At this point, if you're a celebrity and don't have a beauty brand... are you even famous?

From billion-dollar blushes to waitlist-only lip treatments, it feels like every A-lister is throwing their name (and face) on a beauty line. And honestly? It's working. In some cases, these side hustles are outperforming their actual careers.

But beyond the glam, this isn't just a celebrity trend. It's a marketing playbook, and if you squint past the pastel packaging and soft-focus product shots, you'll find lessons every marketer should be stealing.

The Beauty Boom: Why It Actually Matters

Let's start with this: celebrity beauty brands aren't just vanity projects anymore, they're legitimate money machines.

According to NielsenIQ, celebrity-founded beauty brands surpassed $1 billion in sales as of late 2023. That's a 57.8% jump year-over-year, and it's outpacing the entire beauty industry's growth of 11.1% during the same time. Translation? This isn't a phase. It's a takeover.

And the launches keep coming: new names, new lines, new campaigns, and fans keep lining up to buy. It's not just a rush of influencer-fueled capitalism. It's a shift in how brands are built, sold, and scaled in 2025.

Selena Gomez's Rare Beauty is now worth over $2 billion. Rihanna's Fenty Beauty? Estimated at $2.8 billion, contributing significantly to her billionaire status. And Hailey Bieber's Rhode, despite launching just in 2022, has already achieved over $100M in revenue.

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Why People Keep Buying (Even When They Know It's Celebrity-Backed)

Yes, the famous face helps. But it's not just about the star power.

The truth? These brands are slaying their marketing game:

• They sell identity, not just product – Buying Rare Beauty doesn't mean you're wearing blush. It means you're emotionally aligned with Selena Gomez, whose brand is rooted in mental health advocacy.
• They get the aesthetic right – Minimalist packaging. Dewy skin. Pastel tones. It's giving luxury and approachability.
• They stand for something – Mental health. Clean ingredients. Inclusivity. Rare Beauty donates 1% of sales to its Rare Impact Fund. Rhode promotes skin barrier health with a less-is-more ethos.
• They know the algorithm – They live on TikTok and IG. Launches feel like viral moments, not corporate announcements. Rare's Soft Pinch blush has gone viral multiple times: because of users, not ads.

Hailey Bieber's Rhode generated a 440,000-person waitlist during its initial launch by leaning into TikTok content that teased her "glazed donut skin" and reposting UGC from early fans.

What Marketers Can Actually Learn From Them

Celebrity beauty brands are basically creator-led DTC startups, but prettier.

Here's what's worth stealing:

• Turn your founder into your story – Even if they're not famous, people connect with people. Put a face on your brand.
• Make your products feel sensory – Think textures, vibes, feelings. Hailey Bieber's Rhode is the perfect example. Styling her skincare with donuts, smoothies, and soft lighting.
• Know your visual language – From fonts to filters, the best brands have a look, and they never deviate from it.
• Lead with values – Rare Beauty puts mental health at the core of their brand. Not in a preachy way, but in a way that builds trust.
• Use UGC as social proof – Content from real people is 50% more trusted than brand content. And it drives conversion. Rhode reposts and features UGC constantly, especially in product launches.

Personal Brands + UGC = The Celebrity Blueprint You Should Be Stealing

Celebrity beauty brands are winning because they're built like modern creator brands:

• A strong personal identity (the celeb)
• A product that matches that identity (the brand)
• A community that amplifies it (fans + UGC)

Take Rhode. Hailey isn't just promoting products—she's reposting fan content, responding to comments, and letting her community co-create the brand. TikTok is filled with GRWM videos featuring Rhode's peptide lip treatments, and Rhode reposts them constantly.

The result? It feels like a friend's skincare routine, not an ad campaign.

The vibe: Less "brand talking at you," more "bestie sharing her faves."

Marketing takeaway:

• Humanize your brand: founders, team, anyone
• Make UGC a core part of your strategy, not an afterthought
• Build a community that feels like it's "in" on the brand, not just buying from it

Bonus? UGC-powered launches get people hyped. Rare Beauty's Soft Pinch blush alone sold $70 million worth in its first year, becoming Sephora's #1 blush with one sold every 3 seconds.

When It Flops (Because Not All Celebrity Brands Hit)

Let's be real, not every celeb beauty brand is a Fenty.

Here's when it doesn't work:

• It feels like a cash grab – No story, no soul, just a logo and some lip gloss
• The celeb doesn't match the vibe – If the personal brand feels off, the product won't feel right either
• There's no reason to care – Weak mission, no unique angle, forgettable visuals = forgettable brand
• It tries too hard to be Gen Z – Please. Stop using slang you don't understand

A good example? When Addison Rae's brand Item Beauty was pulled from Sephora due to lack of demand, proof that TikTok fame alone isn't enough without strategy, cohesion, or consumer trust. According to Business Insider, the brand suffered from low differentiation and inconsistent promotion. Rae stopped posting about the brand just months after its launch.

