FAQ

Answers to questions from sport creators and brands. Didn't find what you were looking for? Send us an email.

Questions others asked too

Everything sportfluencers ask before, during and after a collab: who can join, how selection works, what you post and what happens afterwards.…

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Creator marketing

Everything brands ask about creator marketing: what it is, what it costs, how you pick the right creators and what a campaign delivers. Ordered from first orien…

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Micro-influencer marketing

What micro-influencers are, what they cost, and why a sports approach delivers different results from a classic influencer deal.…

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All General Collabs Questions others asked too Creator marketing Micro-influencer marketing

General

What is a Sunday Squad?

A group of 10 or 25 amateur sportfluencers who create and publish content for one brand at the same time. Not separate influencer deals one by one — a coordinated activation where the whole squad sits in the same short posting period, each from their own sport and community.Read how 10 or 25 athletes activate a brand at once — and why it works →

Do I have to be a well-known influencer?

No. We work with athletes and sport creators from 500 followers on Instagram — what counts is that you genuinely train, that your audience sees it, and that your profile is public.Read why 800 real followers beat 50,000 fakes →

What do I have to do for my gear?

Just do what you already do: sport, and talk about it. No script, no mandatory hashtags. What we ask: that you actually use the product and that your audience sees it — honest and in your own words. That's the return.See exactly what the briefing asks of you — and what it doesn't →

When do I get my gear?

Only once the full squad of 25 is confirmed. We activate together, not in dribbles. If you wait, you wait together.Read how the activation timing works — and why we wait together →

I'm registered — do I still need to apply for each collab?

Yes. Registering puts you in the squad pool; taking part in a collab is a separate step you take per collab. An account alone doesn't put you in the running — pick an open collab and apply.Read why you apply to each collab separately →

Is there a difference between a sports creator and a sportfluencer?

Hardly: they are two words for the same profile. Sports creator names what someone makes (content from their sporting life), sportfluencer what that content does (influence inside a sports community). The distinction that really matters is sport-first versus camera-first — we mainly work with the fiRead where the real distinction runs: sport-first or camera-first →

Questions others asked too

Gewoon vragen, gewoon doen

Why does my profile have to be public?

Because curation runs on what's publicly visible: that you really train, what your content looks like, how your community reacts. On private, we — and the brand — see a closed door, and you drop out for the wrong reason. Think of it as your shop window, not your diary.Read why a private profile eliminates you for the wrong reason →

Do I get paid as a sportfluencer at Sunday Squad?

Not in cash. You get the brand's product as the reward for your content — no fee, no transfer. Cash attracts creators who monetise; product attracts creators who want to use the brand. What you get exactly is always set out up front in the briefing.Read what you concretely get in return for your content →

What do I get in return for my content?

The brand's product — a product package, race ticket, event access or exclusive drop, depending on the collab. The retail value is always set out up front in the briefing. The product is yours to keep: no return label, no expiry date.Read why the product is the reward — not a fee →

Can I still work with other brands on the side?

Yes. Sometimes a brand asks for a non-compete for competitors in the same category — that's stated explicitly in the briefing. For other brands in other categories you stay completely free.Read how ethics apply when the briefing contains no ban →

Do I need to have 10,000 followers?

No. We work with nano- and micro-influencers from 1,000 followers, sometimes fewer if the community clicks. What counts is that you really train and that your audience sees it.Read why a micro-audience in one sport outperforms broad reach →

Do you only work in Belgium?

Mainly Belgium — Flanders and Brussels. For specific collabs we can also activate the Netherlands or France, but the centre of gravity is here.Read when we activate outside Belgium too →

So am I becoming a brand ambassador?

Not automatically, but it can happen. A collab is one round, no extension. If the brand wants to continue with the same squad, you're asked for Sunday Squad Ambassadors: new product, a fee, and you decide per round. Based on what you did, not on your followers.Read when a collab does get a second round →

Do I have to pay tax on the free products?

We're not accountants. Roughly: a product or experience from an occasional collab isn't treated as salary. If it becomes structural and high in value, run it past your accountant. We always communicate the retail value up front.Read how the tax picture looks in practice →

Do I get to keep the products after the collab?

Yes. The product is yours and stays yours — no return, no expiry. The product is the reward for your content.Read why the product is the reward — not a loan →

What if I don't do Hyrox but crossfit or pilates?

No problem. We curate on multiple axes — sporting fit, content quality, community engagement, lifestyle style — not just one discipline. A crossfitter or pilates creator can fit a running brand perfectly.Read how curation criteria work when sport isn't the only axis →

Can I give my honest opinion?

Yes — it's literally why you're asked. Your audience believes you precisely because you don't sound like an ad. "Sits well on long runs, less on intervals" is more credible than "best product ever". Honest does mean fair, concrete and respectful, though.Read how honesty increases the commercial value of your post →

Why should I apply if I'm not guaranteed to be selected?

Because one application puts you in view not for one collab, but for all the next ones. Your profile stays in the pool; selection is about fit, and fit varies per campaign. Not being chosen says something about the match of that moment, not about you.Read how your profile stays in the pool for all future collabs →

How many posts do I need to make?

Three posts is the standard. You largely pick the format yourself — reel, in-feed post, story set, carousel — as long as it fits the brief and how you normally post.Read why one permanent post is required — and what that means →

How do I refine or expand my content idea after applying?

Through your account: log in, open the collab, go to Application, edit the Content idea field and click Save changes — you can do this until we make the selection. Keep it concrete and on-brand. Already selected? You can still adjust, as long as your content stays within the briefing.See the step-by-step flow to refine your application →

Is my content used abroad too?

By default, no. The rights to your content are usually limited to the country of the collab. International use is a separate agreement, stated upfront in the briefing — before you agree, you know where your image ends up.Read how international use is arranged separately — and when you'll know →

Can I improve my chances of being selected?

