Today there is a lot of talk about social media and that influencer marketing is the future of brands. However, it is not as often as you hear about the companies and brands that have actually succeeded on social media. Therefore, we thought we would share three brands that have not only succeeded on social media but have experienced unparalleled success thanks to awesome influencer marketing strategies.
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1. Gymshark
Gymshark is a company from the UK that sells fitness clothing and is a perfect example of how to use social media for growth, sales and branding. Like so many brands before, Gymshark was started by a bunch of friends in a garage because they themselves had a hard time finding gym clothes that they liked. It was not long before their homemade gym clothes began to get attention at the local gym and it was quickly realized that the clothes had the potential for something bigger. At this point, founder Ben Francis was only 19 years old and he decided to follow a strategy he considered best; contact fitness influencers that he himself looked up to. It would soon prove to be a smart move and before Francis knew it, Gymshark began to gain momentum.
A combination of stylish and contemporary gym clothes in pastel colors, tight fits and low prices resulted in Gymshark quickly becoming popular on Instagram. Even today, the price remains one of the brand’s main advantages as their most expensive garment costs $ 80, which is less than many competitors’ cheapest garments. Gymshark are now so big that the probability is high that you have seen one of your favorite influencers or one of the world’s biggest celebrities wear the badge. The brand has already reached a point where marketing is self-sustaining and you could stop hiring more influencers.
How are the results from Gymshark’s strategy? Let’s take a look. Since 2012 when the company was founded, it has managed to attract more than 5 million followers on three separate Instagram accounts and hundreds of thousands of followers on other social networks. In addition, Gymshark is available online in 131 countries and in 2016 was named the fastest growing company in the UK. Not bad for a fitness brand that was started in a garage by a 19-year-old app developer.
2. PrettyLittleThing
PrettyLittleThing is an online store that sells clothes for young women aged 15-35 and when it comes to growing rapidly on social media, few can match this success story. In 2012, the brothers Umar Kaman and Adam Kaman started selling accessories under the name PrettyLittleThing and 7 years later they are an internationally recognized fashion brand with several big celebrities as ambassadors. In addition, they sell more than just accessories and their clothing has grown to become a global phenomenon. According to the founder Umar Kaman, the way to their success is that they have managed to establish meaningful relationships with international celebrities and there is no doubt that they have succeeded.
Since its inception in 2012, influencers and celebrities such as Miley Cyrus, Rita Ora and Nikki Minaj, to name a few, have all worn PrettyLittleThing’s clothing and sales are increasing dramatically on an annual basis. At the end of 2018, they launched a new collection and a Christmas campaign with the supermodel Hailey Bieber (formerly Baldwin) as the face. In 2016, as it worked to expand from the UK market to the US, PrettyLittleThing managed to negotiate with none other than Kylie Jenner to represent the brand and organize a launch party for their new flagship store in Los Angeles.
And the question remains; What results have been achieved with this influencer marketing strategy?
In 2017, PrettyLittleThing was bought by Boohoo for a multimillion sum and today you can boast over 10 million followers on Instagram. As if that were not enough, annual revenues of over 300 million pounds have been reported and crowned the fastest growing fashion company online.
3. NA-KD
In our search for brands that can thank an aggressive and well-planned strategy on social media for their success, Swedish NA-KD stands out. NA-KD was founded in Sweden in 2015 and in less than 4 years has grown into an international fashion brand that has taken the industry by storm. With that said, NA-KD’s strategy differs from the other two companies on the list, so let’s look at it.
Instead of letting huge influences and celebrities market the brand, NA-KD has focused on micro- to mid-influencers with high commitment. In an interview, Creative Marketing Manager Ivana Vrbenski explained the basis of their strategy as follows:
“Once we started a collaboration with an American influencer who had 1.6 million followers – to our great surprise she did not deliver any results. Later we contacted a sweet German influencer with about 350,000 followers and during the first 24 hours she generated a ridiculously large number of sales. We were completely taken by the results and in the end it showed that reliability and commitment are the key to success for influencers. ”
In our eyes, Ivana confirms something that many industry experts are already aware of, that high engagement is often more important than the number of followers when it comes to influencer marketing. Impressively, NA-KD’s strategy on social media has resulted in a machinery that is almost self-propelled. Initially, NA-KD spent a lot of time inviting influencers and handing out free products, but it is no longer required. Instead, influencers use the hashtag #nakdfashion to get the brand’s attention in the hope of a collaboration, as we mentioned earlier, NA-KD’s well-executed strategy with micro-influencers has really succeeded.