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Kim Kardashian's SKKN received early criticism for its high price point and lack of differentiation. Despite Kim's mega-influence, reviews noted it lacked innovation and relied too heavily on aesthetic over function.

Not every celebrity should have a beauty brand. But the ones who do it right? They're redefining what brand loyalty looks like.

Celebrity beauty brands aren't just selling dewy skin, they're selling story, lifestyle, and belonging.

You don't need a stadium tour or 200 million followers to do the same. You just need a clear identity, a strong aesthetic, and a strategy that puts real connection first.

Because in 2025, the most successful brands aren't the loudest. They're the ones that feel the most human.

TikTok marketing isn’t what you think it is. It’s not just Gen Z lip-syncing, brands forcing trends, or your intern trying to convince you that "we need more behind-the-scenes content."

It’s a $5 million-a-year influencer economy, and right now, a retired schoolteacher is stealing your ad budget while sipping chamomile tea.

Your biggest competitor is probably a 95-year-old grandma with better engagement rates than your entire social media team combined. She’s pulling six figures from unfiltered, unscripted, unapologetic content, while brands are still stuck in 2019 wondering why their polished ad campaigns are getting annihilated.

Look, this isn’t about “keeping up.” It’s about survival. And if your marketing strategy doesn’t adjust fast, you’ll be handing your market share over to influencers who weren’t even supposed to be on the platform.

How TikTok Became a 215% Bigger Monster Than You Expected

TikTok was supposed to be noise. It was supposed to be a digital distraction—a glorified meme machine for chronically online teenagers. Not something that would rewrite how brands launch products, where consumers search for them, or how influence actually works. But here we are.

While your C-suite still whispers “LinkedIn thought leadership,” TikTok’s brand value exploded by 215%. Not over a decade. In one calendar year.

Still calling it “a Gen Z app”?

That thinking is costing you reach, relevance, and real ROI. Yes, marketing to Gen Z matters, but TikTok stopped being a one-demographic platform years ago. And now, even Google admits nearly 40% of Gen Z uses TikTok as their primary search engine. So while you’re fine-tuning blog metadata, Gen Z is typing “best gym shoes” into TikTok—and buying based on the first review they see.

If your brand isn’t there, you don’t exist. Not to them.

Now let’s talk time.

The average user spends 95 minutes per day on TikTok. Now, that’s not just “impressive.” That’s a direct threat to every other platform, every paid campaign you’re running, and yes—your email open rate.

And what’s powering that obsession?

User-generated content on TikTok. Not high-production ads. Not brand-safe explainers. Just... people. Real humans saying things your copy team would never dare type. TikTok is the only place where someone in a bathrobe, holding a blender, can crash your product's inventory in under six hours. Try matching that with a five-part ad funnel and a custom-built microsite.

Brands that know how to create viral marketing campaigns aren’t relying on luck or hashtags. They’re seeding user content. They’re reposting. Reacting. Collaborating.

They understand that the algorithm doesn’t care how long you spent in After Effects. It cares how quickly people care enough to watch till the end.

Why TikTok’s Most Explosive Growth Is Happening Above 50 Years Old

If your brand is still betting the house on Gen Z dance trends and Gen Alpha’s attention span, you’ve already missed the real headline: the most disruptive growth happening on TikTok right now isn’t coming from kids. It’s coming from the people who raised them.

While marketers were still workshopping how to make their brand “relatable to Gen Z,” the over-50 crowd quietly showed up—then blew right past the under-30s. No warning. No fanfare. Just retired pilots, sassy grandmothers, and ex-teachers casually pulling millions of views and bulldozing past your high-budget influencer strategy like it never mattered.

Joan and Jimmy O'Shaughnessy, a charming older Irish couple, now sit on over 3.9 million followers and 70 million likes. That’s not a fluke. They’re the future of trust-driven influence—and they’re pulling serious weight in campaigns that actually convert.

So what makes these “Silver Influencers” work?

For one: trust.

Try selling a skincare serum through a 21-year-old who changes routines weekly and can’t pronounce half the ingredients. Now try it through someone with crow’s feet, a long-standing opinion, and an audience that listens because they’ve lived similar lives. You don’t need a marketing degree to know which one lands harder. TikTok’s older creators hold longer attention spans, pull higher comment quality, and build interactive content marketing loops without even trying. Their communities don’t just watch—they engage.

