It’s a bold play—not just attracting creators, but enabling them with pro-grade tools, studio space, and community programming. And for brands, especially in beauty and personal care, it’s a new kind of platform. One where commerce, creativity, and culture meet under one fluorescent-lit roof.
Inside Create-it Studios
Located near Nashville, the first Create-it Studios offers six fully equipped spaces:
- Two podcast rooms with professional mics and soundproofing
- Two audio studios, including one with a Dolby Atmos immersive setup
- Two video suites for livestreams, tutorials, and short-form content
Studios are bookable by the hour (typically $50 to $100) and open to creators aged 16+. The space also offers workshops, school programs, and events like open mics and “Sample the Store” sessions, where creators turn the everyday Walmart environment into audio or video art.
It’s not a gimmick—it’s a professional-level content lab in the middle of a mass retailer.
Why Walmart, and Why Now?
Franklin was a smart first step. It’s near Nashville’s creative scene, full of musicians, podcasters, and influencers. But the real innovation is location. Walmart put a production studio in a store that sees thousands of people a day. Most retailers are shrinking in-store experiences but Walmart is turning them into platforms.
As Grammy-winning engineer Leslie Brathwaite said at the launch: “A lot of people who walk in and out of Walmart every day would never have had access to a space like this. Now, they do.”
What This Means for Brands
Whether you’re a heritage brand like Olay, a global powerhouse like L’Oréal, or a purpose-driven brand like Dove, Create-it Studios opens a new door: meet customers not just where they shop, but where they create.
1. Host Branded Beauty Experiences: Imagine L’Oréal leading a “Camera-Ready Skin” class or Dove hosting a self-confidence storytelling night. These aren’t ads—they’re meaningful, creator-led extensions of your brand purpose.
2. Support High-Quality UGC: UGC (user-generated content) is more powerful when it looks polished. Sponsor creators to shoot GRWM (Get Ready With Me) videos, product how-to’s, or skin-care tutorials in the studio. It’s authentic content with studio-grade production value.
3. Empower Local Creators: Dove could fund studio access for young creators aligned with its Real Beauty mission. Olay could spotlight women in STEM with a “Science of Skincare” residency. These programs aren’t just feel-good, they’re future-focused community building.
4. Turn Studio Content into Retail Storytelling: Use the studio to produce tutorials, product walk-throughs, or dermatologist Q&As. Then distribute that content via QR codes on shelves, product displays, or Walmart.com pages. The studio becomes your in-store content engine.
5. Stay Close to Culture—In Real Time: Walmart’s studio is a live focus group. Watch how Gen Z and Millennial creators talk about skincare, routines, ingredients, and self-image. Are they emphasizing clean formulas? Skin positivity? No-makeup makeup looks? Brands like Olay and L’Oréal can gain unfiltered insights by observing how culture is being created, not just reacting to it.
The Evolution of Retailtainment 2.0
Walmart’s Create-it Studios isn’t just a creative experiment—it’s a signal. It shows how retail spaces can evolve from transactional zones into creator-powered innovation ecosystems.
For personal care brands, the opportunity is clear: show up where real stories are being made. Someone might come in for shampoo and leave with a beautifully lit skincare tutorial.
Create-it Studios suggests that the next big brand moment might not come from an ad agency. It might come from inside a Walmart.
Welcome to Retailtainment 2.0.
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