Successful Influencer Brands and Tips for Starting Your Own
Influencer brands have emerged as entities that are setting trends and stirring up consumer markets and the creator economy. The influence of digital creators has started extending far beyond content creation, with many successfully venturing into collabs, major brand marketing campaigns, and entrepreneurship, creating personal brands that reflect their unique style and connect with their audience and followers.
Let's dig into some of the most inspiring, trending, and successful influencer brands across various platforms, and find the takeaways that can help you get you those collabs and get your brand trending, too!
Get Inspired! 10 Trending Influencer and Creator Brands
Emma Chamberlain - Chamberlain Coffee
Humorous YouTuber, fashion influencer, Instagram fave and coffee fan Emma Chamberlain's foray into the world of coffee with her Chamberlain Coffee brand reflects her authenticity and love for the daily ritual, and has expanded into matcha latte, cold brew singles, oat milk latte, and teas. Emma, who is also a brand ambassador for the likes of Canon and Louis Vuitton, says coffee is "more than a drink, it's a way to connect" - and with that, the brand has resonated with her followers, offering a unique coffee experience.
Michelle Phan - Ipsy
Michelle Phan's Ipsy revolutionized the beauty industry with its makeup subscription service, which she co-founded in 2011, to deliver monthly "Glam Bags" of beauty and makeup products tailored to recipients' preferences via a beauty quiz. Michelle is now working with Em Cosmetics while Ipsy has merged with BoxyCharm and continues to be a go-to trendy destination for beauty enthusiasts seeking curated collections of their fave beauty brands.
Marques Brownlee - MKBHD
Tech influencer and YouTube content creator Marques Brownlee's venture into the ecommerce space with his MKBHD brand showcases his longstanding expertise in the tech world and his popular YouTube videos. Powered by Fourthwall, Brownlee’s shop offers a range of tech-inspired products for his followers, including apparel, desk accessories, mugs, and Brownlee's new "Studio Scented" candle. Externally, Brownlee also did a brand collab with Atoms to create the M251 sneaker.
MrBeast - Feastables
Top influencer MrBeast, known for his philanthropy and creative YouTube content, has ventured into the food industry with Feastables. His brand rhymes with his name, and his website, stylized like a comic, captures his over-the-top energy, offering specialized candies to his followers and fans. MrBeast's company sells his MrBeast chocolate bars under the Feastables brand in flavors like Milk Chocolate, Milk Crunch, and Peanut Butter.
Hailey Bieber - Rhode Skin
Fashion influencer Hailey Bieber, who is also a brand ambassador for Fila, has ventured into beauty products with Rhode Skin by Hailey Bieber, which showcases her style and influences. The brand of curated skincare essentials emphasizes casual elegance, reflecting Hailey's personal brand as well. Among the products are cleansers, lip tints, facial cremes, and facial hydration fluid; all Rhode products are made from "purposeful, high-performance ingredients" like Peptides, Niacinamide, and Cupuacu.
Will Neff - Speedy’s Hot Sauce Will Neff Edition
Several Twitch streamers have come out with their own lines of products, including foodstuffs. Just Chatting streamer and 2022 Heineken U.S. ambassador WillNeff joined the fray by launching a hot sauce so in-demand that it sold out mere minutes after being put on sale. Not only is Neff’s hot sauce a hot seller on his Fourthwall store, but he also smartly complements the trending product’s presence with themed stickers and t-shirts.
Chiara Ferragni - Chiara Ferragni Brand
Italian blogger, brand ambassador, and fashion influencer Chiara Ferragni went big for her brand, which encompasses a broad range of bags, makeup, shoes, beachwear, jewelry, and accessories. Known for her influence in the fashion world, Chiara has successfully translated her style into a global brand for her followers, over the past couple of years adding even more products including own line of fragrance and a brand collaboration with Nespresso.
Caleb Phelps aka Oompaville - SourBoys
YouTuber Oompaville launched his own candy company in collaboration with fellow YouTuber Riftyish, with a focus on sour candy gummi rolls in flavors including Cherry x Mango and Cotton Candy. They’re also merchandising alongside the candy by putting quirky SourBoys artwork on t-shirts, stickers, and hats in their SourBoys Fourthwall store.
Patrick Starrr - One/Size Beauty
Makeup artist and fashion influencer Patrick Starrr launched One/Size, a beauty brand with a focus on inclusivity. One/Size's beauty brand has gained acclaim for its diverse product offerings, which include primers, eye and lip pens, powders, and more, plus a recent high-profile brand collaboration with the Wicked movie for a One/Size x Wicked makeup collection. Starrr has also just teamed up with the aforementioned beauty brand Ipsy to curate one of Ipsy's Icon Boxes.
