Vol. 95 Pacsun: Jeans, creators, and virality

Case Studied
The Power of Micro-influencers 

When it comes to influencer marketing, plenty of brands chase the splashy names–and it makes sense why. Celebrity partnerships and macro-influencer posts can generate earned media, cultural influence, and, of course, revenue. 

But they’re also expensive, hard to scale, and not always guaranteed to convert.

On the flip side of this creator coin, there are the micro influencers. Their audiences are smaller, yes, but their connections with those audiences tend to be strong. And Pacsun’s success with one micro-influencer encapsulated just how far those connections can go for brand reach and revenue. 

This week, Case Studied explores how Pacsun sold 11k pairs of jeans within 48 hours.

The Brief

Pacsun has been around since 1980, first surfacing in Southern California as a small surf shop. Over the decades, it expanded to include skate and streetwear brands and eventually evolved into a mainstream fashion player found in malls. 

Today, it’s known for denim, casualwear, and youth-focused collaborations with brands like Playboy, Fear of God Essentials, and Kendall & Kylie.

Given its focus on younger audiences, it makes sense that Pacsun was an early adopter of TikTok back in 2019. Pacsun’s approach on the platform leans into social validation through likes, reviews, and long-term partnerships with creators. And the brand saw major results from one of these partnerships in November 2023.

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The Execution

Pacsun’s big win was born from their use of the TikTok affiliate creator program, which allows influencers to promote products through TikTok Shop and earn commissions on sales. 

The breakout moment came when TikTok creator Lyla Biggs posted about Pacsun’s Casey jean in Astrid Wash. Biggs posted a video about the low rise jeans to her 5,000 fans… and it quickly went viral. 

The video’s popularity then quickly translated into sales for Pacsun via TikTok as well as brick-and-mortar stores. 

@lylabiggs

“It created this amazing halo effect where when our audience and following saw it had sold out, we started to see this incredible impact on our stores,” Pacsun CEO Brie Olson said. 

“People were rushing into our stores asking for the viral Casey jeans in Astrid wash. We couldn’t get after our demand quickly enough and we aired in more goods. Pretty soon, we’d sold 60,000 pairs of those jeans on TikTok alone and hundreds of thousands of pairs in our stores.”

The Results

Pacsun ended up selling 11,000 pairs of the Casey jeans in Astrid wash within 48 hours. The retailer estimates that one moment with Biggs led to over $20 million in sales from TikTok alone. 

According to Forbes, Pacsun had sold 200,000 pairs of jeans as of March 2025, marking an over 100% comp YoY in denim for the retailer. 

Olson points to the brand’s willingness to partner with a wide array of creators within their affiliate program. “We’ve noticed that the virality is really in the hands of the creators and leveraging this open platform. A lot of brands don’t have an openness to using an open creator platform because they kind of lose control over who is going to be promoting the brand,” she said. 

“At Pacsun, we’re big champions of diversity and inclusion and anyone who loves the Pacsun brand is welcome to be part of this program and then be an advocate.”

The Takeaways

1)  Don’t sleep on micro-influencer impact

Pacsun’s viral moment (and revenue spike) was sparked by an influencer who had just 5,000 followers, offering a clear example of how micro-influencers can have a macro impact. The brand unlocked both reach and conversion, without spending millions on a celebrity ad. 

For your own brand partnerships, resist the urge to assume that creators need a massive audience to create impact. Micro-influencers can be key in unlocking authentic, strong connections with niche audiences.

2) Consider widening your affiliate scope

Pacsun made the intentional decision to keep its affiliate program open to anyone who loved the brand. That openness allowed microinfluencers like Biggs to create her video and drive major results for the brand’s reach and bottom line. 

Exclusivity may be a necessity with your affiliate program but it’s worth taking a look at opportunities for expansion. Opening the door to a broader set of creators can reveal advocates you wouldn’t have identified otherwise—and give your products a chance to catch fire in unexpected corners of the internet.

3) Be ready to pour gas on organic traction

The Casey jeans viral moment didn’t end with one post. Pacsun amplified the buzz by reposting Biggs’ video across its own channels and leaning into the UGC wave. They also quickly restocked inventory to meet demand and extend the jeans’ lifecycle beyond a one-off spike.

Ensure that you plan for agility when testing creator-driven campaigns. If a product starts gaining momentum, be ready to amplify it with everything from owned media and paid boosts to restocks and discount codes. That way, when lightning strikes, you can move quickly and work towards turning a viral spark into a sustained revenue stream.

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