In less than four years, NA-KD has been named one of the 20 fastest growing companies in Europe and qualified for fourth place among the largest fashion brands on Instagram and YouTube in Europe after Zara, Dior and Calzedonia. With its 2 million followers on Instagram, it is also the largest Swedish brand of its kind on the platform.
Summary
Based on our review of these three companies, there are a few things other brands should take into account.
First and foremost, it is clear how important a good and stable strategy is, although it certainly does not mean that you have to follow in the footsteps of other brands. In fact, the three brands we talked about used three very different strategies to achieve similar results.
Gymshark focused on hiring and inspiring with influencers that the founders themselves looked up to, no matter how big or small they were.
PrettyLittleThing used a more traditional influencer marketing strategy where they contacted celebrities and influencers with lots of followers.
NA-KD, on the other hand, chose a more modern solution where the focus was on micro-influencers and where commitment was more important than the number of followers. This in turn resulted in a self-propelled marketing machine that continues to drive fantastic results.
What brands use influencers the most?
Many brands use influencers as part of their marketing strategy, but some brands are known to use them more frequently or prominently than others. Some examples of brands that use influencers heavily include:
- Fashion and beauty brands: Many fashion and beauty brands, such as L’Oréal, Sephora, and H&M, frequently use influencers to promote their products. This is because influencers often have a strong following in these industries, and their followers trust their recommendations.
- Technology brands: Tech brands such as Apple, Samsung, and Google often use influencers to promote their latest products and services.
- Travel and hospitality brands: Travel and hospitality brands, such as Marriott, AirBnB, and Expedia, frequently use influencers to showcase their destinations, hotels, and experiences.
- Fitness and wellness brands: Fitness and wellness brands, such as Nike, Fitbit and Peloton, often use influencers to promote their products, who can be seen as role models for a healthy lifestyle.
- Food and beverage brands: Food and beverage brands, such as Coca-Cola, McDonald’s, and Nestle, also use influencers to promote their products, with a specific focus on social media platforms.
These are just a few examples, but many other brands across different industries also use influencers as part of their marketing strategy.
It’s worth noting that influencer marketing has become a common practice for most of the brands, it’s important for the brands to be strategic on their choice of influencer and the message they want to convey to the target audience.
Does Nike use influencers?
Yes, Nike is one of the brands that use influencers as part of their marketing strategy. They have a long history of working with high-profile athletes and celebrities to promote their products, and more recently, they have also started to work with social media influencers. They use influencers across different platforms such as YouTube, Instagram, TikTok and other social media platforms. Nike works with a diverse range of influencers, from professional athletes and sports personalities to fitness and lifestyle influencers, to reach different target audiences. They use influencer marketing to showcase their products, inspire people to lead an active lifestyle, and to build brand loyalty. Additionally, Nike also collaborate with influencers to create exclusive content, events and campaigns to generate buzz around their products and brand.
Does Netflix use influencer marketing?
Yes, Netflix does use influencer marketing as part of their marketing strategy. The streaming giant has been increasingly using social media influencers to promote their shows and movies. They work with a wide range of influencers, from celebrities to niche content creators, across various platforms such as Instagram, YouTube, TikTok, and Twitter.
Netflix uses influencer marketing to reach new audiences, generate buzz around their content, and drive engagement on social media. They collaborate with influencers to create exclusive content, host watch parties, and participate in challenges and giveaways, to help promote their shows and movies. They also utilize Influencer marketing to create personalized and relatable content that aligns with their brand values.
Netflix also uses influencer marketing to create a sense of community around their shows and movies. They collaborate with influencers to create content that connects fans with the cast, creators, and other fans of the show.
It’s worth noting that Netflix’s influencer marketing strategy is a part of their overall marketing strategy, which also includes other tactics such as advertising, content marketing, and public relations.
Does Coca-Cola use influencers?
Yes, Coca-Cola is one of the brands that uses influencer marketing as part of their marketing strategy. The company has a long history of working with influencers, celebrities, and social media personalities to promote their products. They use influencers across different platforms such as Instagram, TikTok, YouTube, and Twitter.
