What are the influencer marketing trends rising to prominence in 2024, and how can your brand leverage them to maximize visibility? We’ve got you covered.

13 Influencer Marketing Trends to Watch Out for in 2024

1. Artificial intelligence integration
2. Micro-influencer prioritization
3. A heightened focus on influencer podcasts
4. Social media as a search engine
5. The convergence of influencer and affiliate marketing
6. Employees as influencers
7. Diversity and representation
8. UGC as a primary digital marketing method
9. Influencer product collections
10. Cross-channel campaigns
11. Influencer subscriptions
12. Influencers become entrepreneurs
13. Long-term influencer partnerships

1. Artificial Intelligence Integration

Needless to say, recent years have been characterized by the artificial intelligence boom, as programs like Character AI and Jasper rapidly transform the advertising realm. From Sephora’s chatbot-powered shopping service to Starbucks’ voice-powered barista, AI is becoming the primary requisite for any prominent brand.

How does this critical promotional tool converge with influencer marketing? Slowly but surely, platforms like Upfluence are integrating ChatGPT and similar AI features into their software, expediting the marketing process and allowing brands to discover industry-relevant figures. Throughout 2024, these implementations will become the most conventional means of connecting with digital creators, replacing synthetic software and native social media searches for collaborators.

Consequently, over the next few years, the structures of influencer marketing platforms as we know them are slated to transform entirely in accordance with AI’s advancement. 

2. Micro-Influencer Prioritization

Paradoxically, it is often a micro-influencer who drives macro results. As an influencer’s follower count increases, their engagement rate typically diminishes. Smaller accounts can more easily connect with their followers, fostering close-knit communities among them.

Moreover, possessing “girl-next-door” comportments, micro-influencers are often perceived as more trustworthy in their product recommendations than their macro-influencer counterparts. Prudent brands will continue leveraging micro-influencers and their more relatable lifestyles to market products in 2024, avoiding promotion that feels superficial or sponsored. 

3. A Heightened Focus on Influencer Podcasts

Maybe you’re a fan of The Broski Report with Brittany Broski or The Comment Section with Drew Afualo. Perhaps your favorite influencer has been a guest on another eminent podcast, like Alex Cooper’s Call Her Daddy. In either case, you’ve just scratched the surface of the manifold influencer podcasts that have recently hit streaming services. 

Audio entertainment is promptly becoming the audience-cultivation method of choice among burgeoning influencers. Those who possess followings can deepen their parasocial connections through podcast episodes, while those who aim to attract new users can entice them through subsequent viral mediums, like Spotify and Apple Music.

Podcast listenership hit 460 million in 2023 and is predicted to surpass 500 million in 2024. Evidently, sagacious social media figures are making the decision to embark on transmedia pursuits. Their assimilation into the podcast scene is one of the most highly anticipated key trends of 2024.

4. Social Media as a Search Engine

In recent years, particularly between millennials and members of Gen Z, traditional search engines like Google have been replaced by popular social media platforms. As many as 40% of today’s youth report utilizing TikTok and Instagram as primary search tools. This trend largely originates from TikTok’s meteoric 2020 rise.

Desperate for community during a time marked by COVID-19 and isolation, the app’s users began addressing their queries through its search bar. Whether seeking advice or scouring the platform for must-have Amazon items, TikTok generates demographically aligned results that foster a sense of belonging. 

This trend has only grown more customary since the days of quarantine, deeming influencers a paramount force as brands strategize product discovery. Rather than target consumers through standard pay-per-click or SEO advertising, many companies may choose to allocate their budgets toward influencer relations. In doing so, they will successfully market to target audiences through organic user-generated content.

5. The Convergence of Influencer and Affiliate Marketing

The lines between influencer and affiliate marketing are becoming increasingly blurry as marketers begin to ascertain their joint power. Product awareness is no longer an adequate conversion mechanism. Consequently, affiliate links or codes have become a happy medium between creators, who earn sales commissions, and brands, who can monitor influencer effectiveness through affiliate code performance.

Businesses can further invest in sales-driving influencers while reallocating resources from those who are underperforming. A hefty 45% of brands reported tracking referral links in 2022, and as revenue-sharing compensation rates rapidly accelerate, this number is expected to skyrocket in 2024.

6. Employees as Influencers

As consumers readily prioritize authenticity when choosing influencer content to consume, it’s no wonder that employee-created videos are becoming a top marketing consideration. When businesses encourage staff to share their unfiltered experiences on social media, detailing everything from exchanges with customers to products of choice, they inherently garner a sense of ingenuity. 

Macy’s, for instance, has found great advertising success with this approach, motivating its Style Crew employees to sport brand apparel throughout their day-in-the-life TikTok content. When these videos contribute to sales, Macy’s employees are financially compensated, providing an internal upload incentive.

Dunkin’ proves another remunerative example, demonstrated through a multitude of staff-generated videos showcasing everything they eat and drink during their shifts. Consumers are fascinated by the behind-the-scenes of their favorite brands, inevitably cementing employee influencers as a prosperous addition to the 2024 marketing landscape.

7. Diversity and Representation

Undoubtedly, Gen Z has proven to be the driving sales force and target demographic of major brands over the last few years. It comes as no surprise, then, that these companies intend to mirror Gen Z’s values, chiefly those of diversity and representation. From the LGBTQ+ community to Black women, businesses are ensuring underrepresented communities feel included in their advertising model, invariably scouting them as brand influencers.

There are even entire influencer agencies dedicated to expanding representation, like Shade, Black Girl Digital, and REFLECT, a platform that works exclusively with brands that aim to facilitate media diversification. Inclusion has become the inextricable glue of the advertising realm, and this trend will unequivocally prevail throughout 2024.

8. UGC as a Primary Digital Marketing Method

Influencers have attained social media indispensability, triggering an explosion of user-generated content in response. The correlation between influencer marketing and UGC is undeniable: creators construct niche communities of followers devoted to the specific products they promote.

In response, inspired by the original creators, viewers influence their own online communities through unsponsored user-generated content, sharing commendatory product reviews. Take, for example, the viral Bloom Nutrition Greens & Superfoods, initially advertised by TikTok influencers and shortly thereafter showcased on a massive scale by everyday consumers, detailing the product’s contribution to their improved digestive health.

