Comedy creator Haley Kalil shows how genuine brand love creates live connections

“I love the internet, I love humor, and I love comedy. So, I wake up and I go, ‘What can I film today? What would be fun to film today?’,” shares Haley Kalil.

Known as “haleyybaylee” to her millions of social media followers, Kalil has risen from Miss Minnesota 2014 to viral comedy sensation. Her genuine, relatable approach to storytelling always shines, whether she’s providing audiences with an escape through satirical skits or hosting real-time video shopping experiences on Amazon Live.

Haley Kalil in conversation with Julie Haleluk, Global Head of Growth, Amazon Shopping Videos

The power of genuine product love

Kalil’s success stems from a simple strategy: she only promotes products and brands she personally uses and loves. "I only trust people that I feel like I know," Kalil explains during a recent interview. “If they don't feel authentic—if they're reading a script—I’m probably not going to buy the product.”

This philosophy guides Kalil’s brand collaborations on Amazon Live. During a recent livestream with Tree Hut, she shared her genuine experience with the brand’s four-step exfoliation process as a self-proclaimed “spray tan girly.” In another memorable livestream, Kalil’s three dogs joined her to celebrate the holiday gift-giving season. Viewers witnessed her special guests’ love for GREENIES™ treats in real time, providing an additional layer of authenticity that scripted endorsements can sometimes struggle to capture.

In an increasingly skeptical media landscape, authenticity isn't just nice to have—it's essential for success.

How Kalil builds community through interactive storytelling

What sets live shopping apart is the ability to create real-time connections with audiences. “I've also used live as a way just to communicate with my following, and I think it's created a stronger community,” Kalil shares. She particularly values the chat feature on Amazon Live, which enables direct interaction with viewers beyond the constraints of short-form content.

The real-time nature of livestreams also allows for unscripted moments that build trust. By treating her livestreams like conversations with friends rather than formal presentations, Kalil fosters authentic connections that can help drive purchasing decisions. This authenticity is crucial, as revealed in the Amazon Ads research report Beyond the Generational Divide, which found that 75% of surveyed consumers' shopping choices are influenced by their online communities and the creators they follow.¹

The strategic advantage of creator-driven advertising

Creators like Kalil have a deep understanding of their audience and what resonates with them. When she works with a brand, Kalil always asks herself, “How can I bring what they want to life? And how can I bring it to life in a way that's entertaining and fun for my followers to watch?”

Creator marketing can help viewers more easily envision how a product might fit into their own lives, effectively bridging the gap between brands and their customers. “People just want to see authenticity. They want to see themselves represented in the creator who's using the products,” explains Kalil. For example, an Amazon Live video shopping experience can show audiences how a skincare product might work on their own skin or how much time it could save in their daily routine.

Kalil’s advice to brands is simple: work with all sorts of creators, explore different niches, and share your story with communities across channels. Whether you’re seeking a comedy creator, a culinary creator, or a creator who takes viewers on “get ready with me” journeys, the perfect brand-creator pairing is just waiting to happen.

Kalil's approach offers a simple but powerful lesson: start with genuine product love, trust your creators, and let authenticity drive the conversation. The rest will follow naturally.

Sources

¹ Amazon Ads custom research with Strat7 Crowd.DNA. Beyond the Generational Divide: The new rules for consumer connection. Fielded December 2024 to January 2025. Data reflects AU, BR, CA, DE, ES, FR, IT, JP, MX, U.K., and U.S. aggregated. Base: All respondents (26,400), Gen Z (6,680), Millennials (6,680), Gen X (6,668), Baby Boomers (6,372).