And that matters. Because TikTok’s value doesn’t come from perfectly produced assets. It comes from participation. From relatability. From unfiltered, chaotic, raw, user-generated content that skips the funnel and goes straight to purchase. Older creators are excellent at this. They don’t need media training to come off authentic. They already are.

Brands that get it are engineering successful TikTok campaigns around this behavior. They’re not casting seniors for the sake of "representation"—they’re doing it because it performs. Campaigns like e.l.f. Cosmetics teaming up with 95-year-old Grandma Droniak to move product like a wrecking ball. No youth filter needed. No TikTok dance required.

So when you hear someone on your team refer to TikTok as a “young person’s game,” go ahead and flag that as expensive thinking. The platform doesn’t care how old your creator is. It cares whether they can hold attention and drive action. Right now, 65-year-olds are doing both better than the 25-year-olds you’ve been chasing for years.

The Economics of Silver Influencer Marketing—Why They’re Making (and Moving) More Money Than Your CEO

Once upon a time, “influencer marketing” meant Venmo’ing a 23-year-old with a ring light to smile at your protein shake.

But now?

Your target customer is pulling out their wallet because a 68-year-old just explained why your product’s better than their last three combined—and no, it’s not because she “resonates with Gen Z.” It’s because she’s built actual trust.

TikTok isn’t skewing older by accident. It’s skewing older because older creators are producing better marketing outcomes—for the exact same brands still stuck pitching “youth relevance” in QBRs.

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Top TikTok creators are earning up to $5 million per year, and Silver Influencers aren’t just part of that—they’re taking over the most lucrative segments. They’re selling out products, building niche empires, and casually blowing past their younger counterparts in engagement, trust, and conversions.

And while you’re trying to squeeze another collab into your paid media plan, these creators are out here launching product lines, signing licensing deals, and building long-tail brand equity—all through raw, stripped-back content that would give most PR teams a panic attack.

Here’s why that matters to you: if you're still measuring ROI on TikTok marketing by likes and reach, you’ve already lost. Your spreadsheet can’t show you loyalty. It can't show you relatability. But TikTok’s comments section can—and that’s where these older creators win every single time.

So why are they outperforming the younger ones you’re still clinging to?

Because they don’t follow templates. They don’t pitch like creators. They talk like people. Their content doesn’t just hit algorithms. It hits nerve endings. That’s the actual difference between reach and relevance. And it’s why Silver creators are redefining how brands should use TikTok for brand promotion in 2025.

Look... if you're still handing influencer briefs to 22-year-olds who ghost at 7K followers, you’re setting fire to your own budget. Meanwhile, the creators with bifocals and business acumen are landing six-figure partnerships and dragging your category out of obscurity—without ever uttering the word "algorithm."

Brands that understand this are rethinking their entire TikTok influencer marketing structure. They’re not forcing old creators into young formats. They’re designing effective TikTok content ideas for brands around what Silver creators already do best: convert attention into credibility, and credibility into sales. Not with transitions. With truth.

The Worst TikTok Marketing Mistakes (You’re Probably Making Right Now)

Posting 12 times a week doesn’t make you consistent. It makes you noisy. It’s not clever, it's not strategic, and it’s definitely not working.

Volume doesn’t impress the algorithm. Engagement does. Which is why most of your content—yes, even the one your head of brand called “bold and disruptive”—is quietly dying before it gets to anyone’s For You Page.

You think your team is using TikTok correctly. You think you're being consistent. But your idea of strategy is built on legacy thinking: schedule a post, hashtag the obvious, keep it “on-brand,” cross fingers, watch it flop. Then blame timing.

Timing does matter. But not the way you think. There are best times to post on TikTok for engagement, and they are real. Miss those windows and you might as well be uploading to a private server. Peak posting isn't guesswork—there’s data. And ignoring that data while crying about low reach is how brands dig themselves into irrelevance.

Now, what about content?

Look, TikTok users don’t want a video that feels like your creative team spent 9 hours in After Effects trying to sell shampoo with a 3-second B-roll transition. Your content looks like an ad. Which means it’s already dead. TikTok is allergic to sales tactics. It's wired for discovery, not pitch decks.

And yet, some of you are still pushing campaign assets that look like 2015 YouTube prerolls. This is how you burn ad budgets and still have nothing to show for it. Especially if you're a startup. Because TikTok advertising cost for startups isn’t cheap when you're doing it wrong. A single branded content push can run well over $10,000 in production, media, and influencer fees—and if the audience smells corporate varnish on it, you’re just paying to get ignored faster.

And the most brutal part is TikTok doesn’t forget. This isn’t LinkedIn where you can “clarify” and move on. TikTok screenshots everything. Comments roast in real time. If your campaign stinks, the algorithm won’t hide you. It will amplify the embarrassment.