Both small and far-reaching brands are cognizant of UGC’s capacity to catapult conversions, securing its marketing domination for the foreseeable future. 

9. Influencer Product Collections

Typically reserved for A-list celebrities, product collections have long been available across major retailers, allowing fans to shop from must-have lists curated by their favorite public figures. Yet, to avoid the intrinsic artificiality associated with sponsored celebrity ads, consumers scout the more original product collections of their favorite influencers.

Brands are producing these lines at exponential rates in order to meet consumer demand. From household names like Charli D’Amelio to niche-specific creators like Meredith Duxbury, who respectively possess Morphe cosmetic lines, social media personalities have dominated branded collections of every type.

10. Cross-Channel Campaigns

While most influencers cultivate their wider audience on one social media platform, they eventually migrate to other channels, aiming to convert their user base while simultaneously attracting new followers.

This multi-channel integration is essential for online success, as the shrewd objective of most brands is working with influencers who will maximize product outreach. In order to partner with businesses and earn product commissions, a rise in cross-channel marketing campaigns can be expected throughout 2024.

11. Influencer Subscriptions

As the influencing sphere becomes increasingly saturated, burgeoning digital creators are seeking ways to set their content apart. A common tactic in accomplishing this feat among reputable social media personalities is offering select, subscription-based content. Influencers who offer subscriptions provide behind-the-scenes footage and perks to their innermost viewers.

This allows them not only to make additional revenue by monetizing their high-quality content but also to deepen relationships with followers, offering an exclusive sense of belonging. Hence, the digital-presence leveraging benefits of establishing subscription services have recently secured their presence in advertising.

12. Influencers Become Entrepreneurs

In addition to content commercialization through subscriptions, influencers are capitalizing on their entrepreneurial spirits through other endeavors. An uptick in influencer-owned businesses is a recent observable trend, particularly among creators that fall within specific niches. Gabrielle Cozallo, otherwise known as @milkstrology, serves as a prime example.

An influencer who garnered acclaim for her unique astrological insights, Gabrielle now directs her own natal chart reading business, which is operated independently and advertised through her social media platforms. During 2024, an even greater number of influencers are slated to follow in her footsteps within their specific areas of expertise.

13. Long-Term Influencer Partnerships

The days of one-off influencer partnerships are over. A growing number of brands are opting to collaborate with influencers on long-term projects, allowing them to invest in a handful of lucrative creators. This decision eliminates the possibility of influencer marketing budget depletion when working with a host of potentially underachieving candidates.

Alix Earle, for example, maintains an ongoing affiliation with Hailey Bieber’s Rhode Beauty, promoting their product launches and her favorite cosmetic items on a monthly basis. Long-term influencer partnerships allow businesses to maximize their most profitable relationships, so we can expect to see more of them across social media platforms throughout 2024.

What is the Future of Influencer Marketing?

Indisputably, influencers have left their mark on the world of marketing as we know it. From efforts to expand diversity and representation to the enterprising efforts of many digital creators, we’ve explored the myriad mechanisms that can be anticipated throughout this year and beyond. As social media continues evolving and consumers place an enhanced emphasis on authenticity, we are eager to observe the ways in which influencer marketing develops.

The post The 2024 Influencer Marketing Trends That Will Transform the Industry appeared first on NoGood™: Growth Marketing Agency.

What is a micro-influencer? 

Undeniably, influencers maintain some of the strongest online presence across social media. Influencer Marketing Hub defines influencers as “users who have built reputations for their knowledge and expertise on specific topics.” In order to access these creators’ followings, brands opt to collaborate with channel owners, providing monetary compensation to endorse their products. Influencer followings vary in immensity, spurring categories of users contingent upon platform size.

A micro-influencer maintains a social media following smaller than a celebrity’s, but larger than the average user’s, ranging from 10-100K. Similarly, nano-influencers boast 1-10K followers, macro-influencers possess audiences of 100K-1M, and celebrities or mega-influencers surpass the 1M mark. 

Benefits of working with micro-influencers

Why do brands prioritize partnerships with micro-influencers over those with content creators of other magnitudes? Micro-influencers sustain the ideal number of followers for overall visibility, prompting a host of advertising benefits for the companies with whom they partner. 

1. Micro-influencers are more affordable

Every business’s objective is to generate the most promotion for their brand at the lowest possible price. Macro and mega-influencers reach immense audiences, and consequently, can charge hundreds of thousands of dollars per campaign. Micro-influencers prove a vastly inexpensive choice, by comparison, their content garnering manifold views at cost-effective rates.

Accordingly, brands have the capacity to budget multiple collaborations across diverse audiences. Influencer Marketing Hub provides further price point data, sharing that current product placement in one micro-influencer post or video ranges from $100-500 on Instagram, $25-125 on TikTok, $20-100 on X, $250-1,250 on Facebook, and $200-1000 on YouTube.

2. Micro-influencers maintain the highest engagement

While celebrities and mega-influencers possess millions of followers, their engagement rates are appreciably lower. Larger creators are consistently associated with lower interaction ratios across social media, accounting for bots, inactive accounts, and users lacking a vested interest in whom they follow.

Creators in the 10-100K range make a concerted effort to build a community among their followers, fostering parasocial relationships with them. Therefore, micro-influencers maintain engagement rates ranging from 5-9%, while users of celebrity status see roughly 2% of their followers leaving impressions on content. Brand collaborations with micro-influencers are indisputably more organic– and more likely to drive sales. 

3. Micro-influencers assimilate into specific niches

Often household names, mega-influencers are far less likely to possess expertise within a specific niche. Conversely, micro-influencers immerse themselves in specific communities, amassing followers through hobby-oriented content creation. Whether they provide BookTok recommendations, share recipes, or practice calligraphy, there are endless online circles through which creators can find success.

Brands further leverage their products by collaborating with users that cultivate industry-related followings. For instance, Co-Star Astrology will find greater success partnering with a niche celestial micro-influencer as opposed to a celebrity whose audience is not centered around planetary transits. 