Yes: keep your profile complete, post real sports content regularly, respond quickly to invitations and only say yes to collabs that genuinely fit. It's cumulative — whoever fits well, delivers on time and communicates honestly becomes more interesting for future squads.Find out what really counts in selection — and what doesn't →

What kind of brands will I encounter at Sunday Squad?

Sports brands in the broadest sense: nutrition, apparel, shoes, accessories, recovery, tech, safety, events. From challengers to names you know. You're matched on what fits your sport and style — not every brand fits every athlete, and that's exactly the point.Read how you get matched to the right collab based on your sport →

Do I have to post every week?

No. There's no weekly schedule and no fixed number of posts per month — Sunday Squad works per collab, not per calendar. You only commit once you're selected for a collab; then you deliver a few posts within an agreed window, and after that it's done.Read what a collab commitment looks like in practice →

What if I'm sick, injured or traveling during the posting window?

Let us know as soon as possible — that solves nearly everything. We shift the timing or activate someone else. What we can't solve is silence: disappearing without a word is the fastest way to not be asked again. One message is enough.Read when you can request a replacement or postponement →

When is my collab properly finished?

When you've posted the agreed content within the timing, shared your results and supplied the links or screenshots. Then it's done — no hidden yearly contract. You keep the product, the content stays yours.See the concrete steps that determine when a collab is truly done →

Can I be in multiple Sunday Squad collabs at the same time?

Yes, in principle. Different categories (running and cycling): fine. Two running brands at once: no — we don't want your audience seeing you promote two competing products.Read when multiple simultaneous collabs cross the line →

What if the product doesn't fit or arrives late?

Tell us right away and we'll sort it — wrong size, damaged or not yet arrived, that's what spares and margins are for. But we only know once you say so. The practical side has to be right before you can make good content.Read how product issues get resolved without becoming your problem →

Can a brand contact me directly after a collab?

It can, and there's nothing wrong with that as such — Sunday Squad doesn't claim you. Just mind the agreements still running (content rights, any exclusivity): those hold as long as the collab runs. A new, separate deal beyond that is between you and the brand.Read what is and isn't allowed after a collab ends →

I don't speak Dutch. Can I still join?

Yes. Not every collab is in Dutch — which language is required is set per collab in the briefing. Some brands want Dutch, others French or English, and for some it doesn't matter.Read which collabs also run in French or English →

Do I get feedback on my content?

At campaign level always: after a collab we share what the squad as a whole delivered. Individual feedback isn't standard — the squads are too big for that. But whoever delivers strong, reliable content stands out and comes into view more easily for future squads.Read when you do get feedback — and from whom →

What should be in my profile?

Enough to show who you are as an athlete: your sport(s) and training frequency, region, socials and content style, sizes where relevant, and your interests or sports data. No CV needed — but an empty profile matches poorly.See the profile checklist: what helps us most to match you →

Am I welcome if I'm not Belgian?

Yes, you're welcome wherever you live. Our focus is on Belgium for now, so not every collab will fit your country — we'll simply let you know. Other countries are coming; whether a collab is open to your region is in the briefing.Read how we let you know when a collab doesn't (yet) fit your country →

I already work with brands that compete with your clients. Can I still join?

That's possible, depending on the collab. Some brands ask for a temporary non-compete during the posting window — stated up front in the briefing. Others don't. We select on sports fit and content quality, not on how clean your portfolio is. Register or follow us on socials to stay up to date on newRead how non-compete and existing collaborations relate →

Why do you work in squads of 25?

Because 25 athletes posting at the same time create local saturation inside a community — something one stray post never does. It tips from advertising to "everyone around me uses this". And you don't post alone, but alongside 24 others who live the same sport.Read the full answer →

What kind of content can I make for The Vandal?

Anything where you're genuinely moving outdoors and The Vandal fits in naturally: your Sunday ride, a gravel trip, a morning run, your outfit at the coffee stop. No script — your own sport and tone. At least 1 reel or feed post + 1 story within two weeks of your package; authentic beats perfect.Read the full answer →

How does my shopping credit work and how do I pick my Vandal kit?

You get shopping credit for the The Vandal webshop and pick your own kit — no fixed package. Note: your code works on the own collections, not on their brand collabs. Once the squad is confirmed you get a personal code; The Vandal ships directly. Then you post 1 reel + 1 story within two weeks.Read the full answer →

What is a main sport and can I only choose one?

Your main sport is the first thing your profile says about you — the sport you actually do. You pick one and can still add other sports alongside. A collab matches on what you genuinely do, so make your main sport sharp; the rest of your sports simply stay on your profile.Read the full answer →

Do I have a better chance of being selected if I've done a Sunday Squad collab before?

Sometimes yes, sometimes no — it depends on how that previous collab went. After each collab we evaluate: deliver well and it counts in your favour; drop out or deliver half-heartedly and it weighs the other way. And it stays just one criterion alongside fit, content idea, reach and engagement. We cRead the full answer →

Do followers from abroad count in the selection?

They count — what matters is your community and your fit, not the postcode behind your followers. An international audience isn't a minus; for a Belgium-focused collab an engaged Belgian community weighs more. One factor, not a barrier.Read how engagement and fit outweigh the postcode of your followers →

How do I become a brand ambassador or sportfluencer with Sunday Squad?

You join as a sportfluencer, not a classic ambassador. Register, complete your profile and apply for a collab with your own content idea — no yearly commitment, no big reach needed. Those who deliver and fit can be asked for Sunday Squad Ambassadors.Read the full answer →

Do I have to be a top or professional athlete to take part?

No, on the contrary — we work with amateur and lifestyle athletes, not pros. No podiums or race results needed. What counts is that you genuinely train, post about it regularly, and have an audience that reacts. Not your level, but your content.Read the full answer →

Can I work with multiple brands, or am I tied to one?

You're not tied to anything — a collab is one-off, and afterwards you're free to work with other brands. The only logical limit: within one running collab you don't post for a direct competitor at the same time. A paid ambassadorship does have bespoke terms.Read the full answer →

What are the next steps after I apply for a collab?

