How did a 21-year-old socialite become the world’s youngest self-made billionaire? In March of 2019, Forbes gave this title to Kylie Jenner, a member of the famous Kardashian clan and founder of Kylie Cosmetics. So, what can celebrities teach us about marketing?
Like her or not, Jenner has turned her celebrity status into cash as her business brings in around $200 million a year in revenue — with a team of only twelve employees.
What makes celebrity-owned businesses so successful?
The answer lies primarily in social media marketing and targeting the right niche audience for your product or service.
Social media success
When Kylie Cosmetics began in 2015, Jenner had around 46 million followers on Instagram and had racked up over one billion likes across 960 photos. Now almost six years later, Jenner has more than 230 million followers, a number she uses to market her business almost every day.
Targeting her audience
Before makeup, the social media star was mostly known for her family’s hit reality TV show, Keeping Up With The Kardashians, which followed the famous family and their lavish celebrity lifestyle.
While her four sisters have also tried their hand at entrepreneurship, Jenner’s cosmetics brand has garnered the most success by far simply by meeting the needs of her fanbase. The show’s demographics report over 77% of viewers is female with the majority falling between the ages of 18-24.
This massive group of young women follows the Kardashian women because they want to live the fantasy – the look, the clothes, the money. Many young women ask themselves, how can I become more like the Kardashians?
Purchasing the new Kylie Cosmetics products might be a good start. Or a fantastic marketing tactic.
It’s not difficult to connect the dots between a young female fanbase and their desire for a branded cosmetic line, however, finding a target audience is where her sisters failed before her.
A prepaid debit card, multiple spin-off talk shows, a sock line, and a young adult fiction novel are among the many failed Kardashian ventures. While many of these projects probably fell victim to poor management, they also missed the mark on their target demographic — something Kylie successfully capitalized.
Celebrities and marketing
Like Apple and the clothing brand Supreme, Kylie Cosmetics drops her collections at a specific time with a limited amount of supply, creating exclusivity among products.
Consumers love exclusive products, especially those that can only be accessed at a specific time and place.
A product that stays in the mall for years will have little demand compared to a product that is only available for thirty minutes on a Tuesday night.
As dedicated fans refresh their browsers in hopes to quickly buy products, the lucky few who can successfully check out then get a rush of excitement, thrilled that they were able to nab a beloved lip liner.
Kylie Cosmetics consistently sells out of their products in seconds due to this “drop” selling style, which has inspired countless other brands to do the same.
The magic of PR boxes
After spending her childhood in the spotlight, Jenner monetized her famous friends and family to market her brand. Usually, influencer marketing includes positive promotion in exchange for payment or the product/service.
Legally, sponsored posts must include an indication that the promotion was paid. But, friendly PR boxes carefully avoid this issue.
Besides her uber-famous family, Jenner’s circle of close friends are some of the most influential social media personalities on the internet. People love to see products that are celebrity endorsed.
Before every collection launches, Jenner sends out her products in aesthetically themed packaging in hopes that recipients will post the boxes on their own social media profiles.
PR boxes not only create a buzz around the upcoming launch but appear more genuine than paid promotions. Instead of having to include #advertisement, Jenner’s friends simply discuss their excitement for the product and support their friend’s ventures.
No matter how big or small, PR boxes are a great way to expand your marketing and receive free promotion from friends, business people, and like-minded influencers. Watching social media unboxings also create a layer of exclusivity, as viewers now long for the products they’ve seen promoted.
Becoming the next billionaire
How can you apply these tactics to your business? Even if you’re not in cosmetics — or a global celebrity — you can learn a thing or two from Kylie.
Highlight your passions
Genuine may not be synonymous with Kardashian, but there is one thing you can’t argue — Kylie loves makeup. Through her Youtube “Get Ready With Me” videos, fans can see her passion for cosmetics which motivates them to get excited as well.
Use your company’s website and social media to create a genuine representation of what you do. With this approach, you will attract like-minded customers.
Demonstrate utility
Before a consumer buys something, they look at reviews. Is this product or service useful, well-liked and/or easy to use?
If you check Jenner’s Instagram or Youtube at any time of day, odds are you will probably find a makeup tutorial. She is demonstrating the usefulness of her products before consumers even consider purchasing. These videos also give away tips and tricks free of charge.
Bring the answers to your audience before they even ask the question by sharing customer reviews and first-hand tutorials.
Pressure for publicity
If you don’t come from fame and fortune, getting publicity from news outlets might seem like an impossible task. But, with perseverance and a little strategy, you can attract articles with ease.
Ever heard of the Museum of English Rural Life? This small, niche museum has created a loyal Twitter following. They consistently post hilarious animal-themed memes for all users to enjoy.
Although visiting the England-based museum may be out of reach for most followers, the team truly created publicity out of thin air. This goes to show you have to find your niche audience. Once you tap into the right audience, media attention follows.
What you can do
While a celebrity lifestyle may seem out of reach, learning about celebrity marketing tactics can be useful for your own endeavors.
Give your target audience some thought and learn what marketing and social media marketing strategies work for them. Watch a few videos from Kylie’s YouTube channel and check out her social media posts for inspiration. Research which marketing tactics are trending on your social networks and social media platforms.
Take a page from Kylie Jenner’s book and see what changes for your business.
Not a celebrity? Need help getting some attention for your business, creating a social media marketing plan, or crafting blog posts? Are your marketing efforts floundering?
Here at Elevare, we offer a wide range of marketing services for your specific needs. Feel free to give us a call for your free estimate.