The worst TikTok marketing mistake isn’t posting too much or being off-trend. It’s acting like you’re still in control. You’re not. The audience is. The algorithm is. The culture is. If you keep trying to make TikTok behave like a media channel, you’ll keep bleeding money trying to win a game no one’s even playing anymore.

How to Dominate TikTok with Silver Influencers

The brands actually pulling numbers on TikTok aren’t guessing anymore—they’ve figured it out. They’re using Silver Influencers like precision tools. As a strategy.

You see, TikTok is no longer just an awareness platform. It’s an end-to-end performance engine. From discovery to click to conversion. The ones winning aren’t the brands throwing out dance trends and praying for virality. They’re the ones integrating product placement into actual influence—and using creators who don’t need to beg for credibility.

TikTok’s Shop program already has 200,000+ businesses selling directly. And it’s turning creators into storefronts. In one now-infamous case, a Silver Influencer casually dropped a skincare rec—and it sold out in under three hours. No brand deal. No promo code. Just trust. That’s the level of pull we’re talking about.

If you're still running TikTok like a static channel—post, wait, refresh metrics—you’ve already been outpaced. Especially if you're a smaller brand trying to punch up. Successful TikTok marketing strategies aren’t about matching big-brand budgets—they're about using the platform like it was built to be used: fast, reactive, deeply human.

What works?

Giving creators full creative autonomy, letting them lean into their natural tone (even if it makes your PR team itch), and plugging into viral formats like marketing with memes without looking like a desperate uncle trying to “fit in.” Silver creators nail this because they’re not trying to be cool—they’re just being real. And real is what sells on TikTok now.

Let’s not sugarcoat this: if you’re still paying for scripted, polished content with agency edits and legal disclaimers, you’re burning budget. No one’s watching that. TikTok doesn’t reward polish. It rewards velocity and authenticity.

And what about your process?

If you're still reviewing influencer content over email threads, you're building latency into a system that lives and dies by speed. A TikTok trend lasts 72 hours—on a good day. If your workflow takes longer than that, you’re late and irrelevant.

This is exactly why tools like ZoomSphere matter. Managing content calendars, post approvals, and engagement tracking in one place is non-negotiable when you're working with real creators, real-time feedback loops, and creators who don’t wait for green lights. You can’t scale without infrastructure, and you can’t win without speed.

And let’s not pretend you're immune to the numbers.

If you can’t measure ROI on TikTok marketing in a way that ties content to conversion, you’re not marketing. TikTok’s built-in analytics won’t get you there. You need real TikTok analytics tools for marketers who actually care about post-level performance, retention dips, and conversion-assisted metrics. You need to know what’s working—and more importantly, why.

Especially now.

Because the TikTok algorithm updates in 2025 have quietly changed the rules. Discovery favors watch time, loop potential, and early comment velocity. So, your brand’s one-size-fits-all ad strategy won’t cut it. Content that triggers interaction in the first few seconds is king.

Guess who’s great at that?

People who’ve spent 60+ years learning how to hold attention without needing filters or trend overlays.

This isn’t about giving older creators “a chance.” It’s about using the people who already know how to connect—without trying. Silver Influencers have built loyal followings, not follower counts. And they’re doing it on their terms, while moving product at a pace most young influencers would kill for.

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You’re Either Adapting to TikTok, or You’re Falling Behind

TikTok isn’t actually disrupting the system anymore. It is the system. The brands winning now have rebuilt their strategies around TikTok influencer marketing.

Engagement metrics have been rewritten, and the smartest brands aren't overthinking it—they're executing TikTok marketing strategies designed for one thing: movement. While your team is still aligning brand tone, someone else just drove 30,000 units off a Silver Influencer’s unsponsored post.

TikTok isn’t “worth testing.” It’s already producing ROI in ways your Q4 plan won’t. So if you’re not rethinking how you show up here, don’t worry. Your competitors are. And they’re not playing nice.

Look, this isn’t a pivot. It’s a reckoning. Move now—or keep explaining last quarter’s numbers.

Social never sleeps. From YouTube’s push for better watch time to Instagram quietly killing off a forgotten feature, here’s your weekly roundup of what’s new, and worth your attention in the world of social media.

What’s new on Instagram?

Bye Bye, Notes on Reels and Posts

Instagram is pulling the plug on that one feature you probably forgot existed: adding Notes to Reels and posts. Adam Mosseri confirmed that the tool, introduced last year, never really took off (and honestly, we’re not shocked). Notes still live on in DMs, where they’ve seen more traction.