After you apply comes the selection: we and the brand pick the squad based on your application and your profile. If you're chosen, a short briefing follows, you get the product or shop credit, you create your content and wrap up with a quick recap. Keep posting between applying and selection — an acRead the full answer →

Can I choose any product from the webshop?

Not always everything — you choose within what the brand opens up for the collab. Limited editions, the brand's own collaboration drops and discounted items tend to fall outside it. What's included is in the briefing or you'll notice it from your code. Not sure? Ask your Captain before you order.Read the full answer →

Won't I disappear among the others in a squad?

No, usually the opposite. Because the whole squad is visible at the same time, the moment gets more attention and you're right in the middle of it — not as a stray advert, but as part of a group. Your content stays yours.Read the full answer →

Does EXR have a family plan?

Yes: your main account plus two family members, with full access, as long as everyone lives at the same address. You activate it in your EXR web profile under "manage subscription" (not through an Apple subscription); the price depends on your billing type. If you're in the collab, your year is persRead the full answer →

How much does a brand ambassador earn?

For an amateur with 500 to 10,000 followers: the product, and sometimes an amount on top (in the industry: gifting, a €200–€800/month retainer, or a 10–20% commission). With Sunday Squad Ambassadors per round: product with a known retail value, plus a fee stated in the briefing. Not a salary, but thRead the full answer →

Can I be an ambassador for several brands at once with Sunday Squad?

Yes, as long as they don't clash: no direct competitor in the same category while the round runs. A gel brand and an apparel brand go together fine. At Sunday Squad you belong to the squad, not to one brand.Read which brands go together and which clash →

Do I have to sign a contract as an ambassador with Sunday Squad?

No, no yearly contract. Per round you get a briefing that's binding for that round: product, posting window, minimum posts, disclosure, fee, excluded category. Yes is the agreement, no is no problem. The brand does sign something: it won't engage you outside Sunday Squad for twelve months.Read the full answer →

What does a brand expect from me as an ambassador?

Four things, all in the briefing: actually use the product, post within the posting window, tag the brand and disclose the partnership, and be honest. No script, no events, no weekly quota: the brand gets what it gets because you train. The ad disclosure is a JEP rule, not a Sunday Squad rule.Read the full answer →

What does it mean when a brand asks you for a second round?

That you delivered in round 1 and fit the brand. A second round is Sunday Squad Ambassadors: product again, a fee on top, no new application. Saying no is fine; the spot moves on.Read what a second round gets you, and what you can decline →

What does a brand ambassador actually do?

Use the product, show it and be honest about it. With Sunday Squad Ambassadors, per round: new product, use it in your training, post in the posting window (usually a story and a reel), tag, mention it's a partnership. No script, no weekly quota, no cheering for something you don't rate.Read the full answer →

Can I become an ambassador without doing a collab first?

No, and that works in your favour: every ambassador at Sunday Squad comes out of a round (a collab or round 1 of a programme). You're chosen on what you did, not on what you seem. Register, apply for a collab, deliver; eight weeks later you're in the picture.Read the full answer →

Which Instagram format gets the most engagement?

Carousels, at 2.62% average engagement — better than single images and reels (archive.com sector analysis, 2025). The reason is that swiping is an action, and the algorithm reads it as interest. But if you normally make reels and you're good at it, stick with that: your audience is used to your way.Read the full answer →

Creator marketing

What it is, how it works, and why it's not the same as influencer marketing.

My product is too expensive to put 25 units into a collab. Can we still run one?

Yes. For brands with a higher-value product we work with a smaller squad — say 10 sportfluencers instead of 25. The product's value helps set the squad size, and the squad is still chosen through over-subscription, together with you, so every unit reaches the right athlete.Read the full answer →

What did the WOWOW collab deliver?

Our very first squad, and immediately the proof: 25 sportfluencers, 64 pieces of content, 0% ghosting, +1,800 interactions (strongest profile 11.8% engagement) — and that in May, so a floor. WOWOW called the content “credible and authentic” and is looking at a follow-up.Read the full answer →

What did The Vandal collab deliver?

Sixteen riders, each with shopping credit for their own kit: 50 pieces of content (23 stories, 10 posts, 9 reels, 8 carousels) and 49 deliverables against 32 agreed — 153% delivery, 0% ghosting. Over 2,300 interactions, strongest post 17.3% engagement, twelve months of usage rights.Read the full answer →

What does creator marketing cost in Belgium?

Three price brackets in the Belgian market: one micro-influencer (a few hundred up to €1,000 per post), a classic campaign with a handful of creators (€1,000–€5,000), or a macro-influencer/celebrity (€5,000–€25,000 per post). Sunday Squad doesn't charge per post but per collab: a package of 25 curatSee the three pricing models and their trade-offs →

Is Sunday Squad right for my brand?

Yes, if an athlete genuinely uses, tests or experiences your product — nutrition, apparel, equipment, recovery, tech, safety, events. Less of a fit if there's no use experience attached. The test: can someone take it into their training for a week and say something meaningful about it?Find out when a squad is less suitable for your product →

What's the difference between creator marketing and influencer marketing?

Influencer marketing is about reach, creator marketing is about craft. Influencer marketing works with a few big names who mobilise their audience; creator marketing with several smaller creators who each serve their community from real expertise.Read when influencer marketing is actually the right choice →

Does creator marketing work without cash payments?

Yes — and not as a compromise, by design. A product-based model attracts creators who already use the brand or want to, not people monetising their account commercially. The selection filters on intent.Read how product-based models attract different creators than cash deals →

What is a barter deal — and does it work for brands?

A barter deal is a collaboration where a brand gives product in exchange for content, no money. For brands it works as a selection on intent — not as cheap content. Condition: the product value (from ±€75–100) justifies the time, and the product fits what the creator already does.Read the full answer →

Do major brands like Unilever and P&G also do creator marketing?

