Colgate-Palmolive is leveraging social media personalities and various platforms to appeal to fans of the Latin Grammys and appear more luxurious, offering access to an exclusive, invite-only acoustic performance. 

The toothpaste brand is attempting to engage and attract Hispanic consumers and fans through partnerships with the Latin Grammys as well as popular bloggers within the social media community. Colgate is sponsoring the upcoming Latin Grammys Acoustic Sessions in Los Angeles, attempting to embody a more luxurious image and become synonymous with red carpet affairs. 

?This is a brilliant branding play from Colgate to raise awareness in a hard-to-reach demographic,? said Ashley McGregor-Dey, senior manager of content and social media at Emarsys. ?Now if the audience wants to be part of the behind-the-scenes experience, they have to interact with Colgate.?

Red carpet events are well-known for celebrities? and attendees? attempts to pull out all the stops to look their best, and Colgate feels its Optic White products have a place in pre-event preparations. The teeth whitening brand is leveraging social media and popular names to imprint this image on consumers. 


Paparazzi line up at the red carpet of The Latin Grammys Acoustic Sessions in Mexico 

Winners from the Latin Grammys will be performing unplugged sets during the Acoustic Sessions, taking place in Los Angeles, New York, Dallas and Miami. Colgate will be serving fans behind-the-scenes content and live coverage via social media on its @SonrisaColgate Twitter page. 

Colgate Optic White Chicas Blogueras, Kika Rocha and Daniela Ramirez will be reporting live during the event through social channels such as Twitter and Facebook, serving fans exclusive content in front and behind the scenes. Twitter users following their accounts will have access to more content leading up to the show, as well as a chance to win VIP passes to the performance. 


Colgate tweets to its spanish speaking followers

The brand has a chance to increase followers from cross-promotion, gaining fans of the Latin Grammys winners, as well as Ms. Rocha and Ms. Ramirez?s admirers. 

Ms. Rocha is a fashion and beauty expert featured on Telemundo and Colombia?s Next Top Model, while Ms. Ramirez runs a blog based on her experience in makeup and style. 

Colgate leveraging the experience and well-known personalities of the two bloggers is enough exclusivity to project an image of importance. 

These Internet celebrities, with large social media followers, are proving to be just as important in marketing to consumers, if not more, because their medium is much more accessible, making users feel as though they know the star. 

Also, these social media stars are a significant aspect of marketing via social media, which more brands are incorporating into their strategies. 

For instance, an executive from Coca-Cola at the 2015 Integrated Marketing Week detailed how the brand uses YouTube and its stars as a jumping-off point to experiment with marketing innovation and connect with millennials (see more).

Also, in a move similar to Colgate's campaign, Marriott Hotels rolled out the latest phase of a social media campaign that celebrates travel and the cultural immersions it offers, attempting to draw in Latino demographics through celebrity YouTube videos, posts on various platforms and mobile advertising (see more). 

?The benefit of this type of campaign is they are offering exclusive content during the event that no one else can,? Ms. McGregor-Dey said. ?Compared to larger campaigns, leveraging social media has the potential to make a significant impact will little effort. 

?The pitfalls are it is live, spontaneous, and you have less control,? she said. ?You have to think quickly and be prepared for anything.?