BITES // 12.05.24 // UNLEASHING SHOPPING INFLUENCE
Every month, we collect six of the best web content pieces and share them with you because we believe that the most extraordinary thinking is inspired by looking to unexpected places. BITES is a reading list for those who want to bring a little of the outside in.
OVERVIEW -
Celebrities and influencers continue to secure new endorsement deals as marketers turn to these partnerships to boost engagement with target audiences. Especially as the holiday season ramps up so does consumer buying, with U.S. holiday sales expected to reach over $1 trillion. Over 25% of brands currently in the endorsement space joined in the past year, though only 4% of them pursued multiple deals. Consumer products led the way among these new brands, followed by food products and apparel, with 38% coming from these categories. While traditional celebrities still hold sway, influencers are rapidly gaining traction. Of the 918 million new followers gained by the top 100 celebrities and influencers in the last year, over 70% came from influencers.
1. TIKTOK BOOSTED HOLIDAY SHOPPING WITH INFLUENCERS & CELEB LIVE-STREAMS
TikTok Shop elevated their holiday shopping experience with a dynamic, real-time product discovery and exclusive discounts on trending brands and retailers. For 2024, TikTok’s holiday shopping activations featured celebrity-led live shopping events and major sales with deep discounts from top brands. Some of the biggest names, including the D’Amelio family and Nicki Minaj hosted a variety of live-stream shopping sessions. Nicki Minaj broke records by pulling in a jaw-dropping 3.6M viewers on TikTok Shop Live. This approach builds on the success of live shopping in China, where it has become a major trend, as TikTok aims to replicate that momentum in Western markets. Alongside celebrity-hosted streams, TikTok also partnered with major brands to offer significant discounts, making its holiday shopping activations a central hub for deals and entertainment this season.
2. NBC SPORTS DRAFTED SEVEN INFLUENCERS FOR THE NFL
NBC Sports assembled a group of creators after testing a similar approach during the Paris Olympics. The Comcast-owned network sent 27 influencers with large followings on platforms like Facebook, YouTube, Snapchat, and Overtime. As the NFL, the U.S.’s most popular sport, heads into a new season, NBC faces a unique challenge during an election year, where news broadcasts may pull viewers away from traditional football broadcasts. To engage younger fans and promote the NFL across NBC’s platforms, TikTok influencers embarked on a three-day journey from Kansas City to São Paulo to Detroit. Influencers like Allison Kuch, Jack “Chef Cuso” Mancuso, Erika Priscilla, JoJo Sim, Austin Sprinz, Pierson Wodzynski, and Nate Wyatt are participating. In Kansas City, they’ll meet "Saturday Night Live" cast member and Chiefs fan Heidi Gardner, who will present them with content challenges to share with their audiences.
3. E.L.F. UNVEILS “SINFLUENCER” IN THEIR BIGGEST SKINCARE PUSH YET
Headed into the season prestige beauty sales are up, with Gen Alpha and Gen Z are contributing to growth in the skincare segment with nearly 30% of shoppers will purchase beauty as a holiday gift. Gen Z uses more skincare products than any other generation, and E.l.f. Skin is tapping into this with its biggest campaign yet. Featuring “Hacks” star Megan Stalter as the "Sinfluencer," the campaign humorously encourages consumers to commit “skin sins” like sleeping in makeup. Titled “Divine Skintervention,” the campaign spans social media, out-of-home ads, and major streaming platforms. E.l.f. aims to connect with Gen Z, a key demographic that has made the brand a leader in beauty, while also continuing its push to position itself as an entertainment-driven brand. The effort also includes an interactive landing page in the U.S. and U.K. that generates product recommendations from consumer “confessions.”
4. AMAZON LIVE TAPPED INTO CELEBS FOR BLACK FRIDAY
TalkShopLive, a video commerce platform, teamed up with Amazon Live for the first time to host a series of live shopping shows on November 29, spotlighting a selection of Amazon’s Black Friday deals. Since launching its live shopping hub in 2019, Amazon has created a dynamic online space where shoppers can explore products from a wide range of brands. During the event, celebrity hosts showcased their own products, including Martha Stewart’s Martha: The Cookbook, Eva Mendes’ Skura Style sponges, and new albums from Jennifer Hudson and Kimberly Schlapman, among others. These live events were streamed across multiple platforms, including TalkShopLive, Amazon Live, the hosts' Facebook and Instagram pages, and any website where TalkShopLive is embedded. Before this collaboration with Amazon, TalkShopLive worked with prominent figures like Kerry Washington, Oprah Winfrey, Jimmy Fallon, Drew Barrymore, Dolly Parton, Kate Hudson, and Jamie Foxx.
5. GOOGLE TURNS HOLIDAY GIFT GIVING INTO A GAME SHOW
Google’s holiday campaign celebrates the playful spirit of gifting with a game show-inspired twist. Featuring ads with celebrity pairs like Dwyane Wade and Gabrielle Union, and Charli XCX and Troye Sivan, the campaign highlights how 60% of people see holiday gift-giving as a friendly competition. At its center is "Can You Gift It?", a game show series hosted by Jimmy Kimmel on Google’s Shopping platform. The series, featuring five celebrity duos, debuted a new episode daily on YouTube during the week of November 25. Set on a retro-inspired stage, each episode challenges the contestants with tasks reminiscent of The Price Is Right and The Dating Game. The games are fueled by Google’s holiday shopping insights and search data, blending entertainment with practical shopping tips. This campaign builds on earlier holiday ads spotlighting other celebrity pairings and continues to explore the lighthearted competitiveness of the gifting season.
6. SIMON IS USING INFLUENCERS TO GET PEOPLE TO MALLS
Simon Property Group has launched a new ad campaign, "Meet Me @themall," aimed at attracting Gen Z shoppers. Simon, which owns nearly 200 U.S. malls, partnered with over 250 mall-loving influencers to boost awareness and engagement. The campaign celebrates mall culture and strengthens connections with younger consumers. Despite some retailers moving away from malls, 97% of Gen Z still shop in physical stores. Running on platforms like Netflix, Hulu, Instagram, YouTube, and TikTok, the campaign taps into Gen Z’s ’80s and ’90s nostalgia, reworking the iconic '80s hit “Don’t You (Forget About Me)” into “Won’t You (Meet Me at the Mall)” to highlight malls as vibrant spots for shopping, dining, and entertainment.
TAKEAWAY-
Influencers and celebrities are increasingly central to campaigns and advertising, as brands recognize their ability to connect authentically with audiences compared to traditional methods. The rise of social media has allowed influencers—especially micro and nano influencers—to build trust-based communities, making their endorsements feel genuine. Brands are leveraging this by incorporating influencers into campaigns on platforms like Instagram, TikTok, and YouTube to enhance awareness, engagement, and conversion rates. This influencer-driven marketing blends entertainment with promotion, making ads feel more like a natural part of consumers' daily digital experiences. Consequently, influencers have become essential in marketing strategies, particularly for reaching younger, tech-savvy audiences like Gen Z and Millennials.