Yes — and at industrial scale. In 2025–2026 creator marketing has become a central strategy at the world's largest FMCG companies — Unilever, for example, works with more than 300,000 creators worldwide.Read how Unilever uses 300,000 creators — and what it means at your scale →

Does creator marketing work for smaller or niche brands?

Yes, and often better than for big brands. The logic — a large number of smaller creators, deployed in a coordinated way — naturally suits brands that don't need to reach half of Belgium but want to activate a specific community.Read why niche brands often outperform big budgets here →

What is creator marketing?

A form of marketing where brands work with content creators — people who've built an audience around their craft or passion. The creator makes content about the product, in their own style, and shares it with their community.Discover how creator marketing differs from classic advertising →

How many creators do you need for a successful campaign?

No fixed number, but a fixed principle: one creator makes noise, twenty or more make signal. The old reflex 'grab one famous name' works for broad awareness, not for depth within one community.Read why it only becomes a signal above twenty →

How do you measure the results of creator marketing?

There's no perfect attribution — anyone who promises it is selling something. The industry usually measures on four layers: reach, engagement, brand impact (lift studies, top-of-mind), and outcome metrics (sales, traffic, sign-ups). None stands on its own.Read why perfect attribution doesn't exist — and what you can measure →

How do you find the right creators for your brand?

Three routes, in increasing order of effort: search Instagram or TikTok yourself, work via a platform or database, or build a curated squad with a specialist. The right route depends on scale, budget and quality control.See the three routes to find creators — and their real costs →

What is the difference between UGC and creator content?

UGC is spontaneous, uninvited content from ordinary users. Creator content is invited and deliberate, but made in the creator’s own voice on their own channels. Sunday Squad works with creator content from amateur athletes: invited, curated for fit, posted from their own accounts within their own coRead when UGC is the better choice over creator content →

Is creator marketing only suitable for large brands with large budgets?

On the contrary. The Unilever model of 300,000 creators only makes sense at global scale. For most brands creator marketing works precisely at smaller scale: 25 creators serving your specific community.Read how the Unilever model works in reverse for smaller brands →

Does creator marketing replace classic media and advertising?

No — and it's not either/or. Classic media build reach, creator content builds repetition, squads build saturation within a community. Put everything on one layer and you miss the other two.See which layer does which job in a full media mix →

Is Sunday Squad right for a premium or niche brand?

Premium and niche brands are more often a strong match than a poor one — if the target customer is in the community we activate. The curation brief gets sharper, the squad smaller, but the fit stronger.Read how the curation brief gets sharper for premium and niche brands →

Does sportfluencer content match my brand's visual identity?

Fit is a selection question. We curate creators on profile and aesthetic, not just sport and reach. A strong visual story requires a sharper-filtered selection — not a tighter brief.Read how curation determines style fit — not the briefing →

Which products work best in a squad?

Products with a real moment of use: nutrition, apparel, shoes, accessories, recovery, tech, safety, bike/running gear, events. It's not the category that counts, but whether an athlete can integrate it into their training and has something to say about it.See which categories perform strongest in practice →

Can we approve the content in advance?

Not sentence by sentence. But within clear boundaries: core message, do's and don'ts, and required or forbidden claims — especially for nutrition, supplements, safety or performance. Within those lines, sportfluencers make content in their own style. You steer on boundaries, not on sentences.Read how we guard content guardrails without taking over control →

What should the value of the product package be?

High enough to feel like a real reward. No fixed price, but our sportfluencer survey points to a guideline: from around €100 a package feels like a real reward, and in practice value usually lands between €100 and €200. A discount code feels like work; a full product feels like recognition.Read why a discount code is the worst product you can give →

Why does creator content outperform production photography?

Production photography asks the viewer to believe. Creator content lets them recognise. An amateur athlete using your product in a context the viewer knows shortens the mental step from product to purchase — something a glossy studio shoot structurally cannot do.Read why recognition hits harder than a well-produced photo →

When should we not do a squad?

Don't do it if you actually want perfect ad visuals, full script control or guaranteed short-term sales — then you want a media buy, not a squad. A squad works because it feels real, and that means letting go of some control.Read when a media buy is the better choice than a squad →

Do Sunday Squad collabs work alongside broader influencer or media campaigns?

Yes — often the strongest setup. A squad doesn't replace other marketing; it's a layer that adds simultaneous voices within one community. It works alongside a hero campaign, via an agency, or on top of always-on creator activity.See the three setups where a squad works alongside other marketing →

Can we work via our marketing agency?

Yes — directly with the brand or as an activation layer alongside your agency. If you have a media agency or agency-of-record, a squad collab fits as a targeted module in the plan. We coordinate directly: briefing, timing, style and reporting through one line.Read how coordination through an agency works in practice →

What is user-generated content (UGC)?

UGC is content people create spontaneously about a brand, without payment or invitation. The market now uses the term for paid, directed content that mimics the UGC aesthetic. Sunday Squad sits in between: our athletes receive product, not cash, and post from their own accounts within their own commRead how UGC differs from paid content and why that matters →

What does a Sunday Squad collab actually deliver?

25 pieces of content on the same day, cumulative organic reach typically well above 50,000, a 24-month content licence, and no ghosting. A squad builds credibility — not direct conversion.See the full output list: content, reach, rights and what remains →

How many products do we need to provide?

Standard is 25 product packages (one per sportfluencer), plus three to five spares for size swaps, damage or a late replacement. With a different squad size it scales accordingly; we agree the exact number up front.Read why the reserve packs are not optional but essential →

What does a collab with a Sunday Squad cost?

A collab with a squad of 25 starts from €2,500, a pilot with 10 from €1,500 — excl. VAT and product; the intro call is free. Included: matching, selection, logistics, final report and content rights (whitelisting separate). For the long run: a season (3 collabs) or Sunday Squad Ambassadors, tailor-mRead the full answer →

Can we ask for exclusivity within our category?

Yes, provided it's in the briefing up front and fairly bounded on three dials: category, region and period. A fair, limited exclusivity is open for discussion; an open-ended block or a category so broad it locks an athlete out everywhere scares off exactly the profiles you want.Read the three parameters that make exclusivity fair and bounded →

What do we as a brand need to provide to start?

