Personal branding has swiftly become one of the internet's new favourite buzzwords. With the increasing rise of influencer marketing, we’ve seen more and more people flock to expand their own personal brands.
In the current social sphere, authenticity and trust are important factors to consumers. It’s estimated that 88% of consumers say authenticity is important, and 77% of consumers buy from brands that share the same values as them!
We’ve taken a look at how some of today's most successful influencers and public figures have built their personal brands and expanded them into commercial success stories!
Grace Beverly - TALA
Grace Beverly reached Instagram fame, amassing over 1 million followers; she created an online community for fitness lovers. After becoming a ‘fitness influencer’, she has since expanded to create her own personal brands based on her passion for fitness: activewear brand TALA and vegan supplement brand SHREDDY.
The success of the brands lies directly in the balance of fair pricing but also focusing strongly on quality and sustainability, all things that resonate with her social following. After being founded in 2019, TALA turned over £5.2 million in just under a year! A big factor in the success of TALA particularity is the inclusivity of their size range which now extends up to 4XL, and their responsibly-made products are a big hit with Gen Z in particular!
In a study, it was found that 65% of Generation Z will purchase from a brand based on an influencer’s recommendation, and 10% would pay more for sustainable products, so it’s clear that TALA filled a huge space in the market!
Kim Kardashian - Skims
Kim Kardashian has become one of the most famous women in the world. Unless you live under a rock, you’ve probably heard of the Kardashian family. With self-professed matriarch Kris Jenner steering the ship, the Kardashians have dipped their toes into literally every area of marketing you can think of.
In September 2019, Kim Kardashian expanded her already established personal brand to a new venture and launched Skims, a shapewear and underwear brand. The brand became an instant success as a result of the inclusive sizing, colour range, products designed for comfort and to flatter and, of course, using just the right celebrity endorsement. Every month, the Skims website receives 3.7 million monthly visitors to the website, and this is consistently increasing!
Now estimated at $1.6 billion, Skims have created a niche in the market. Their success also lies in the way they have expertly crafted their social media strategy. An example of using social media to their advantage is the viral collaboration with the luxury fashion brand Fendi. The 125-piece collection caught the attention of millions of consumers who flocked to purchase the signature pieces.
Steven Bartlett - Diary of a CEO
Steven Bartlett, the former CEO of Social Chain, has made a name for himself within the media industry and has become somewhat of a personal branding expert. In 2017, Bartlett launched his podcast, ‘The Diary of a CEO’, and last year, it was the most downloaded podcast in Great Britain; in one month alone, it was downloaded 10.4 million times.
Featuring household names such as Gary Neville, Jimmy Carr and Bear Grylls, the podcast aims to give its audience the knowledge to create the success they want. With 74% of its listeners between the ages of 18 and 34, it’s become an influential platform, particularly within the Gen Z and Millennial social sphere! In August last year, Bartlett revealed he makes $1.2m a year from the podcast, and there’s no sign of it slowing down.
Molly Mae - Filter
Every year, there’s always a standout cast member to make it out of Love Island. When Molly Mae entered the villa, it became clear from social media that she was the star of the series. However, no one could predict how huge her following would become once leaving the villa.
In August 2021, Molly-Mae was announced as the Creative Director of Pretty Little Thing at age 22 after building up a loyal following on Instagram. From there, Molly-Mae has taken her personal brand to new levels, launching her tanning brand, Filter.
Amassing over 550k followers, Filter is stocked in huge retailers such as Selfridges and has become a fan-favourite tanning brand. Everything from the branding to the influences and even the colour scheme and aesthetic is synonymous with Molly-Mae's personal style, making it a perfect example of personal branding.
Ella Mills - Deliciously Ella
In 2012, Ella Mills launched an online recipe blog after spending a year in and out of hospital, leaving her physical and mental health in decline. As a result of this, she started to look into dietary requirements and cutting down on processed foods.
Starting a business was very much at the back of her mind, but her blog rapidly began to gain more traction. Within months, what started off as a passion project, turned into sold-out supper clubs, cooking classes and sponsorships!
With a focus on plant-based meals and nutrition, the Deliciously Ella app launched and became the UK's number-one app in the food and beverage category in just one day. Following the app, they then created a variety of food products, which are now available in 6,000 stores across the UK and the business, run by husband-and-wife duo, is continuously growing.
Since being developed ten years ago, the company has gone from strength to strength. Last year they received an estimated $25 million in revenue and have gained a total of over 2.3 million Instagram followers.
Rihanna - Fenty
When Rihanna seemingly took a step back from the music industry, she set her sights on the beauty sector. Fenty achieved success because of Rihanna’s personal branding but also because they managed to identify a gap in the market. Creating inclusive cosmetics for a wide range of skin tones, Fenty went instantly viral.
Since launching in 2017, Fenty now has an estimated annual revenue of $582.8 billion and has a huge 12.5 million Instagram followers! In just six years, Fenty has created an unrivalled reputation and is ranked as the world’s most successful celebrity beauty brand, with Kylie Cosmetics by Kylie Jenner as a close second and Rare by Selena Gomez coming in at third place according to Cosmetify!
Creating a strong personal brand is an important way to get your name out there. Want to know more about building your brand? Our team are on standby to assist you with your marketing needs!
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