Factors to consider when selecting micro-influencers

1. Creator aesthetic and image

Do these users exhibit the atmosphere, personality, or design choices your brand underscores? Collaboration with micro-influencers that uphold your advertising aesthetic will prove particularly fruitful, as users that connect with a micro-influencers digital curation will be inherently enticed by your products as well. 

2. Audience diversity

Which demographics compose your brand’s consumers? Do the micro-influencers with whom you partner possess these audiences, new populations you’re seeking to attract, or a combination of these groups? Alignment between influencers’ followings and your target consumer base is a critical consideration. 

3. Psychographics

Do the audiences of micro-influencers interact with similar accounts or specific creators? Monitoring their followers’ habits, digital preferences, trend participation, and other followed users will prove a vital asset to your brand. 

How to locate micro-influencers

1. Consult an influencer marketing agency

Nowadays, entire agencies are dedicated to connecting brands with industry-specific influencers, handling contracting and payment to relieve your company of time-consuming tedium. Many of these agencies also draft campaigns between parties, detailing brand goals and assessing influencer capability in achieving them. Influencer Marketing Hub ranks Grin, Creator.co, and Brandwatch among the country’s top agencies of 2023.

2. Assess your own followers

Many influencers will follow the brands with whom they aspire to collaborate– chances are there are already compelling contenders engaging with your content. Searching key terms within your Followers tab, like “makeup” for a cosmetics brand, will populate users with product-associated handles or bios. 

3. Take advantage of search engines

In 2023, there are dozens of websites and articles designed for brands to locate distinct influencers. A quick search for “New York fitness micro-influencers” may help an athleisure company land its next collaboration– Google is your best friend. Influencer search tools prove equally effective, like Upfluence and HypeAuditor. 

4. Peruse hashtags

Every online niche is riddled with specific hashtags, like #bookstagram, #plantmom, or #butfirstcoffee. Scrolling through these community-oriented digital hubs will introduce you to an assortment of micro-influencers who take advantage of hashtags to grow their followings.

Examples of brands successfully utilizing micro-influencers

1. Bloom Nutrition

The wellness and supplement company that’s taken the Internet by storm, Bloom Nutrition was launched by fitness icon Mari Llewellyn in 2019. At its inception, Bloom drove most of its sales almost exclusively through TikTok. The company chose to collaborate with seemingly every health-oriented, Gen Z, female micro-influencer it could find.

Consequently, Bloom’s Greens & Superfoods became a fundamental component of these creators’ morning routines, workout regimens, and daily habits, all documented online. The company quickly became a viral sensation, with young girls yearning to assimilate into the pervasive wellness culture of their TikTok feeds’ micro-influencers.

2. Glossier

Glossier aims to make each of its customers feel like influencers, frequently highlighting their testimonials across social media platforms. This tactic, along with a powerful brand ambassador program, have cemented Glossier’s status as one of the top names in the beauty realm. Glossier offers customized landing pages for its ambassadors, where users feel connected to their favorite micro-influencers through lists of favorite products, cosmetic tips and tricks, and amusing personal anecdotes.

The company also provides sales commissions to its collaborators, alluring prospective brand partners and their followers to purchase from Glossier. 

3. Chamberlain Coffee 

Gen Z’s most esteemed coffee brand, Emma Chamberlain founded her namesake company in 2020. The Internet star’s business quickly took off thanks to her careful partnership choices and formidable brand presence. Debuting at TikTok’s peak, Chamberlain Coffee heavily relied on short-form video content to generate its primary sales.

At the products’ core, their charm is aesthetic packaging and creative promotional content. Sticking with this theme, Chamberlain Coffee prizes visual appeal and continuity when partnering with micro-influencers. By pursuing creators with minimalistic, natural, and playful feeds, consumers purchase Chamberlain Coffee to attain the aesthetic of their favorite social media figures.

4. Birthdate Co.

Launched in 2019, Birthdate Co. is the one-stop shop for lovers of astrology and home decor. Their extensive array of candles, customized for every birthday, became the brand’s wildly successful sales pillar, largely thanks to Birthdate Co.’s collaborations with micro-influencers and affiliate registration program. The brand scouts ambassadors within planetary online communities, catapulting their brand into viral acclaim on TikTok and Instagram alike.

Micro-influencing takeaways

In the ever-evolving landscape of digital marketing, one trend has emerged as a game-changer: the rise of the micro-influencer. In a world where authenticity is paramount and social media users are becoming increasingly discerning, micro-influencer marketing has proven to be a powerful strategy for brands looking to connect with their target audience. In this conclusion, we’ll delve into the key takeaways of why micro-influencers are the future of influencer marketing, how to find the right ones, and examples of brands that have successfully harnessed their potential.

Micro-influencer marketing is all about tapping into the power of niche audiences. Unlike mega-influencers and celebrities with millions of followers, micro-influencers have a more modest but highly engaged follower base, typically ranging from 10,000 to 100,000. This makes them an ideal choice for brands looking to reach specific demographics or communities within the vast social media landscape. By partnering with micro-influencers who align with your brand’s values and aesthetics, you can create a more genuine connection with your target audience.

One of the most compelling reasons to embrace micro-influencer marketing is affordability. While macro and mega-influencers can command exorbitant fees, micro-influencers offer cost-effective collaborations. These partnerships not only stretch your marketing budget but also provide a greater return on investment. With a well-planned strategy, you can work with multiple micro-influencers to diversify your reach and connect with different segments of your target audience.

Engagement is the lifeblood of social media, and micro-influencers excel in this regard. Their smaller, more dedicated followings result in higher engagement rates, typically ranging from 5% to 9%. This means that when micro-influencers promote your brand, their audience is more likely to take notice, trust the recommendation, and convert into customers. In contrast, celebrities often struggle to maintain meaningful engagement due to a large portion of their followers being inactive or uninterested.

Micro-influencers are also masters of niche content. They immerse themselves in specific communities, whether it’s fitness, astrology, or coffee culture. This level of specialization allows them to create content that resonates deeply with their followers, making brand collaborations more organic and authentic. When your brand partners with a micro-influencer who shares your niche audience, you’re more likely to see not just increased visibility but also higher conversion rates.