Instagram Search Is Getting Smarter

Instagram is working on improving in-app search with some major upgrades. Adam Mosseri announced on his Instagram that soon, you'll be able to:

🔎 Search for accounts with better accuracy
🔎 Search for content more easily
🔎 Search within a user’s profile to find specific posts or info faster

These changes should make it way easier to navigate the platform, especially if you’re hunting down older posts or stalking content (no judgment).

Meta Verified Gets a Push (Again)

Some users are now seeing a splash message inside the app saying that Reels from verified accounts typically get more engagement, basically a not-so-subtle nudge to subscribe to Meta Verified. Whether this is true across the board or just a growth tactic... we’ll let you decide.

What’s new on YouTube?

YouTube Is Changing How Shorts Views Are Counted

YouTube’s updating how it tracks view counts for Shorts, moving away from simple views and placing more weight on watch time. It’s a shift toward rewarding actual engagement rather than just scroll-by views, so if you're making Shorts, it’s time to focus on keeping people watching, not just grabbing attention.

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What’s new on X?

X Introduces Video Reaction Replies

X (formerly Twitter) is testing a feature that lets you react to posts with a video reply, a move clearly inspired by TikTok’s video responses. It’s aimed at boosting video engagement, and it could open new doors for creators who love being on camera (or brands who want to jump into trends).

What’s new on LinkedIn?

Calendly Meets LinkedIn CTA Buttons

LinkedIn now lets you integrate Calendly directly into your profile’s CTA button, making it easier than ever to book calls or meetings right from your profile. Great news for consultants, creators, or anyone tired of back-and-forth scheduling.

What’s new on TikTok?

TikTok Now Auto-Resizes Your Photos

Posting photos on TikTok? The app now automatically resizes images to a 3:4 format to better fit its vertical layout. No more awkward cropping or manual editing, just upload and go.

You Didn’t Mean to Burn the House Down, But Here We Are

Cultural appropriation in ads is a high-stakes game where brands either walk away respected or crawl away roasted. And somehow, despite the lawsuits, PR disasters, and social media draggings, big companies still roll out tone-deaf campaigns like they’re auditioning for a scandal.

And the excuse is…“We had good intentions.” Right. Just like the guy who microwaved tinfoil and acted shocked when his kitchen exploded.

Look, this isn’t just about outrage. It’s about brands fumbling billions, eroding trust, and handing their credibility to the nearest shredder. You don’t have to mean harm for harm to happen. But keep playing, and you’ll find out the hard way that apologies don’t rebuild a reputation—and they sure as hell don’t fix lost revenue.

Cultural Appropriation in Advertising Is A Business Nightmare

Cultural appropriation in advertising isn’t just bad optics—it’s a financial and reputational sinkhole that swallows brands whole. Companies are getting dragged online for tone-deaf campaigns; they’re losing customers, hemorrhaging revenue, and occasionally getting slapped with legal trouble. And yet, somehow, brands still manage to repeat the same mistakes, thinking a well-crafted apology or a quick PR bandage will fix the mess.

Let’s be clear: this isn’t about “X outrage.” This is about real money walking out the door because customers have no patience for brands that treat cultural heritage like a costume rack. A 2020 survey found that 69% of global consumers will boycott brands they feel are culturally insensitive. Now, that’s more than just an online tantrum—that’s a direct, measurable financial loss.

What Actually Counts as Cultural Appropriation?

Some marketers seem to think “borrowing” from another culture is a brilliant creative move. If only their CFOs knew how much it would cost them. The reality is… marketing malpractice comes in many forms:

• Dressing models in ceremonial clothing for “aesthetic” purposes? No.
• Slapping sacred symbols on products to create “exotic” branding? No.
• Using cultural elements but failing to credit or compensate the source? Absolutely not.

A brand’s cultural sensitivity in marketing is the line between gaining consumer trust and watching your stock sink.

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Why This Isn’t Just a PR Problem

There’s a persistent myth that cultural appropriation controversies in marketing only matter if they go viral. As if brands can just wait for the outrage cycle to pass, post a half-hearted apology, and move on.

That’s not how this works anymore.

First, it’s not just about perception—it’s about revenue. When customers feel disrespected, they don’t just complain; they take their money elsewhere. This is why brands that have ignored respectful representation in ads often see long-term dips in sales, not just a temporary social media backlash.

Second, legal trouble is real. Indigenous groups, activists, and communities are increasingly using intellectual property laws to push back against cultural theft. There have been lawsuits, trademark battles, and high-profile legal disputes where brands had to either pay up or pull entire product lines off the market.

The Victoria’s Secret Debacle That Still Haunts Them

Remember when Victoria’s Secret thought it would be a great idea to send Karlie Kloss down the runway in a Native American war bonnet, fringe, and turquoise jewelry for the 2012 fashion show?