Coca-Cola uses influencer marketing to reach new audiences and to generate buzz around their products. They collaborate with influencers to create exclusive content, such as videos, photos, and stories, that showcase their products and the Coca-Cola brand. They also use influencer marketing to create a sense of community around their products and brand, by collaborating with influencers to host events and participate in challenges and giveaways.
The company also uses influencer marketing to promote their campaigns and events, such as the Coca-Cola Music program, which brings together music and Coca-Cola. They also use influencer marketing to promote their sustainability efforts, such as recycling campaigns, and to promote their new product launches.
It’s worth noting that Coca-Cola’s influencer marketing strategy is a part of their overall marketing strategy, which also includes other tactics such as advertising, content marketing, and public relations.
Does Gucci use influencer marketing?
Yes, Gucci, like many luxury fashion brands, uses influencer marketing as part of its marketing strategy. The company works with a wide range of influencers, from celebrities to fashion and lifestyle influencers, across various platforms such as Instagram, TikTok, YouTube, and other social media platforms.
Gucci uses influencer marketing to reach new audiences, generate buzz around their products, and build brand loyalty. They collaborate with influencers to create exclusive content, such as videos, photos, and stories, that showcase their products and the Gucci brand. They also use influencer marketing to create a sense of community around their products and brand, by collaborating with influencers to host events, participate in challenges, and giveaways.
Gucci also uses influencer marketing to promote their campaigns and events, such as their fashion shows and collaborations with other brands. They also use influencer marketing to promote their sustainability efforts and their new product launches.
It’s worth noting that Gucci’s influencer marketing strategy is a part of their overall marketing strategy, which also includes other tactics such as advertising, content marketing, and public relations. Gucci is considered as a brand that uses influencer marketing effectively, by choosing the right influencers who align with the brand’s values and target audience.
How does Adidas use influencer marketing?
Adidas, like many sportswear and athletic brands, uses influencer marketing as part of its marketing strategy. The company works with a wide range of influencers, from professional athletes and sport personalities to fitness and lifestyle influencers, across various platforms such as Instagram, TikTok, YouTube, and other social media platforms.
Adidas uses influencer marketing to reach new audiences, generate buzz around their products, and build brand loyalty. They collaborate with influencers to create exclusive content, such as videos, photos, and stories, that showcase their products and the Adidas brand. They also use influencer marketing to create a sense of community around their products and brand, by collaborating with influencers to host events, participate in challenges, and giveaways.
Adidas also uses influencer marketing to promote their campaigns and events, such as their collaborations with other brands, and their sustainability efforts. They also use influencer marketing to promote their new product launches, such as new collections and limited edition products.
Adidas also uses influencer marketing to create personalized and relatable content that aligns with their brand values, such as promoting a healthy and active lifestyle, and diversity and inclusion.
It’s worth noting that Adidas’s influencer marketing strategy is a part of their overall marketing strategy, which also includes other tactics such as advertising, content marketing, and public relations. Adidas is considered as a brand that uses influencer marketing effectively, by choosing the right influencers who align with the brand’s values and target audience.
Does Apple partner with influencers?
Apple, like many technology brands, uses influencer marketing as a part of its marketing strategy. The company works with a wide range of influencers, from celebrities to tech reviewers, across various platforms such as Instagram, TikTok, YouTube, and other social media platforms.
Apple uses influencer marketing to reach new audiences, generate buzz around their products, and build brand loyalty. They collaborate with influencers to create exclusive content, such as videos, photos, and stories, that showcase their products and the Apple brand. They also use influencer marketing to create a sense of community around their products and brand, by collaborating with influencers to host events, participate in challenges, and giveaways.
Apple also uses influencer marketing to promote their campaigns and events, such as their product launches and collaborations with other brands. They also use influencer marketing to create personalized and relatable content that aligns with their brand values, such as promoting innovation, simplicity, and design.
It’s worth noting that Apple’s influencer marketing strategy is a part of their overall marketing strategy, which also includes other tactics such as advertising, content marketing, and public relations. Apple is considered as a brand that uses influencer marketing effectively, by choosing the right influencers who align with the brand’s values and target audience, and by keeping their partnership and collaborations discreet and exclusive.