Finding the right micro-influencers for your brand involves considering factors like their aesthetic, audience diversity, and psychographics. Ensure that their content aligns with your brand’s image, and their followers represent your target demographics. Monitor their followers’ digital habits and preferences to ensure a seamless fit.

To locate these relevant micro-influencers, you can consult influencer marketing agencies, explore your own followers, leverage search engines, and peruse hashtags. These methods will help you identify the ideal partners who can authentically represent your brand to their engaged audience.

Examples of brands like Bloom Nutrition, Glossier, Chamberlain Coffee, and Birthdate Co. showcase the immense potential of micro-influencer marketing. They leveraged the unique strengths of micro-influencers to build engaged communities, foster user-generated content, and generate social proof. These success stories demonstrate that quality content, when shared through micro-influencers, can create a powerful ripple effect, driving sales and brand loyalty.

As the digital marketing landscape continues to evolve, micro-influencers have emerged as key players. Their ability to connect with niche audiences, drive engagement, and provide a strong return on investment makes them an invaluable asset to any marketing strategy. By partnering with the right micro-influencers and delivering quality content, your brand can harness the full potential of this marketing powerhouse, achieving next-level virality and success in the ever-competitive world of social media advertising.

Taking advantage of micro-influencer tools, collaborations, and the unparalleled engagement rates they spur will propel your brand into next-level virality.

The post The Rise of Micro-Influencers appeared first on NoGood™: Growth Marketing Agency.

Let’s review the key components of pop culture and constructive ways to incorporate them into your promotional strategy.

What are 5 Examples of Pop Culture?

1. Movies

For decades, movies have remained the pinnacle of pop culture. In 2023, Greta Gerwig’s Barbie proves that cinema remains one of the largest cornerstones of global discourse. From gaming consoles like Xbox to restaurant chains like Burger King, over one hundred brands collaborated with Barbie preceding its release. 

Esteemed businesses have long been developing campaigns in correspondence with highly anticipated films, further solidifying the place of movies within the pop culture zeitgeist. 

2. Television

Similar to movies, television shows have emerged as a prominent pop culture category. Over the last ten years, streaming services have amplified the discussion of manifold small-screen releases, catapulting them into overnight shareability.

Netflix’s Stranger Things and Squid Game respectively broke the platform’s streaming records, proving some of the most emblematic media of their generation. The most prudent brands have orchestrated launches inspired by each show, notably MAC’s Hawkins and Upside Down cosmetic collections and Casetify’s Young-hee iPhone accessories. 

3. Music

From movie and television soundtracks to the album releases of today’s top artists, music unites its listeners through sentiment and conversation. Producing internationally appreciable songs and celebrities, the music industry boasts the hottest pop culture icons.

Prime Video’s The Summer I Turned Pretty generates ample online discussion by filling its episodes with Hot 100 tracks, and brands like Glossier maintain “it-girl” status by creating product lines in collaboration with musicians like Olivia Rodrigo. 

Needless to say, there are many ways to implement music-based pop culture campaigns into any marketing strategy, and the most prosperous brands take advantage of them all. 

4. News

Traditional news cannot be ignored as a profoundly influential pop culture category. Target audiences spanning every demographic track updates surrounding political, environmental, and social issues, and publicly addressing these matters humanizes brands.

During the height of the Covid-19 pandemic, CeraVe flawlessly integrated a global crisis into its marketing by partnering with The Daisy Foundation, a nonprofit organization that provides monetary contributions to nurses worldwide. 

CeraVe touched upon the viral discussion of essential workers, revering their bravery and simultaneously highlighting its product line. When appropriately employed, news-based advertising tactics drive undeniably lucrative results.

5. Social Media

The culmination of the aforementioned categories, social media is the hub through which all pop culture updates can be absorbed. Moreover, social media platforms breed a genre of trending topics all their own.

Through memes, gifs, popular audio, and viral dances, tapping into online points of interest is a necessity for every brand. Bloom Nutrition, for instance, seamlessly assimilates into the digital culture by promoting its signature Greens & Superfoods to the tune of popular TikTok audios. 

Ascertaining Internet culture and properly including it in social media strategy advertisements lends companies a relatability factor, particularly among potential Gen Z consumers. 

How Can Your Company Incorporate Pop Culture into Its Promotion?

Becoming familiar with pop culture is a crucial marketing objective, and more invaluable is properly harnessing it. Below, we’ve underscored a few unparalleled approaches to drive a profitable, pop-culture-oriented advertising strategy. 

1. Tying Products into Trending Topics

From CeraVe to Barbie, the promotional endeavors of the prior brands ensured their trend-based marketing resonated with target demographics. Tying products into a relevant cultural discussion is a skill masterable with practice.

Google Trends, which monitors peaks in prevailing search topics, is a particularly pertinent, powerful tool brands can utilize to gauge pop culture relevance. Taking advantage of social media’s built-in conversation monitoring features, like TikTok’s Discover page, proves another fruitful tactic. 

Finally, brands can observe the pop culture references integrated into their competition’s advertisement for congruous inspiration.

2. Monitoring Current Issues: Social, Environmental, and Political 

Keeping a vigilant eye on the news proves a paramount responsibility to the most burgeoning brands. Consistently monitoring trending topics within the traditional media space aids in navigating the hottest points of global discourse.

Surveilling these stories allots time for brands to develop stances on them and the advantage of expediency over competitors in doing so. Moreover, awareness of the current political landscape mitigates inadvertently posting when the digital focus is being directed toward pivotal social movements. 

3. Experimenting with New Content Formats

Social media channels and their latest features compose entire branches of pop culture dialogue. Assimilating into new applications keeps brands up to date on the latest technological shifts and the varying types of marketing content visibility they entail.

Rihanna’s wildly successful Fenty Beauty quickly experimented with short-form videos following TikTok’s 2019 boom, becoming the first major name in beauty to do so. Its marketers’ willingness to remodel their typical static content resulted in rapid sales proliferation. 

In 2023, many brands followed Fenty’s lead, heedful of activity on Mark Zuckerberg’s recently established X competitor, Threads. 

Is Pop Culture Market Specific?