A sharp briefing: product, audience and sport, region, timing, core message, no-gos, and what you want to do with the content (organic or also ads). You provide the direction, we build the squad.See the full briefing checklist: what we need at minimum →

What is ghosting and why is it a problem?

Ghosting is when a creator accepts a collaboration or free product and then disappears — no post, no message. You've already incurred the costs before anything comes back. In classic product seeding it's the norm: 59% of marketers run into it.Read what ghosting is and why it makes seeding unreliable →

Can a brand from abroad work with Sunday Squad?

Yes. You don't have to be a Belgian brand. Our squads are mainly in Belgium for now, so a foreign brand wanting to reach the Belgian sports community is in the right place. A squad in your own country is possible but needs building first — we're upfront about that.Read how an international brand reaches the Belgian sports community →

What stops an athlete from keeping the product and posting nothing?

No ironclad guarantee — but non-delivery is the exception, by design. We select on intent, the squad posts simultaneously so sitting still stands out, and the Captain follows up. In our pilot, 100% of selected athletes delivered.Read the full answer →

Does barter content have to be labelled as advertising?

Yes. A free product counts as a benefit, so the post is advertising — whatever the value. That requires a clear label ('Reclame' or 'Advertentie'), and as the brand you're co-responsible. With us, that obligation is built into the terms every sportfluencer accepts.Read the full answer →

Are the sportfluencers in a collab already ambassadors of our brand?

Not yet. A collab is a one-off activation with no obligation afterwards. Sunday Squad Ambassadors is the next step: from the squad that delivered you assemble a group that carries on in rounds, with product and a fee. Afterwards on behaviour, not up front on reach.Read the full answer →

Can an ambassadorship grow out of a collab?

Yes. A collab is the ideal audition: you see which athletes deliver, fit your brand and reach their audience — behavioural data, not a promise. From that proven group grows Sunday Squad Ambassadors: rounds with product and a fee, with size, rhythm and duration set per brand.Read the full answer →

What's the difference between reach and traction?

Reach is how many people see your content; traction is whether they react, tag each other and ask where to buy it. One influencer can have more reach, but a squad posting at the same time sets traction in motion — a campaign that gets talked about, not just watched.Read the full answer →

Do we have to find and manage the sportfluencers ourselves?

No. We find, screen, brief and chase the athletes; you get one curated squad to approve, one point of contact, one agreement and one service fee — not twenty-five separate email threads and reminders.Read the full answer →

Why do all the sportfluencers post at the same time?

Because posting at the same time turns separate posts into one moment. Twenty-five athletes posting over the same weekend within the same community create local saturation — your brand feels like it was already there, not like it arrived through an advert.Read the full answer →

Is there a list of your sportfluencers we can look at?

No, there is no browsable catalogue. A squad forms per collab: from sportfluencers who apply to your campaign, supplemented from our community (amateurs with 500 to ±25,000 followers) and targeted scouting. What you do get: the contours and cases up front, and after the matching a reasoned shortlistRead why a reasoned shortlist says more than a catalogue →

What is ambassador marketing?

Ambassador marketing is marketing through people who already use your brand and keep showing it, longer than one campaign. Classically that's one face on a yearly contract; Sunday Squad Ambassadors is a squad of 10 or 25 sportfluencers who carry on in rounds after a collab, chosen on what they did.Read the full answer →

What are the pitfalls of an ambassador programme?

Three pitfalls with one cause: too few people, too much goodwill. One face that goes quiet, ambassadors with no new reason to post, and management through loose DMs and spreadsheets. Sunday Squad Ambassadors: a squad of 10 or 25, rounds with new product, one platform per round.Read the full answer →

What is community-led growth, and how does Sunday Squad do it?

Community-led growth: a brand grows through the people who already use it, not through bought reach. In software that's a forum; in sport it's the peloton. Sunday Squad does it in three steps: a collab (drop), a Sunday Squad Season (rhythm), Sunday Squad Ambassadors (relationship).Read why the buying decision is made in the peloton →

Does product seeding deliver more than a paid post?

Not automatically more, but something different. Across 100,000+ Instagram posts, gifted and paid collaborations achieved virtually identical average engagement: 2.01% versus 2.00%. Paid posts had a higher median: 1,765 views versus 800. Product-based collabs test fit; paid helps deploy proven reachRead the full answer →

What is the difference between a brand ambassador and an influencer?

You hire an influencer for a moment; you build a relationship with an ambassador. Duration (weeks vs months), basis (reach vs credibility), content (campaign vs ordinary life), exclusivity, goal and compensation follow from that. At Sunday Squad the ambassador comes out of the collab: the squad thatRead the full answer →

How do you select brand ambassadors?

On behaviour, not on reach. The industry selects from existing customers, nano/micro profiles in the niche and top performers from a gifting campaign. At Sunday Squad the collab is that first step: after the posting window you know who used, delivered and fit; you approve the line-up. Nobody becomesRead the full answer →

Do brand ambassadors have to be exclusive?

Within your category yes, outside it no. With Sunday Squad Ambassadors exclusivity applies per round and per category: no direct competitor while a round runs, freedom in between. Whoever chooses your round again after a free month does so because it fits.Read the full answer →

Which brands is Sunday Squad Ambassadors right for, and which not?

For products that only convince after weeks of use: nutrition, care, subscriptions, seasonal apparel. Not for a one-off launch or event; there you want a spike, so a collab or a Sunday Squad Season. If in doubt: start with a collab.Read when Ambassadors fits, and when a collab is the better call →

What is the difference between a Sunday Squad Season and Sunday Squad Ambassadors?

A Sunday Squad Season is more people: three collabs, a different squad each time, up to 75 sportfluencers. Sunday Squad Ambassadors is the same people for longer: one squad that receives new product in rounds, keeps posting and gets a fee for it. Launch → Season; consumable → Ambassadors.Read when to choose breadth and when the same faces →

How much does a brand ambassador programme cost in Belgium?

