If you’re a Kardashian fan, you’ve probably heard people say, "The devil works hard, but Kris Jenner works harder" — and this certainly rings true when you take stock of how Kris managed to turn her family into business moguls and household names.
But what makes this posse so influential, you ask? Well, some would attribute the Kardashians’ success to them managing to stay relevant since the premiere of their reality show
way back in
2007. But in fact, they did way more than stay in the public eye — they fought for it.
Countless product lines, PR stunts, scandals and businesses later, the Kardashians prove that to succeed, you need to stay ahead of the curve and constantly market yourself.
With all this in mind, what can marketers learn from this famous family?
media update’s Taylor Goodman unpacks the Kardashians' secrets to success.
Can you keep up? Let's get into it:
Lesson 1: Capitalise on what makes your brand unique
The Kardashians are
unapologetically themselves, whether people love or hate them for it. This is a part of the family's charm and what makes them so relatable to their audience.
As a business, you should follow suit and emphasise what sets your brand apart from the rest. For example, Kim Kardashian is notorious for her ‘snatched’ contour and make-up looks, and then she went on to start her KKW Beauty make-up brand.
But before Kim ventured into the beauty space, Kylie Jenner caused a
major stir online after tabloids and social media users accused her of augmenting her lips. Kylie then made the
genius marketing decision to create a product (her lip kits) in the midst of this controversy.
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This is a perfect example of taking what you're known for or passionate about and capitalising on it. Kylie was known for her famous pout and leveraged the controversy surrounding it by starting her Kylie Cosmetics line.
As she started this unique product range based on the buzz she was receiving, she created one of the most lucrative brands yet. She’s clearly doing something right —
her lip kits sold out in under a minute. (
Yes you read that right — in under 60 seconds!).
What’s more, Kylie was also one of the first celebrities to start a beauty brand, which many (even her own sister) emulated.
Talking about trend setting …
Lesson 2: Don’t follow trends, set them
Whether it's fashion, beauty or anything lifestyle related, the Kardashians are the
ultimate trendsetters. After all, we have them to thank for the rise of the athleisure aesthetic (
ahem … bike shorts).
So as a brand, don’t be afraid to think outside the box — in fact, destroy the box and create something new.
If you’re wondering how you can go about setting trends in your industry, the key lies in having a thorough understanding of your audience and their interests. Once you are in sync with what your audience is interested in, you’ll be able to see patterns arising regarding consumer behaviour.
Once you pick up on potential areas of interest that are growing in popularity, you can integrate it into your marketing efforts. Take the Kardashians’ collective use of shapewear, for example.
Although people used this product beforehand, many envied the famous Kardashian hourglass frame and wanted to achieve it. Kim identified this gap in the market and launched her undergarment / loungewear brand SKIMS.
Lesson 3: Don’t let negativity define your brand
The Kardashians are controversial figures and are constantly in the headlines for one thing or another. Although there have been genuine missteps from the family that warrant concern, sometimes people online are just plain rude.
Despite the hate the famous clan receives, it rarely stops them from keeping business flowing as usual.
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As the age-old saying goes, “Haters gonna hate,” and this is important to remember when you work in marketing. Why? Well, in the digital space, brands are constantly under scrutiny and
sometimes (only sometimes) it can be better to turn a blind eye.
If you’re thinking that the customer is always right and any online hate is an indicator that you’re doing something wrong, this isn't always the case. Sometimes, people are going to troll your brand and make negative comments just for the sake of it.
This makes it
crucial for you to know the difference between trolling and a legitimate brand crisis.
Moreover, every brand endures a public misstep from time to time, and this is largely due to the exposing nature of social media. However, if you are involved in a marketing mishap, ensure that you make it right.
In these scenarios,
sincerity and
transparency is key; apologise for any wrongdoing and make sure it's genuine. With time, it will blow over, so don’t allow these negative instances to define your brand —
you are more than your mistakes.
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What marketing lessons have you learnt from the Kardashians? Be sure to let us know in the comments section below.
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Image courtesy of Instagram.