Like every facet of modern marketing, pop culture references are contingent upon primary audiences. For example, an eco-friendly company that sells reusable kitchenware should direct its attention to traditional news, where climate-centric updates are promptly administered. Conversely, an influencer launching a cosmetic collection will find success tracking viral current trends on TikTok, an application on which young female demographics are abundantly located.

While examining pop culture across every medium is of cardinal importance, selecting references in accordance with the interests of key markets catapults powerful advertising campaigns.

What Can Be Learned from Pop-Culture-Based Marketing?

While there is no single method to leveraging pop culture within marketing strategy, doing so judiciously will result in effectual marketing campaigns, and backlash may arise if chosen references are misunderstood or ignored.

Finding organic ways to connect your brand to buzzworthy subjects, diligently monitoring current events, and remaining active across social media are essential steps your advertising team can take to maintain an engaging online presence.

From the latest film releases to the newest online platforms, one thing is certain– the power of pop culture within the promotional landscape cannot be understated.

The post How to Leverage Pop Culture in Your Marketing Strategy appeared first on NoGood™: Growth Marketing Agency.

A Brief Barbie History

Barbie, the iconic Mattel Inc. emblem, was introduced in early 1959. Ruth Handler, co-founder of the toy company alongside her husband, pioneered the doll’s introduction, naming Barbie after their own daughter.

Barbie dolls, distinguished by impossibly willowy figures and apparel deemed provocative by concerned parents, incited controversy from their very inception. Mattel quickly mitigated this issue by broadcasting Barbie directly to children through family-friendly, educational television, proving her a suitable toy aisle pick.

The dolls soared in popularity over the ensuing years, and consumer demand generated epochal Barbie introductions, most notably that of her boyfriend, Ken. Succeeding his 1961 debut, Barbie’s best friend, Midge, and little sister, Skipper, were respectively originated. Barbie assumed numerous professions through unique doll editions, like flight attendant, nurse, and astronaut, in an effort to acquaint young girls with diverse career paths and encourage them to follow their dreams. The quintessential Mattel universe continued expanding throughout the 1970s, but to the chagrin of consumers, the first African American and Latina Barbies were not established until 1980.

At her launch, Barbie delineated the archetypal all-American girl, but came to amplify her image succeeding Mattel’s globalization. Expanding among key markets in Europe, Latin America, and Asia, Barbie dolls later assumed a variety of ethnicities, nationalities, body types, and ensembles. By the 1990s, Barbie was internationally recognizable, and consequently, Mattel opened engaging advertising attractions, like the combination Barbie store, spa, design studio, and cafe in Shanghai, offering a host of felicitously hot pink merchandise.

From DreamHouse to Hollywood

Barbie furthered her acclaim following the institution of her eponymous media franchise. Streamlined in the 1980s, the legendary doll became a transmedia advertising avenue. Referred to as the “Barbie cinematic universe,” one of the highest-grossing media series of all time, its films and the Mattel toys formed an exceptionally canonizing promotional cycle.

Barbie and the Rockers: Out of This World made its television premiere in 1987. Its success eventually led to 2001’s Barbie in the Nutcracker, the first of over forty massively revered, computer-animated feature films. Among this collection, other beloved titles include Barbie as the Princess and the Pauper, Barbie as Rapunzel, and Barbie: Mermaidia. As the Internet continued altering the digital landscape at the turn of the century, Mattel further integrated Barbie into modern media facets, including computer games, web series, and streaming media content.

In addition to her full-length movie franchise, Barbie is now the star of four short films, five online comedies, two animated series, two television specials, and seventy-four video games. These digital ventures subsequently inspired over four hundred children’s and young adult books, one hundred comics, and thousands of derivative Mattel toys. Needless to say, Barbie is one of the most legendary characters and prosperous brands of all time, boasting billions of dollars in revenue.

The doll’s undeniable acclaim laid the groundwork for Greta Gerwig to tackle the most recent and most evocative, Barbie-inspired cinema to date.

Who is Barbie’s Target Audience?

Mattel’s Barbie demographic may be young girls between ages 3-12, but the target audience of Gerwig’s 2023 film far exceeds this population. Female viewers of every era largely compose Barbie’s projected public, from the Silent Generation, who purchased the first Barbies for their children to Gen Alpha, the newest Barbie consumers.

The film conveys the patriarchy’s adverse effects on womanhood and the consequential disadvantages and explicit sexualization women face. However, it also touches upon the ways in which men are harmed by toxic masculinity, captivating male audiences of varying ages.

In other words, Barbie’s target audience is everyone. While the film’s demographic-defying, soul-stirring production is at its heart, enticing diverse audiences to see Barbie in theaters required innovative tactics– principally, unprecedented advertising.

Barbie’s Most Gripping Marketing Campaigns

Trailblazing director and iconic subject matter aside, one pivotal element differentiated Barbie from nearly every other film in Hollywood’s history– omnipresent, viral marketing. From fashion brands to fast food chains, over one hundred collaborations were orchestrated to promote its release. Summer 2023 became analogous with Barbie pink, a feat accredited to Gerwig’s perspicacious promotional team.

Let’s take a comprehensive look at a few of the movie’s most indelible marketing endeavors.

1. The Barbie Character Posters

The Barbie character posters were the most buzzworthy topic online following their spring debut. These promotional images, revealing the film’s star-studded cast, displayed vibrant headshots and brief role descriptions of each character, such as Issa Rae’s “This Barbie is President” introduction.

The Internet catapulted this photo layout into overnight virality by inserting personal images and captions onto the Barbie posters through the film’s official Selfie Generator. Under her personalized rendition, TikTok personality Eli Rallo writes, “This Barbie is Proud of her Jersey attitude,” while infamous dance instructor Abby Lee Miller captions hers, “This Barbie is At the Top of the Pyramid.”

Integrating meme and user-generated content potential into Barbie advertisement, Gerwig’s marketing team emerged triumphant from the outset.

2. Barbie’s Airbnb DreamHouse

In the film’s most grandiose promotional venture, the classic Barbie DreamHouse, “hosted” by Ken, was bookable on popular vacation home rental platform, Airbnb. The pink-slathered Malibu mansion allowed guests to indulge in the ultimate immersive Barbie experience. While the oceanfront “picture-plastic paradise” was only rentable for two nights, it had the entire Internet talking. Renovated with careful attention to the details of Gerwig’s film, the not-so-humble abode comprised one of Barbie’s most successful marketing campaigns.