In Belgium: €200–€800 per nano/micro ambassador per month as a retainer, product only for gifting, 10–20% for affiliate; one well-known face from several thousand euros a month. Sunday Squad Ambassadors counts per round: round 1 is a collab from €1,500 (10) or €2,500 (25) excl. VAT and product; follRead the full answer →

What is an athlete ambassador programme?

An ambassador programme in which athletes, not creators or well-known faces, carry a brand for longer (On, Athletic Brewing, Gymshark). The industry aims at pros and big sports creators; Sunday Squad Ambassadors is the same programme for amateurs with 500 to 10,000 followers who know them.Read the full answer →

How long does an ambassador programme run?

As long as the product gives reason to. In the industry: six months to three years. Sunday Squad Ambassadors works in rounds (monthly for consumables, quarterly for drops, per season for apparel); after every round you choose again. Recommended: at least three rounds.Read the full answer →

What is a brand ambassador programme?

A standing agreement between a brand and a group of people who keep showing the brand for longer, in exchange for an ongoing return: gifting, retainer (€200–€800/month for nano/micro), affiliate (10–20%) or hybrid. Sunday Squad Ambassadors: a squad of 10 or 25, product + fee per round, entry throughRead the full answer →

What is the difference between a brand ambassador, a brand advocate and a fan?

A fan buys, a brand advocate recommends unprompted, a brand ambassador does so by agreement with something in return. A sportfluencer at Sunday Squad sits on the step between advocate and ambassador: the recommendation existed before the agreement did.Read the full answer →

Does an ambassador programme work for a small brand?

Yes, often better than for a big brand: a small brand already has what a programme needs, a product people recommend and a community you can be visible in. Nano/micro convert better. Sunday Squad Ambassadors starts with a pilot of 10 sportfluencers.Read the full answer →

Can you combine influencer marketing with an ambassador programme?

Yes: test broadly first, then turn the best into ambassadors. At Sunday Squad that's a ladder: collab (test), Sunday Squad Season (breadth), Sunday Squad Ambassadors (depth), two at once if you like. What we don't do: put a well-known face on top of the squad; then the squad becomes scenery.Read the full answer →

How do you build an ambassador programme with amateur athletes?

Start with one collab, not with a programme: 10 or 25 amateur athletes use your product, you see who delivers, you assemble the ambassador group, choose rhythm and return, and run rounds. Amateurs have no manager or rate card, but a club and an audience that knows them.Read the full answer →

Is ambassador marketing the same as referral or affiliate marketing?

No. Affiliate and referral measure the transaction (commission per sale, reward per referred customer); ambassador marketing measures whether someone keeps showing your brand, even when nothing sells. Sunday Squad Ambassadors pays per round, not per sale: an athlete who sells is no longer believed iRead the full answer →

How does Sunday Squad Ambassadors differ from a brand-owned ambassador club?

A brand-owned club (like AA Drink's ALL ACTIVITY CLUB, 32 ambassadors, one city) is one brand, one group, managed in-house. Sunday Squad Ambassadors comes from a network of 1,300+ sportfluencers, is selected on what they did in a collab, and is managed by us per round. A new sport or region is a newRead the full answer →

What is the difference between community-led growth and influencer marketing?

Influencer marketing buys the attention of an audience someone else built; community-led growth grows your brand through those who already use it, in the group they belong to. Three differences: direction (sender vs around), basis (reach vs membership), time (peak vs memory). Sunday Squad chooses thRead the full answer →

What is the difference between a UGC creator and a brand ambassador?

A UGC creator makes content for your channels, paid per video (from around €80), no own audience needed. A brand ambassador shows your product on their own channels, to people who know them. Sunday Squad Ambassadors delivers the second, with reuse rights on the content: UGC that also proves somethinRead the full answer →

Are employee ambassadors the same as sportfluencer ambassadors?

No. Employee ambassadors (employee advocacy) post about their employer on LinkedIn and prove loyalty. Sportfluencer ambassadors are customers who use your product and show it to their own audience; they prove the product works. Sunday Squad Ambassadors works exclusively with athletes outside your paRead the full answer →

How many brand ambassadors does a brand need?

More than one, fewer than a hundred. One ambassador is a risk, a hundred is a campaign without a relationship. For a local sports community 10 or 25 is the workable middle; that's why Sunday Squad Ambassadors is a squad of 10 or 25. More than 25 becomes a second squad.Read the full answer →

What is the difference between ambassador marketing and creator marketing?

Creator marketing is about who makes the content (creators from their own lives, not well-known faces); ambassador marketing about how long someone stays with your brand. At Sunday Squad they coincide: a collab is creator marketing in one drop, Sunday Squad Ambassadors is the same creators in roundsRead the full answer →

Do people trust a nano-influencer more than an advertisement?

Yes, by a wide margin: 92% trust a nano-influencer more than traditional advertising (archive.com sector analysis, 2025). But that trust sits in the person, not in the format — it disappears the moment someone promotes what they don't use. Proper labelling doesn't damage it; pretending there is no aRead the full answer →

Do you use AI to select creators?

Yes, for the searching — not for the decision. 66.4% of marketers see better results with AI and 60.2% use it to find creators (archive.com sector analysis, 2025). A script narrows the field to a longlist; whether someone is credible with their audience you see by reading their last twenty posts. WeRead the full answer →

Do people actually buy something after seeing a nano-influencer use it?

Sixty per cent of consumers buy a product after seeing a nano-influencer use it (archive.com sector analysis, 2025). The word doing the work is 'use': not a recommendation, but a product in a situation the viewer recognises. The condition is that the athlete already uses the product anyway — and cheRead the full answer →

How many brands actually match their creators to their niche?

37.20% of brands match their creators to their own product niche (archive.com sector analysis, 2025). The rest mostly select on reach, because reach is the one thing every platform shows straight away. Selecting on niche means doing work that isn't sitting ready anywhere — and that is exactly where Read the full answer →

Can you work with thousands of nano-influencers at once?

