Dive Brief:
- Marc Jacobs Beauty is tapping makeup artist Nikkie de Jager, known as NikkieTutorials on her YouTube channel, as its first-ever global artistry advisor, according to a recent announcement.
- The brand will integrate De Jager into the product development process and share her expertise via content on Marc Jacobs Beauty and her own channels. Fans can follow the conversation on social media through the @marcjacobsbeauty and @nikkietutorials accounts.
- De Jager has more than 11 million followers on YouTube and Instagram, respectively, and has created beauty videos with celebrities like Kim Kardashian, Drew Barrymore and Jessie J. Her videos feature new looks, makeup reviews and style challenges.
Dive Insight:
Marc Jacobs Beauty likely sees its partnership with Nikkie de Jager and her millions of social media fans as a way to connect with digital-savvy millennials and Gen Zers, who often turn to social media platforms for beauty inspiration. De Jager's involvement in the brand's product development process showcases how influencer relationships are evolving beyond transactional social media marketing and how brands are relying on their knowledge of their fan base's interests to create products and viral content that will attract attention.
The authenticity that influencers offer is appealing to younger demographics, which see celebrities as less trustworthy and engaging than lesser-known individuals. Sixty-five percent of multinational brands have reported plans to increase their influencer marketing spend over the next 12 months, according to a World Federation of Advertisers survey. Growing brand awareness, reaching targeted and new audiences and building brand advocacy were the top three reasons for embracing influencer strategies, with brands focusing on "quality of followers," credibility and reputation as the most important criteria for choosing which influencers to work with. Marketers like Marc Jacobs Beauty are also increasingly deploying multifaceted influencer strategies, a trend that the new global artistry advisor role aligns with.
The explosive growth in influencer marketing comes as Instagram reigns as the top platform for partnerships, as it's a key channel for engaging with millennial and Gen Z consumers and driving purchases, especially for beauty-focused content. Eighty-five percent of Instagram users follow style, fashion or lifestyle-focused accounts, and most users consider themselves to be fashion-forward, a Dana Rebecca Designs study revealed. More than 70% of Instagram users say they have made fashion, beauty or style purchases after seeing something on the platform, with makeup as one of the top product categories.