3. The Barbie Burger King Meal

Barbiecore permeated even restaurant chains, leading Burger King to launch a limited meal in honor of the movie. Among its Brazil locations, the fast food franchise’s Barbie specialty included a cheeseburger topped with bright pink sauce, a strawberry milkshake, and donut, and “Ken’s potatoes,” befittingly plain french fries inspired by a doll nicknamed “just Ken.”

The meal quickly amassed shareability, with ample social media discourse surrounding the centerpiece repugnant, Pepto-Bismol-reminiscent burger. All publicity is good publicity, right? Barbie’s marketing team would be inclined to agree, as they strategically anticipated the unusual Burger King meal would stimulate talk of the film’s debut.

4. The Barbie Soundtrack

Across every digital platform, Gen Z and millennials vocalized their excitement over Gerwig’s film release. Consequently, Barbie’s marketing team amplified anticipation surrounding the film by curating its soundtrack, ensuring it included these demographics’ most revered musical icons. Barbie: The Album incorporates singles by the hottest names in pop and hip hop, like Dua Lipa, Billie Eilish, Ice Spice, and Nicki Minaj. Following the tracklist’s announcement, fans eagerly anticipated the album’s release, generating promotional buzz and intriguing these artists’ listeners.

5. Barbie Xbox Content

These Barbies are gamers! In preparation for the Warner Bros. Pictures release, Xbox teamed up with Mattel to produce exclusive Barbie-inspired Forza Horizon 5 in-game content. Highlighting Barbie’s signature optimism and flair for self-discovery, Xbox users were granted the opportunity to follow the doll throughout a virtual Barbie Land, “following in her high-heeled footsteps.” This partnership proved an excellent method for expanding Barbie publicity toward the console’s male-skewed demographic.

Lessons to Learn from Barbie

What can every advertiser learn from Warner Bros.’ indisputable box office success?

1. Cultivating A Brand Identifier

Barbie conjures thoughts of its movie through a single color. Barbie Pink is a brand identifier inseparable from Gerwig’s film, its promotion encompassing pink billboards, pink outfits, and the pink carpet. What emblem will your brand develop?

2. Prioritizing Brand Partnerships

Through an avalanche of product collaborations, manifold consumer demographics become familiar with Barbie and its release date.

3. Creating Immersive Promotional Experiences

From vacation stays to themed restaurants, Barbie marketers organize events that indulge audiences in the film’s culture, proving a remarkably memorable promotional strategy.

How Has Barbie Shaped the Future of Movie Marketing?

Gerwig’s movie has irrevocably and exponentially raised the bar for future film advertising endeavors. In order to attain Barbie’s high-grossing status, we can expect forthcoming blockbuster releases to outstrip the standard movie trailer.

Barbie’s dozens of brand deals, posters geared toward virality, and celebrity-status soundtrack may have been an anomaly at the film’s inception, but one thing is certain– these marketing approaches have strikingly altered the future of cinema.

The post Barbie Marketing: From Dollhouse to Dreamhouse, Unveiling the Tactics Behind Barbie’s 2023 Film Success appeared first on NoGood™: Growth Marketing Agency.

Dominating the streaming platforms hierarchy, Netflix is renowned for producing record-breaking television series like Squid Game and Stranger Things. From thrillers to rom-coms, the platform prospers across a wide range of fictional genres. Eager to expand its increasingly successful portfolio in 2020, Netflix producers devised a masterful plan to create an entirely new variety of entertainment: a crossover-oriented reality television empire. Hence, fan-favorite series was born, from Emmy-nominated Love is Blindto technologically immersive The Circle, culminating in the contestant-merging Perfect Match. Which digital marketing strategies did Netflix execute to ensure its amalgamation of reality shows would flourish?

What Is Netflix’s Overarching Marketing Strategy?

A movie rental company established in 1997, Netflix remodeled as a streaming digital platform a decade later and failed to attain household recognition until nearly 2016. Following a subscriber model shift, recommendation algorithm implementation, and original content production, the service accrued 50 million subscribers that year and continues burgeoning at nearly 233 million subscribers in 2023.

Online Interaction

Modern marketing efforts, predominantly executed via social media platforms, became Netflix’s chief growth avenue. Consistently trend monitoring across a host of platforms, like TikTok, Instagram, and Twitter, the streaming service stays relevant online and amasses the attention of diverse target audiences. Incorporating relatable memes, celebrity cameos, and interactive polls into its digital strategy, Netflix triumphantly engages its audiences and assimilates into pop culture discourse.

Cultivating Netflix’s reputation as a social media engagement front-runner, the service’s marketers prepared to catapult its reality franchises into top-trending topics. Most notably, Netflix’s promotion took the Internet by storm, succeeding the 2020 release of Love is Blind. The series follows six exceptionally dramatic couples that date through a partition, rendering them unable to see one another until a proposal ensues.

These engagements occur after just two weeks, and each pair eventually ties the knot or says goodbye at the altar. This innovative concept piqued global interest, and Netflix consistently uploaded to its social media profiles in order to amplify the conversation surrounding the show. The platform shared video compilations of the cast’s messiest moments, posed predictive questions about the soon-to-be newlyweds, and uploaded memes highlighting scandalous arguments.

Contestant Curveballs

Moreover, Netflix incorporates scintillating, seemingly arbitrary plot points into its reality franchises, an innocuous method of generating online discussion. For instance, its production team orchestrated the participation of former Spice Girls Mel B and Emma Bunton in The Circle’s fourth season.

Part reality show, part game show, part dating show, the series follows contestants who interact online in the ultimate test of social media savvy. They attempt befriending and flirting their way to paramount popularity, competing for a $100,000 cash prize as they vote players out of the Circle each week.

Entrants may compete as themselves or through catfish profiles, and little did the season 4 cast suspect its own Jared, “a big animal lover with a soft spot for cheese,” to be a guise devised by two international celebrities. This was a brilliant promotional move on Netflix’s part.