It can be done: Café Royal managed 3,000 nano and micro-influencers in one two-month campaign (archive.com sector analysis, 2025). What you give up is individual selection, briefing and follow-up — you get volume with a delivery rate you endure rather than steer. Fine for a coffee capsule, not for aRead the full answer →

Are creators willing to collaborate for product only, without cash?

Yes: 93% of influencers will work for product alone — but on condition that they genuinely appreciate the brand (archive.com sector analysis, 2025). That clause turns product-only into a selection mechanism rather than a discount: saying yes without a fee says something about the relationship with tRead the full answer →

How much does it pay off when the creator is genuinely in your niche?

13.59% more engagement and 81.39% more views when creators are picked on the brand's product niche rather than on reach (archive.com sector analysis, 2025). Read it as an order of magnitude, not a guarantee. The reason: in the right niche your product is a tip, elsewhere it's an ad among other ads.Read the full answer →

Do brands run their creator marketing in-house?

Yes, most do: 60.4% of brands run their influencer campaigns in-house (archive.com sector analysis, 2025). Under five creators that's often the right call — the direct link is an advantage and the cost is near zero. From twenty at once inside one sports community it becomes an operation, and then thRead the full answer →

Which brands in Belgium work with sportfluencers as ambassadors?

Fewer than you'd think. The well-known programmes are international (On, Gymshark, Lululemon); in the Benelux AA Drink's ALL ACTIVITY CLUB is the most visible example. Through Sunday Squad six brands activated a squad: WOWOW, Cyclowax, The Vandal, RocketFuel Endurance, Zolder42 and EXR.Read the full answer →

How many creators do brands typically work with?

49.6% of brands work with no more than five influencers per campaign (archive.com sector analysis, 2025), while three quarters of the supply is nano. That limit of five is a bandwidth limit: following up five creators by hand already costs half a working week. And the effect isn't linear — five sepaRead the full answer →

Does a longer collaboration with creators get cheaper?

Usually yes: 71% of influencers offer a discount for a longer collaboration rather than one-off posts (archive.com sector analysis, 2025). What you buy isn't volume pricing but less friction — the run-up per post disappears. The biggest gain is in substance: someone three months into the same shoes Read the full answer →

Do sportfluencers prefer products over cash?

Yes: in our own survey (early 2026, 44 sportfluencers) 89% chose products over €150 in cash for the same collab, and barely 5% would always pick cash. The product options did carry extras — commission, exclusivity, value. The lesson for brands: a well-chosen product package motivates more than the sRead the full answer →

Micro-influencer marketing

What micro-influencers are, what they cost, and why the sports approach differs from classic influencer deals.

What is the difference between a micro-influencer and a macro-influencer?

Micro-influencers (1,000–100,000 followers) have a smaller but sharper audience than macro-influencers. The difference isn’t in the number but in the relationship: micro-influencers build an audience around a specific niche, leading to higher engagement and more precise relevance per recommendation.Read why the number says less than the relationship behind it →

What is a sportfluencer?

A sportfluencer is an amateur athlete who creates content as a by-product of their sporting life, not an influencer who uses sport as a theme. That produces a smaller but sharper audience — people who actually train and would buy the product. The sporting content needs to set the tone; the rest of tRead how the distinction from a lifestyle influencer determines the result →

How much does a micro-influencer campaign cost in Belgium?

Micro-influencer campaigns in Belgium work with cash per post (€150–€600 per Reel), product seeding (from €75–100 product value per creator), or a hybrid model. The real cost also lies in curation, briefing and follow-up — not just the fee itself.Read the full answer →

Does creator marketing work differently for sports brands?

For sports brands, creator marketing is a credibility test: athletes aren’t looking for inspiration but for proof that a product works in real conditions. That proof comes from a sportfluencer who actually uses your product — not someone who poses with it.Read why athletes look for proof — not inspiration →

Does micro-influencer marketing actually work?

Micro-influencer marketing works — but fails systematically with wrong creator selection or when content is stripped from the context that made it credible. The right benchmark isn’t reach but delivery rate: were the posts actually made, by the right people, in the right context?Read when micro-influencer marketing fails — and why →

How many followers make you a nano, micro or macro influencer?

There is no official standard, but generally: nano 1,000–10,000 followers, micro up to 100,000, macro up to 1 million, mega above that. The lines shift because they only measure reach — the relationship behind them is what changes systematically. Sunday Squad works from 500 to ±25,000 followers, wheSee the four tiers — and why the number says less than you think →

What does a single nano-influencer post cost?

Globally about $50 (~€45) per post (archive.com sector analysis, 2025) — an order of magnitude, not a rate. In Belgium a credible sports profile costs more. We rarely pay per post: product, a captain's fee, and a fee for selection, follow-up and usage rights.Read the full answer →

What is a realistic ROI on a nano-influencer campaign?

A defensible benchmark is €5.44 in revenue per euro invested (Café Royal, via archive.com sector analysis 2025). Better still, do the reverse sum: what you need to break even — and count the content you'd otherwise have paid to produce.Read the full answer →

What share of influencers are actually nano-influencers?

75.9% of Instagram influencers are nano, on TikTok 87.68% and on YouTube 69.4% (archive.com sector analysis, 2025). The market is overwhelmingly small. The question isn't whether to work with nano-influencers, but how to select and run thirty of them without it becoming manual work.Read the full answer →

How much content does a seeding programme produce?

Large programmes post impressive totals (Café Royal: 6,500 pieces, ~400,000 reach). More useful is the expectation per athlete: in our WOWOW pilot 25 of 25 athletes delivered, together 64 pieces and over 1,800 extra interactions — two to three pieces each.Read the full answer →

What is a good engagement rate for a nano-influencer on Instagram?

