC or influencer marketing is worth testing, the next challenge is finding the right creators and getting real value from the partnership. Part II breaks down how to evaluate creators beyond follower count, when to consider UGC vs. influencer marketing, how to structure collaborations and usage rights, and how to turn one creator post into multiple marketing assets. Plus, we highlight San Diego food and beverage creators to consider for your next campaign

Should your food or beverage business invest in UGC or influencer marketing? Not necessarily. While creator content can build awareness, generate social proof, and give you valuable content to reuse, it can also be an expensive distraction if your marketing fundamentals aren’t in place. In Part 1 of our guide, we break down when UGC and influencer marketing are worth considering, and give you a practical checklist to decide whether it makes sense for your business.

In July we wrote about a super El Niño forming in the Pacific and what a wet winter could mean for San Diego food and beverage. One paragraph near the end told readers not to skip past the next three months, because a hot, muggy late summer would arrive well before any storm did, and it would change cold-chain math, walk-in loads, patio comfort, and staff safety. That was August, and nobody in this county needs to be told it happened. The forecast has changed since we publish