Its digital marketers were aware that Gen X audiences would nostalgically praise the beloved nineties stars across social media channels, while millennials and Gen Z would assert the absurdity of this plot point. The platform’s effective marketing campaign was a success, and thanks to dialogue initiated by Netflix, The Circle, and Spice Girls became trending Twitter topics throughout May 2022.

Whether underscoring rocky fiancés or incognito musicians, Netflix’s overarching guerilla marketing strategies through social media virality prove forceful tactics– and they are amply implemented to publicize its view-garnering reality programs.

Does Netflix Have a Marketing Team?

Marian Lee

The most lucrative international streaming service, Netflix procured its acclaim with the help of an ingenious marketing team hired specifically to engender buzz about its titles and entice new subscribers. Marian Lee, the resident advertising pioneer at Spotify, is the company’s Chief Marketing Officer as of March 2022.

Under her jurisdiction, the platform’s promotional experts determine “which geographical regions may or may not benefit from joining Netflix,” according to the service’s website. “ [They] optimize advertising strategy and spend, marketing mix, and advertising creative. [Netflix] algorithms leverage a multitude of learning approaches to understand the impact of particular actions on [its] business model.”

Algorithmic Monitoring

Needless to say, alluring media are required to adopt the manifold customer base Netflix’s algorithms aim to monitor. As subscribers are attracted to the platform and their viewing habits history is examined, the digital marketing strategy is tweaked accordingly. Online, Netflix spotlights its popular programs and adjusts the press approaches of those that are underperforming.

This pattern is evidenced in accordance with Too Hot to Handle and The Ultimatum: Marry or Move On, another pair of Netflix reality favorites. Too Hot to Handle shareability commandeered social media feeds following its April 2020 debut, so the platform prioritized publishing content about the popular celibacy gameshow.

Conversely, The Ultimatum, featuring six couples that date each other’s partners, underperformed at its inception. To preclude low ratings, Netflix modified its social media strategy, alternating between static memes and self-deprecating short-form video content marketing strategies filmed directly by the show’s cast.

Not only does Netflix have a marketing team, but it also has an exceptionally intuitive one that has unmistakably mastered effective marketing strategies.

What Is Netflix’s Marketing Positioning?

Minimum Costs, Maximum Results

In rearing a marketing position, Netflix aims to minimize expenditure while maximizing results and has engineered inventive promotional tools in doing so. This was seamlessly authenticated through the streaming service’s Love is Blind season 4 advertisement. For the first time in the show’s history, its April reunion special was held via live stream. Relying on collective audience viewership rather than asynchronous household tune-ins to gauge success, Netflix pulled out every marketing stop.

A Love is Blind tour was arranged, providing a quintessential immersion experience to the show’s superfans. Cast members from every season gathered in New York City, Nashville, and Los Angeles to chat with attendees, who had the chance to take photos in replicas of the LIB dating pods. In each city, visitors were greeted by billboards displaying a countdown to the season 4 live reunion.

This relatively inexpensive venture conjured ample online enthusiasm about the show’s upcoming reunion special. Modest marketing investments induced sizable upticks in Love is Blind streams, verifying the efficacy of Netflix’s underlying marketing positioning.

How Does Netflix Conduct Marketing?

Influencers Abound

In organizing marketing channels for its wide variety of reality series, Netflix takes a methodical approach to casting, combining the two production elements. Becoming conspicuous to viewers with progressing seasons, aspiring content creators compose a portion of each show’s meticulously selected participants.

This serves as a win-win for both parties, the cast members being granted a post-production digital audience from which Netflix receives organic social media campaign promotion. Chloe Veitch and Francesca Farago, both of whom starred in the binge-worthy Too Hot to Handle premiere, were integrated into subsequent Netflix reality series and continue providing abundant Netflix entertainment content to their millions of social media followers.

Perfect Match

The streaming giant remains at the forefront of marketing by prioritizing originality and constantly reinventing the wheel. In one of its most imaginative concepts, Netflix developed a dating series combining single contestants from eight of its distinct reality programs, including The Mole, Sexy Beasts, and Selling Tampa.

Aptly entitled Perfect Match, the show is a virtual all-star fusion of Netflix’s messiest, hottest, and most entertaining array of personalities, like The Ultimatum: Marry or Move On’s Zay Wilson and Twentysomethings: Austin’s Abby Humphreys. It fostered prolific online anticipation, surpassing its forecasted marketing objectives.

Netflix once again proves itself an esteemed promotional conglomerate that remains several steps ahead of the curve.

What Marketing Lessons Can Be Learned through Netflix’s Reality Cinematic Universe?

Netflix’s Reality Cinematic Universe provides valuable marketing lessons, especially in the entertainment industry. Social media marketing is essential, but the key lies in diligent trend monitoring. By engaging with audiences and offering avant-garde advertising, brands can foster loyalty.

Netflix masters these elements through its original series, delivering trailblazing reality television that keeps subscribers hooked. The platform’s ability to personalize content ensures a strong presence in users’ lives, driving consistent growth and brand loyalty.

Netflix’s marketing efforts are evident in its active social media presence and interaction with potential customers. Their social media team capitalizes on social media trends, maximizing engagement rates. Premium plans enhance the user experience, creating a devoted customer base.

As other entertainment services seek to replicate Netflix’s success, learning from their approach can elevate marketing strategies across industries. By prioritizing personalized content and leveraging social media accounts, brands can establish themselves as industry leaders, earning the trust and loyalty of their target audience.

The post Netflix’s Digital Marketing: Crafting a Reality Cinematic Universe appeared first on NoGood™: Growth Marketing Agency.

Rare Beauty by Selena Gomez is Gen Z’s indisputable cosmetic line of choice. From TikTok virality to determined diversity, let’s find out what the brand does right.

When news dropped that Selena Gomez was launching Rare Beauty in 2020, fans were skeptical of the starlet’s cosmetic industry debut. Despite initial criticism, the franchise has transcended its competitors, emerging as one of the top celebrity-owned businesses to date. How is its digital marketing conducive to Sel’s undeniable success?

What Branding Strategy Does Rare Beauty Use?

