If Brittany Broski partnered with Youth to the People…
In 2022, influencer marketing is valued at a whopping $16.4 billion (Statista). From food and fitness, to fashion and travel, influencers occupy a variety of niches on social media. When scrolling on TikTok or Instagram or watching a YouTube video, it’s pretty common to see our favorite creators and influencers collaborating with various brands through a paid partnership post or sponsorship ad. In fact, 70% of teens and 40% of millennials trust influencers over celebrities when it comes to brand messaging (Digital Marketing Institute).
Beauty is perhaps one of the most influencer-driven social media niches where we see brands such as Morphe partnering with content creators like James Charles and influencers like Charli D’Amelio. Skincare brands like Drunk Elephant, Summer Fridays, and Glossier are also featured in PR hauls, unboxing, and “get ready with me” videos by influencers such as Darcy McQueeny and Ana Stowell. And of course, there are skinfluencers like Hyram Yarboro, whose educational content centers on best practices, routines, and ingredients. According to Statista, 74% of Gen Z and 66% of millennials are motivated by influencers when purchasing a beauty product (Statista). In addition, 44% of Gen Z and 35% of millennials use social media channels for beauty and grooming products (Statista).
Gen Z is transforming the beauty and skincare game on social media. As the most racially and ethnically diverse generation, “this group of consumers constantly challenges traditional beauty standards and is hyper-aware of brands’ sustainability and morality (Gregg 2022).” Clean ingredients, innovation, transparency, authenticity, and impact are values that Gen Z look for when it comes to supporting skincare brands (Gregg 2022).
Youth to the People (YTTP) is a skincare brand that I believe encompasses these values. On their website, YTTP describes their vision as “A company built from the ground up with a conscious approach to every aspect and inspired by the people of today…our dream was to build a company that would create a positive impact across the world.” Under the “About” section, YTTP clearly states their commitment to gender and racial equity, human rights, and fighting climate change through their “Good to the People Funds.” All YTTP products are vegan and cruelty-free, and are packaged using glass and post-recycled materials. The brand has nearly 530,000 followers on Instagram and just over 170,000 followers on TikTok.
I believe that a partnership between content creator Brittany Broski and YTTP would be a great opportunity for the skincare brand to boost their awareness among Gen Z consumers. Brittany is a 25 year-old comedian, YouTuber, podcast co-host, and influencer who rose to fame when her TikTok of taste testing kombucha went viral in August 2019. She has 11.3 million followers across both her official and unofficial TikTok accounts, 1.2 million followers on Instagram, and 1.18 million subscribers on YouTube, making her popular among Gen Z and millennials.
From sharing her love for British culture, to trying celebrity makeup looks and documenting her 3 a.m. thoughts on TikTok, Brittany is unabashedly herself, and it is this authenticity that makes her stand apart from other creators. For example, in the Branded Content episode of her Violating Community Guidelines podcast, Brittany is transparent about her experience as an influencer and critiques certain brand partnerships she accepted in the past, admitting that it is tough to find the right balance between compensation and value alignment.
Brittany’s content is valued for being relatable and genuine, and I believe this combination would align well with YTTP’s brand values. On YouTube, Brittany often uploads makeup vlogs in which she recreates looks from celebrities — like Princess Diana or Bella Hadid (both which have around 550,000 views) — or from a certain era, like the 1920s or 60s (the 60s inspired makeup video amassed 1.2 million views). She also recreates makeup looks as a skit, such as her videos titled “Awful Essex Girl British Makeup Tutorial” (which has 1.6 million views) and “Becoming the 2013 Tumblr Girl of My Dreams” (which has 1.4 million views). These videos could be a potential sponsorship opportunity with YTTP, where Brittany could end one of her makeup vlogs by removing her makeup or film a “getting un-ready with me” video. While her TikTok has minimal overlap with YouTube and appears to feature raw moments and random thoughts from her day-to-day life, Brittany could film a video in which she imitates a skincare influencer’s vlog style but adds her own comedic twist; for example, since she affectionately calls her followers “Broski Nation”, she could apply a YTTP mask or serum on her face while saying, “Broski Nation PSA: We are now skincare girlies and I don’t wanna hear it. We have got to take better care of ourselves!”
References
Digital Marketing Institute. (2021, October 19). 20 surprising influencer marketing statistics. Digital Marketing Institute. Retrieved November 20, 2022, from https://digitalmarketinginstitute.com/blog/20-influencer-marketing-statistics-that-will-surprise-you
Gregg, N. (2022, March 18). This is what gen Z wants from Beauty Brands in 2022. Byrdie. Retrieved November 20, 2022, from https://www.byrdie.com/gen-z-and-the-beauty-industry-5222319
Statista Research Department. (2022, June 21). United States: Channels used by Millennials For Care Product Ideas. Statista. Retrieved November 20, 2022, from https://www.statista.com/statistics/1289745/channels-used-by-millennials-for-care-product-ideas/
Statista Research Department. (2022, March 22). United States: Impact of influencers on Beauty Shoppers 2021. Statista. Retrieved November 20, 2022, from https://www.statista.com/statistics/1292842/impact-of-influencers-on-beauty-shoppers-in-the-united-states/#:~:text=In%20the%20United%20States%2C%2074,boomers%20polled%20for%20the%20survey.
Statista Research Department. (2022, February 25). United States: Channels used by Gen z for care product ideas. Statista. Retrieved November 20, 2022, from https://www.statista.com/statistics/1289724/channels-used-by-gen-z-for-care-product-ideas/
Statista Research Department (2022, October 18). Global Influencer Market Size 2022. Statista. Retrieved November 20, 2022, from https://www.statista.com/statistics/1092819/global-influencer-market-size/#:~:text=The%20global%20influencer%20marketing%20market,record%2016.4%20billion%20U.S.%20dollars.
