PR lessons from a Teenager who went on to build one of the most successful businesses in the cosmetics industry
4 Mar 2021
4 Mar 2021
Being an heiress to a family legacy is never easy. Especially when the family in question is the Kardashians. No surprise, therefore, that media scrutiny was sky-high when Kylie Jenner launched Kylie Cosmetics in 2016, at the young age of 19. What no one expected, however, was just how much of a phenomenon the brand would grow to be. Today, Kylie Jenner is worth $900 million, with her range of beauty products selling out as soon as one minute after their release. Beginner’s luck? More a matter of social media smarts and being personally and consistently invested in creating a great experience for the fans. Here are some things that every up-and-coming brand can learn about PR from Miss Jenner.
It might be natural to think that Kylie made it big on account of being a Kardashian. However, the older Kardashian sisters tried and failed to start their own brand, Khroma, just a few years ago. Clearly, building a mega brand requires more than just a legacy name, which is good news for entrepreneurs and small start-ups that want to make a big impact – it doesn’t matter where you came from or who your parents are.
Kylie grew up in the smartphone generation and she’s made use of that from the start. She does all of her product promotion on social media, which millennials and Gen Zers pay attention to and care about. Apart from beauty tips and product information, Kylie likes to share ‘sneak peeks’ of her upcoming products on Instagram or Snapchat before releasing them on her website, which keeps her fans hooked and ensures early sellouts when the products finally drop. When you’re starting out, therefore, be sure to have a smart social media plan in place, and preferably stick to one or two channels at the beginning. The startup PR firm you work with can advise you on this.
Kylie sends PR kits to beauty influencers in the 18-30 age group for every product she launches. Given that money is usually tight for this age group, a recommendation from a trusted blogger goes a long way in convincing young people to spring for the product – which Kylie knows. Working with a leading PR agency in India will give you insights into which influencers to reach out to for your domain and how to sweeten the deal for them.
Kylie’s fans love seeing updates about her life, however small. From sharing pictures of her daughter Stormi to close-ups of her nail art, she keeps her Instagram feed extremely real. Giving your fans intimate glimpses into your brand, such as celebrating a team member’s birthday or a behind-the-scenes at how your products are made, will create a stronger connection with your customers and keep them interested in your every move – which is ideal for when it’s time to release a new product.
The Kylie Cosmetics journey began when Kylie, dissatisfied with the natural size of her lips, spent hours in the beauty aisles of shops understanding how to apply lip products to make the lips appear fuller. Her company’s social media posts continue to reflect this obsession with and excitement about what she does. When designing your own strategy, work with the best digital PR firm such as Star Squared PR to figure out how to portray what excites you the most about your brand. When you truly care about something, it reflects in your content – and that touch of authenticity will endear you all the more to your audience.