The backlash was immediate. Native American activists, scholars, and customers called out the disrespectful commercialization of sacred cultural symbols. The criticism was so severe that Victoria’s Secret had to cut the entire look from the broadcast. But the damage was already done.

Fast forward to today—Victoria’s Secret is still trying to recover its brand image after years of marketing missteps. And while this wasn’t the only reason for their decline, losing consumer trust is like stepping into quicksand. Once you’re in, it’s nearly impossible to climb out.

The Hall of Shame—Brands That Thought They Could Get Away With It (And Paid the Price)

Marketing mistakes aren’t rare, but some are so tone-deaf, so staggeringly oblivious, that they don’t just “spark conversations”—they tank trust, credibility, and, in some cases, wipe out entire markets overnight. The most shocking part is these weren’t rogue campaigns from startups with clueless interns. These were global brands with billion-dollar budgets, entire marketing departments, and “experts” who somehow missed the memo on cultural sensitivity in marketing.

Some tried to apologize. Others doubled down. Either way, the damage was done.

Let’s take a look at the most infamous cases of cultural appropriation examples in advertising, the brands that got burned, and what every marketer should have learned from their wreckage.

Dolce & Gabbana’s “Chopsticks” Disaster (2018) – A $500M Mistake

Luxury fashion brands love a dramatic runway moment. But what they don’t love is getting canceled in one of their biggest markets because they didn’t bother avoiding cultural appropriation in advertising.

In 2018, Dolce & Gabbana ran an ad campaign in China featuring an Asian model struggling—painfully—to eat Italian food with chopsticks while a patronizing voiceover made jokes that sounded like something out of a bad 1950s comedy sketch. The tone was so absurd that the entire thing felt like satire—except it wasn’t.

The backlash was immediate and merciless. Chinese celebrities and influencers publicly disowned the brand, major retailers yanked D&G products off their platforms, and the brand lost an estimated $500 million in sales. The planned Shanghai runway show got canceled. To this day, D&G is still largely persona non grata in China.

H&M’s “Coolest Monkey in the Jungle” Hoodie (2018) – How to Alienate Your Customers in One Click

Some marketing disasters take months to unfold. But H&M’s 2018 hoodie scandal took about three seconds.

A Black child model wearing a hoodie that read “Coolest Monkey in the Jungle”—posted on H&M’s website for the world to see. Nobody in the room, apparently, thought to ask “Hey, maybe don’t?” The backlash was swift, global, and unavoidable.

The Weeknd cut ties with the brand immediately. Social media erupted. Protestors stormed stores. And H&M was forced to pull the product, apologize, and scramble to contain the fallout. This wasn’t just about cultural appropriation in advertising—this was a blatant failure of common sense.

Gucci’s $900 Blackface Sweater (2019) – A Masterclass in What Not to Do

Gucci. Iconic. Luxurious. And, for a brief, terrible moment in 2019, a brand that apparently forgot blackface exists.

The Italian fashion house released a black balaclava sweater with a cut-out red-lipped mouth—a design so shockingly similar to racist caricatures that it took approximately zero seconds for people to notice.

The backlash was brutal. Gucci had to pull the product from stores worldwide, issue a groveling apology, and scramble to launch diversity initiatives—something that should have been baked into their brand long before this PR catastrophe.

Lesson: If your product even remotely resembles a racist stereotype, it’s not “edgy.” It’s a lawsuit waiting to happen.

Prada’s Racist Monkey Charms (2018)

Prada, a brand synonymous with high fashion, somehow decided that monkey figurines with exaggerated red lips were a good idea for their luxury accessory line, Pradamalia. Look, they were not.

Consumers called out the collection for bearing an uncanny resemblance to racist minstrel imagery, and the backlash was so intense that Prada pulled the products immediately and issued an apology. The fallout led to the brand launching a diversity and inclusion council—something they should have had before turning harmful racial tropes into $500 keychains.

Pepsi’s Kendall Jenner Ad (2017) – The Blueprint for Clueless Marketing

What if world peace could be solved by… a can of Pepsi?

That’s the kind of tone-deaf nonsense that made Pepsi’s 2017 protest ad one of the most ridiculed marketing flops in history.

The ad featured Kendall Jenner abandoning a modeling shoot to join a protest, eventually “resolving” tensions between police and activists by handing an officer a Pepsi.

The problem? Everything.

The ad trivialized real-life movements like Black Lives Matter and reduced activism to a brand-friendly aesthetic.

The backlash was instant and relentless. Pepsi had to pull the ad within 24 hours, issue an apology, and deal with the long-term reputational damage of being the company that thought protests were just a cool Instagram vibe.