Philip DeFranco - Beautiful Bastard
Media host and YouTube content creator Philip DeFranco's brand, Beautiful Bastard, is named after his catchphrase from the introductions of his news show, and reflects his bold and unapologetic approach. His Fourthwall store shows off branded tees, tanks, and hoodies with distinctive graphics, connecting with the followers and audiences who resonate with DeFranco's unique personality.
Ailbhe and Izzy - Izzy Wheels
Irish sisters and influencers Ailbhe and Izzy's brand was inspired by Izzy herself, who is paralyzed from the waist down. Her sister Ailbhe designed a range of removable wheel covers for Izzy's wheelchair, and the sisters created a YouTube video showcasing the unique designs. That video went viral with over 16 million views in one week; now they have a full line of playful, vibrant wheel cover designs and have collaborated with over 100 famous designers (including Disney!) from around the world.
Top Industries for Influencers
Influencers are of course not confined to a single niche; they explore various industries, interests, and niches, showcasing their versatility. As the influencer market grows, influencers of all types, from micro influencers to major celebrities, beauty influencers to brand ambassadors, are expanding their horizons, doing brand collaborations, and successfully creating their own brands that cater to diverse interests.
Influencers are also breaking barriers and entering industries traditionally dominated by established, larger brands. Some of the most up and coming industries and niches for today's influencers include technology and gadgets, beauty and fashion brands and designers, jewelry brands, fitness and wellness, travel and hospitality, video games and streaming services, sports, food, and beverages from sodas and bottled waters to teas and coffees.
These niches regularly attract engaged viewers, which can help creators and influencers already making waves in the same categories secure lucrative sponsorships, collabs, and brand deals. Micro influencers may even have an edge in some of these niches, as they're often more engaged in social conversations, are more cost-effective, and can make a more targeted impact with a specific product.
A sampling of brands known for establishing influencer programs or ambassador contracts with major or celebrity influencers include Canon, Adidas, La Croix, AirBnB, Hilton, Dunkin', and many of today's prominent beauty brands and stores (like EOS and Sephora) and fashion houses/designers.
And among the brands friendly to collabs with micro influencers are Coca-Cola, Audible, HelloFresh, Gymshark, HiSmile, Warby Parker, Oakley, Tom's of Maine, and jewelry brands like Daniel Wellington and Mejuri.
4 Quick Tips for Starting Your Own Influencer Brand
Creating and launching a successful influencer brand requires strategic planning, a willingness to take risks, a solid brand identity of your own, and a deep understanding of your followers and your audience, not to mention a level of popularity that can support the brand itself. If you've already achieved that much popularity, have already worked on some collabs, and are ready to go, then great!
But if you're fairly new to the game as a micro influencer, you can still start small and grow your product brand alongside your own personal brand; many companies actually prefer to collab with microinfluencers, as they've already gained their followers' loyalty and have proven engagement rates.
Establishing your own web presence first is key to being able to negotiate with brands; in addition to your socials, you can start with something as easy to create as a Fourthwall site, where there are lots of options for customization, and places for everything from your own online store to a blog, links list, and more.
There are many ways to successfully collaborate with brands, whether you start with simply getting free products, become a brand ambassador, or establish a more long-term contract; but first you have to do the research to pinpoint exactly what kind of collabs you're pursuing. Here are 4 quick tips to get you started:
1. Identify a Niche that has Market Demand
Successful influencer brands often fill a gap in the market. Identifying a niche where your audience has unmet needs can set your brand apart, help you focus on specific collabs, and create a loyal customer base.
2. Build Authentic Connections with Your Audience
Authenticity is key in the influencer world. Building genuine connections with your audience fosters trust, and loyal followers are more likely to support your brand ventures and collabs.
3. Measure Performance Through Analytics
Utilize analytics tools to understand your audience's preferences, demographics, and engagement patterns. Data-driven insights can guide your brand strategy and help you make informed decisions for both yourself and your followers/customers.
4. Use Targeted SEO Strategies
Optimize your online presence through targeted SEO strategies. This ensures that your brand is discoverable by a wider audience, increasing the chances of attracting new followers, interesting collabs, and potential customers.
From Influencer to Brand Success: Your Journey Begins at Fourthwall!
The journey from being a creator to an influencer to an entrepreneur starts with establishing a strong online presence. Fourthwall seamlessly integrates website creation, product sourcing, and membership offerings, providing influencers with a comprehensive platform to transform their influence into a successful brand.
Fourthwall serves as a catalyst for creators, offering them the tools and resources needed to attract more followers, sell merchandise, collaborate with other creators and companies, and thrive in the digital landscape. With a user-friendly interface and a range of features, Fourthwall empowers influencers to embark on their entrepreneurial journey and turn their aspirations into reality.