TikTok Domination and Social Media Storytelling

Established at the height of the Covid-19 pandemic, Rare Beauty’s September 2020 origination coincided with TikTok’s rapidly growing traction. Striking while the iron was hot, the brand differentiated itself from other beauty empires through one masterfully tactical move: prioritizing advertisement on the up-and-coming platform. Among Rare Beauty’s social media accounts, TikTok reigns supreme. Followers are provided a variety of intentionally organic media, including makeup trends, testimonials, and tutorials from Selena.

Both entertaining and informative, fan-created content can be plentifully located on Rare Beauty’s TikTok page. These authentic, accessible videos resonate with audiences across the board, proving an esteemed medium through which Selena and consumers connect over her products.

While TikTok maintains its status as the predominant promotion platform of 2023, completely abandoning conventional beauty marketing strategies was a risky move for the brand at its inception. An unapologetic product of the internet, Rare Beauty’s social media strategy, influencer advertising, and community spotlights are its paramount sales forces.

In the words of Katie Welch, the company’s CMO, “traditional PR teams will do traditional media relations… but now, in [the beauty industry], so much of the conversation is driven through content creators. [Our] whole team really values beauty creators and their opinions, so we all talk, text, and DM with creators, which our CEO and Selena love.” 

Noting TikTok’s shareability potential and the evident prosperity of Rare Beauty’s marketing team, other celebrity brands followed in Selena’s promotional footsteps, like Ariana Grande’s r.e.m. beauty and Kim Kardashian’s SKKM BY KIM.

Mental Health Matters 

Selena Gomez remains invariably honest about her mental health struggles, abundant vulnerability deeming her an even more beloved icon. The face of her brand, she aims to reinforce the notion that a healthy mind is of greater significance than external appearance. Following suit, Selena launched the Rare Impact Fund, a platform dedicated to extending global mental health resources regardless of age, race, gender, sexual orientation, or background.

According to its website, the Rare Impact Fund is designed to raise $100 million over the next ten years by “connecting with a network of grantees, donors, and community to reduce the stigma associated with mental illness. This includes co-creating free mental health content with [its] partners and sharing it through [its] website, social media, and events.” Selena makes a concerted effort to bond with her fans over the importance of mental health education, making this Rare Beauty campaign an authentic, exceptionally cathartic advertising venture.

What is Rare Beauty’s Target Market?

Unlike most brands, who conceptualize their products around specific demographics, Rare Beauty strays from the norm yet again by creating a line for anyone interested in cosmetics. As Welch shares again in her interview with The Verge, “it is not so much a demographic as it is a psychographic. If someone is interested in beauty content or content that is more about their self-worth and mental wellbeing, [our products] might show in their feed. So sometimes we work with creators [of different generations], maybe boomers.” 

Models of varying genders, skin tones, and ages can be found across Rare Beauty’s social accounts, like Instagram and Facebook. The brand shrewdly utilizes Meta features, like Stories and Reels, to acquire millennial and Generation X audiences that maintain a smaller TikTok presence. However, female-identifying customers outweigh their male counterparts at roughly 72 percent, and Gen Z composes over one-third of Rare Beauty purchasers. 

Katie Welch: Chief Marketing Officer

Undoubtedly, Katie Welch, the aforementioned cosmetic industry resident, has proven critical to Rare Beauty’s advertising achievements. Ranked one of Glossy’s top marketers of 2022, she saw the brand’s potential to further modify an exceedingly exclusive industry. In crafting Selena’s beauty empire, Welch’s objective is to establish an all-embracing community that, unlike other brands, highlights its members. A scroll through the Rare Beauty website will lead you to diverse consumer shoutouts that promote a host of its users’ social media platforms. 

The marketing officer also ideated a product line with kind words in mind. From the viral Soft Pinch Tinted Lip Oil to the Positive Light Liquid Luminizer, titles that conjure cheerful imagery create feel-good associations with the Rare Beauty products. Welch has proven unequivocally integral to the brand’s chief themes of empowerment, acceptance, and individualism.

A Rare Beauty SWOT Analysis

Strengths

Evidently, Selena’s label possesses numerous strengths, like its emphasis on inclusivity, dedication to mental health education, and product affordability. Sold at Sephora, Kohl’s, and on the Rare Beauty website, the brand offers accessible purchasing options. Its products are vegan and cruelty-free, a major point of consideration for environmentally-conscious consumers. Finally, the brand’s social media success and modern marketing tactics are unparalleled.

Weaknesses

While the brand offers plenty of international availability in Sephora locations throughout North America, Europe, the Middle East, and Pacific Asia, its products cannot be purchased in South American stores, a letdown for Selena’s immense fanbase in this region. Additionally, Rare Beauty is geared toward natural, everyday looks, a point of consideration that fails to be explicitly mentioned on its website. 

Opportunities

The next step for Rare Beauty may include expansion into the skincare realm. A common marketing tactic among cosmetic lines, this would prove a lucrative step for Selena’s natural, health-centric image. While a majority of the brand’s pop-up events have taken place in the US, hosting future product launches abroad, particularly among Selena’s substantial European fanbase, may prove a fruitful marketing tactic.

Threats

Other celebrity makeup franchises pose the greatest threat to Rare Beauty, most notably Rihanna’s Fenty Beauty. Selena’s competitor introduced Fenty Skin in 2020, deeming it a one-stop shopping location for cosmetics and skincare alike. Selena’s adversaries grow in number as celebrity beauty brands, like Kylie Jenner’s Kylie Cosmetics and Hailey Bieber’s Rhode Skin, become customary finds, and fans are enticed to purchase from other public figures.

What Can Be Learned from Rare Beauty’s Promotional Approach?

Overall, the company’s welcoming presence and dedication to audience monitoring are some of its most powerful assets. Emerging businesses can learn from their ability to lean into social media trends and develop an online community. The brand’s authenticity cannot be overlooked, as its consolidation in Selena’s image highlights some of her core values, like kindness and mental health awareness. 

With an affordable product line, staunch CMO, and fervent founder, fans can expect Selena Gomez’s Rare Beauty to continue killing the beauty game.

The post Selena Gomez’s Makeup Line: Marketing as Rare as Its Founder appeared first on NoGood™: Growth Marketing Agency.