How saintnicks used ugc to drive brand advocacy for POSCA

POSCA is one of the world’s most loved paint marker brands. With high repurchase rates and a loyal following among artists, crafters, and customisers, its products are synonymous with creativity. Yet, brand awareness in the UK remains low. This was especially noticeable on social media, where the brand had a small, under-engaged following and missed key moments to connect with its creative audience.

To address this, integrated brand agency saintnicks set out to build a meaningful relationship with POSCA’s community of artists. Rather than chasing short-term gains, they focused on sparking conversations, sharing community work, and encouraging more creators to pick up a POSCA and get involved.

Why UGC matters more than ever

In today’s social media landscape, brand advocacy is most powerful when it comes from authentic, peer-driven content. Nielsen research shows that 92% of consumers trust UGC more than traditional advertising, while a Stackla report indicates that 79% say it significantly influences their purchasing decisions.

This is particularly true for Gen Z and younger millennials, who share their work online and connect with like-minded communities. For POSCA, this made UGC the key to unlocking cultural credibility and long-term advocacy.

Anti-Established Since 1983

To celebrate this, saintnicks and POSCA launched “Anti-Established since 1983” — a bold creative platform rooted in POSCA’s rebellious street art heritage while embracing the expressive community that sustains the brand today.

The strategy adopted a Flicker, Flash, Flare model:

• Flicker: Timely, UGC-led posts that spark conversation.
• Flash: Episodic formats that build familiarity.
• Flare: Large-scale campaigns designed for maximum reach.

Since the start of 2025, over 10,000 pieces of UGC have been shared across channels, transforming POSCA’s feeds into a living gallery of community creativity.

 Building an always-on UGC engine

What made this campaign stand out was not just the use of UGC, but the scale and structure behind it, which was created for:

• Rights at scale: A standardised permissions process ensured respect for creators while enabling content to be published rapidly.
• Speed without risk: A robust set of UGC guidelines empowered quick decision-making while safeguarding brand safety. When footballer Kevin De Bruyne signed a fan’s mural with a POSCA marker, the content was identified through social listening, cleared, and shared within hours.
• Platform fluency: Content formats were tailored for each channel, with carousels thriving on Instagram and process videos dominating TikTok.

 Turning contributors into collaborators

saintnicks and POSCA didn’t just reshare community work; they actively encouraged and inspired it. Initiatives like the ‘Sound Off’ content series, weekly AMAs, and ‘Add Yours’ prompts made participation straightforward and rewarding.

A ‘surprise and delight’ gifting programme also fostered deeper relationships, often resulting in high-quality, unprompted content from delighted artists.

For the launch of the new brand platform, the community was invited to submit artwork for the hero video. Thousands of submissions were shared, with many incorporated into the final cut, ensuring fans became collaborators, not just contributors.

The results

The results exceeded expectations. In just the first five months of 2025, the brand saw:

• Over 21,000 tagged posts and mentions (vs. a target of 10,000 in 12 months, achieved in just 5 months).
• 46,000 new followers across Instagram and TikTok, boosting communities to 85,000 and 65,000, respectively.
• 2.6 million people reached organically
• 300,000+ engagements.
• 540,000 views for the launch video, showcasing community artwork.

Mitsubishi Pencil Co’s UK Marketing Director, Hannah Hurling, commented on the work so far:

“By championing user-generated content and fostering real connections, you’ve honoured the global legacy of POSCA as a beloved tool for millions of creators. This is more than a campaign. It’s a movement. And it’s just the beginning.”

Recognition at the UK Social Media Awards

This work has been shortlisted for Best Use of UGC at the UK Social Media Awards. For POSCA and saintnicks, this recognition is a testament to a truly community-focused approach to social media, placing POSCA’s passionate community of artists at the heart of the brand’s creative efforts.