Why People React So Violently to Cultural Appropriation

For the brands accused of cultural appropriation, the backlash always seems to come as a shock. They roll out an ad, a campaign, or a product, expecting praise for their “inspiration,” only to find themselves scrambling as consumers unleash unfiltered rage. But why do people take it so personally?

The answer is simpler than most marketers would like to admit: because it is personal.

Cultural Identity Is Not a Marketing Gimmick

Cultural elements aren’t just aesthetics. They aren’t trend pieces. They aren’t free real estate for ad agencies looking to spice up a campaign. When a brand plucks a cultural tradition out of its context, strips it of its meaning, and repackages it for profit, it’s theft dressed up as “creativity.”

That’s why avoiding cultural appropriation in advertising isn’t just a courtesy—it’s an ethical responsibility. A company profiting off a culture without engaging with, respecting, or compensating the people behind it is engaging in exploitation, plain and simple. Consumers feel robbed.

Historical Trauma Doesn’t Expire

Many of the cultures that brands borrow from are the same ones that have been historically oppressed, colonized, or erased. Seeing their traditions turned into trend-bait is infuriating. It’s a reminder that their cultural identity was once something they were punished for, but now it’s something a global corporation can casually sell on a t-shirt for $29.99.

This is what brands miss when they reduce cultural symbols to “aesthetic choices.” These aren’t just design elements—they carry weight. And if you don’t understand that weight, you will get buried under it.

Consumers Have the Power, and They Know It

The rise of social media has shifted power from corporations to consumers. In the past, brands could ignore criticism, ride out bad press, and move on. Not anymore. Now, consumers dictate the conversation. They call out brands accused of cultural appropriation, demand accountability, and organize boycotts.

What Smart Brands Do Instead—And How To Avoid a PR Fire

If watching brands crash and burn over cultural appropriation has taught us anything, it’s this: learning from failure is optional—paying the price for it isn’t.

Companies that get it right don’t stumble onto cultural appreciation by accident. They plan for it, invest in it, and make damn sure they’re not the next cautionary tale. They understand the difference between cultural appropriation vs appreciation in marketing and know that “borrowing” without respect is a fast pass to a PR disaster.

So, how do smart brands pull it off without igniting a PR inferno?

Hire Cultural Experts, Not Just “Vibes” People

There’s a reason Adidas didn’t face backlash for its Māori tattoo-inspired collection—it worked with Indigenous designers, not around them. The brand brought in cultural consultants from the beginning, ensuring the designs weren’t just accurate but respectfully represented the communities they originated from.

That’s how you do it. You don’t just “take inspiration” from a culture—you collaborate with the people who actually live it. It’s a small price to pay for avoiding the kind of backlash that has obliterated other brands.

If You Profit from a Culture, So Should Its People

Smart brands don’t just credit cultural influences—they compensate the people behind them. Fenty Beauty didn’t just sprinkle in Caribbean influences for aesthetics; it hired Caribbean artists and experts to contribute.

This is where so many brands accused of cultural appropriation fail. They take without giving back. They commodify traditions while locking out the very communities they’re profiting from. And consumers see right through it.

If your campaign leans on cultural elements, pay the people who created them. Anything less isn’t appreciation—it’s exploitation.

Diversity in Decision-Making: The Best Prevention Plan

The reason Pepsi thought it was a good idea to make Kendall Jenner the face of activism was a lack of diverse voices in the decision room.

The 2017 ad, which depicted Jenner casually handing a Pepsi to a police officer at a protest, was a spectacular failure in understanding real-world activism. The backlash was instant, the ad was pulled within 24 hours, and the brand had to issue a public apology for reducing social justice movements to an aesthetic.

This is why diversity in leadership is a necessity. When teams include people with different lived experiences, glaring red flags get spotted before they turn into front-page news.

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Understand That Cancel Culture in Marketing Is Just Consumer Accountability

Brands love to frame backlash as “cancel culture” when they’re caught mishandling cultural narratives. But let’s call it what it really is: consumers holding brands accountable.

Nobody is getting “canceled” for thoughtful, respectful representation. They’re getting canceled because they ignored historical context, refused to listen, and then doubled down on the mistake.

The impact of cultural appropriation on brand reputation is long-term. Some companies never fully recover. Dolce & Gabbana’s chopsticks disaster cost them the Chinese market, a revenue stream worth billions. They didn’t just lose face—they lost customers forever.

We Meant Well” Won’t Save You—Only Doing Better Will

If your marketing team is asking, “Will this offend people?”—you’re already doing it wrong. The question should be, “Is this the right way to represent this culture?”