The average for nano-influencers on Instagram is 2.71% (archive.com sector analysis, 2025) — the highest of any tier. Use it as a benchmark, not a cut-off: where the engagement comes from says more than the percentage itself.Read the full answer →

Do nano-creators perform better on TikTok than on Instagram?

Yes: 10.3% average engagement on TikTok against 2.71% on Instagram (archive.com sector analysis, 2025), with YouTube at 5.43%. That gap comes from platform mechanics, not better creators — so only compare within the same platform.Read the full answer →

Do nano-influencers really get more engagement than macro-influencers?

Yes: 4% average engagement for nano-influencers against 1.3% for macro (archive.com sector analysis, 2025). The reason is arithmetic — the numerator grows more slowly than the denominator. The return sits in the sum of a squad, not in one nano account.Read the full answer →

Do nano-influencers convert better than macro-influencers?

Yes: 7% conversion for nano against 3% for macro (archive.com sector analysis, 2025). But a conversion figure means little without the measurement method — which is why we use a dedicated code or link per athlete, measurable per profile.Read the full answer →

Collabs

How long does a Sunday Squad collab run?

The active posting window is typically 2 to 3 weeks from the moment you receive your products. No yearly commitment: you get a briefing, you post your content, you share your results, done.See the full timeline from sign-up to reporting →

How much do I have to post?

Usually 1 story + 1 reel. How much it becomes depends on the value and duration of the collab — the brand can ask more or less, always briefed up front. Enthusiastic athletes often do more: win-win-win for brand, athlete and Sunday Squad.Read how the collab value determines how much you post →

Does everyone who applies for a collab get selected automatically?

No. Every collab has 25 spots and we select on sporting match, content quality and engagement — not just follower count. You can't lose by applying; you can only get selected.Find out what happens to your profile after a non-selection →

What if a sportfluencer is negative about the product?

It can — and it's exactly what makes a squad different from an ad. The same honesty that makes your content credible sometimes produces a critical note. We keep the risk small with good fit and clear expectations up front; structural criticism isn't a disaster but free product research.Read how good curation upfront makes a negative post almost impossible →

How long does it take from briefing to a live collab?

Count on four to six weeks from signed briefing to first posts: application window (1-3 weeks) → curation + squad review (5-7 working days) → shipping (a few days to a week) → posting window (2-3 weeks). Working toward a fixed date, we count back.See the full timeline in weeks, from briefing to first posts →

What if there are fewer than 25 applications?

Then we don't just pad it out. An honest squad of 20 that genuinely fits is worth more than 25 with five dragged-in profiles. Two levers: parallel scouting to top up the pool, and honest course-correction (smaller, wider region, different timing) if it really can't be filled.Read how we adjust when the number doesn't reach what it should →

What if a sportfluencer doesn't post (on time)?

We carry that risk. Curation up front, agreements in the briefing, follow-up during the posting window and back-ups from the same pool — plus an honest completion rate afterwards: how many of the 25 actually delivered.Read how the three layers of risk management work in practice →

How do you handle product shipping to the athletes?

Two options: bulk to Sunday Squad and we distribute (~€6-9 domestic per package, charged at cost), or directly from brand to athlete with an address list from us. No fixed rule — we put both options on the table with a concrete cost estimate.See the two shipping options with concrete cost estimates →

Do we get to see the squad before product is shipped?

Yes. Before a single product ships, you get the curated squad for review — matching framework, score and rationale per profile — and you have the final say on the line-up. Want to swap? We do it together, with a replacement from the same pool, so the squad stays in balance.Read what the squad review shows — and how you lock in the line-up →

What are the content rights for brands?

Set per collab — one of the value elements that determines whether a collab clicks or not. Standard is 12 to 24 months, organic and paid, limited to the country where the collab takes place. OOH, TV and longer use are separate modules. Content rights are not whitelisting — access to the athlete's adSee the standard package: duration, usage, OOH and what it costs →

Can we repeat a squad?

Yes — and that's where it gets interesting. One squad is a drop; repeat it and it becomes a rhythm that builds familiarity. That can be a Sunday Squad Season (three collabs, a different squad each time) or Sunday Squad Ambassadors (the same squad, in rounds). Each squad makes the next one sharper.Read how repeating a squad builds familiarity over seasons →

Who manages the sportfluencers during the collab?

We do. You have one point of contact, not 25. We watch the timing, remind where needed, answer athletes' questions and track who delivered what. The effect of 25 voices without the logistics of 25 contacts.Read what we do while the posting window runs →

Can we learn which sports community works best for our brand?

Yes — every squad is an activation and a measurement at once. You see which profiles, sports and messages land, and across several communities where your brand gets the most traction. Market research with sweat on it.Read how every squad is also market research about your community →

What do we get after a squad?

A recap of what the squad actually delivered: content with links, reach and completion rate, engagement signals, and learnings + recommendations. We report on the cautious side — better an honest number than a pretty one.See what's concretely in the recap — and how we report →

How does a second round work with Sunday Squad Ambassadors?

Faster: of the eight weeks of a first collab, four disappear, because applications, search and selection are no longer needed. Round 2 is briefing, squad confirmation, shipping with fee, content and report.Read which four weeks disappear in a second round →

How do you measure the results of an ambassador programme?

Per round, on three layers: what was made, what it did, and who came back. The industry measures content, engagement, codes and revenue; the third number, repetition, sets a programme apart from a campaign. Sunday Squad Ambassadors reports per round, with comparison and the share of the squad that tRead the full answer →

How do you measure community-led growth?

By what comes back, not what passes by: how many members take part again (retention), how many people start talking about your brand of their own accord, and how many new members come in through existing ones. Sunday Squad Ambassadors reports those three per round. 20 of 25 coming back is adoption, Read the full answer →

Do brands work with the same creators more than once?

Yes, and increasingly: 63.2% of brands work with the same influencers again, up from 57% in 2022 (archive.com sector analysis, 2025). What brings them back is that the second time is cheaper in everything except money — the creator already knows the product. There's a limit: four seasons of the sameRead the full answer →