Respect isn’t complicated. Being lazy is.

Brands that take the time to hire cultural consultants, pay the people behind the culture, diversify their teams, and own up to mistakes before they spiral out of control don’t have to worry about getting canceled. They’re too busy building real trust with their audience.

So, what’s it gonna be—PR disaster or long-term credibility?

Your move.

The Influencer Who Never Sleeps, Never Ages, Never Cancels—But Never Lived?

Kim Kardashian can get canceled. MrBeast can wake up and decide he's done selling snack bars.

But virtual influencers?

They don’t get tired, they don’t demand five-figure fees for a 30-second TikTok, and they sure as hell won’t run off to start a podcast about finding themselves.

They just sit there—perfectly optimized, engaging, and ‘disturbingly’ inhuman.

Marketing teams once believed human influencers were the golden ticket to digital influence—until brands realized something: humans are unpredictable, expensive, and alarmingly bad at shutting up when they should. 

Now, brands are quietly asking: Are virtual influencers the next logical step—or is this AI-generated gold rush one bad tweet away from a lawsuit?

Yes, they have the reach, the numbers, and the eerie ability to sell products without ever touching them. But can they actually move the needle?

Human Influencers Are Tired. Literally.

Burnout. Scandals. Algorithm meltdowns.

Marketers spent over a decade trying to tame human influencers—only to watch them crash and burn in real time. The problem is… influencer marketing started as a goldmine, but somewhere along the way, the returns started shrinking, and the effort to keep things running became exponentially more exhausting.

Human influencers are in an endless death match with engagement metrics that refuse to play fair. Seventy-eight percent of influencers admit to burnout, and 66% say it’s wrecking their mental health. That’s right—two-thirds of influencers are exhausted, stressed, and barely keeping up. And yet, brands are still pouring money into them, expecting fresh, viral content every week.

Meanwhile, engagement rates are falling off a cliff. The influencer you paid five figures for could have a million followers and still be posting into the void. That’s because a massive follower count means nothing if the audience has moved on—or worse, stopped caring.

This is where artificial intelligence in influencer marketing changes the game.

The Influencers Who Never Burn Out (Or Age, or Get Caught in a Scandal)

Creating virtual influencers is a fully operational marketing strategy. Brands looking for stability, consistency, and engagement are shifting to AI-driven influencers, and the numbers are brutal for human creators.

A virtual influencer pulls an average engagement rate of 5.9%. That’s three times higher than human influencers, who are scraping by with 1.9%.

And let’s talk budget.

While a high-profile human influencer will charge upwards of $250,000 per post, a top-tier AI influencer comes in at around $10,000. That’s a 95% cost reduction for more engagement and zero risk of a PR disaster.

So, when brands look at the ROI, the question isn’t "Why use virtual influencers?" anymore. It’s "Why would we keep paying for human ones?"

Virtual Influencers Are Making Brands Insanely Rich (And Nobody Wants To Talk About It)

If someone told you five years ago that CGI influencers—not celebrities, not internet-famous humans, but AI-generated characters—would be signing multi-million-dollar brand deals, you’d probably have laughed. Yet here we are, watching social media virtual personalities rake in more engagement, more loyalty, and more money than their human counterparts.

This isn’t some gimmick. It’s a full-scale marketing revolution. And brands that figured it out early are already counting their profits.

Brands Are Paying Virtual Influencers Like They’re Hollywood A-Listers

Let’s be clear: AI influencers aren’t just winning over niche tech brands. Luxury fashion houses, entertainment giants, and global corporations are all cashing in—because virtual influencer campaigns are proving to be profitable, scalable, and scandal-proof.

• Shudu Gram has modeled for Balmain and Fenty Beauty, making consumers believe they’re interacting with a real supermodel—until they realize she’s completely digital.
• Lil Miquela pulled in over $11 million in 2022, working with brands like Samsung, Prada, and Calvin Klein, without ever needing a hair-and-makeup team.
• Noonoouri, a cartoonish AI influencer, is inking deals longer than most human supermodels, scoring partnerships with Dior and BMW.
• FN Meka nearly landed a record deal with Capitol Records, until someone finally asked, "Wait, is this AI-generated rapper kind of racist?" (He got canceled before he even fully existed.)

Look, this isn’t experimental marketing anymore. It’s business.

$6.9 Billion Today. $154.6 Billion By 2032. Any Questions?

The virtual influencer market was valued at $6.9 billion in 2023. In less than a decade, it’s expected to hit a staggering $154.6 billion—a 40.8% compound annual growth rate.

And still, some brands haven’t wrapped their heads around it.

Meanwhile, others are ditching human influencers entirely, turning to AI influencers who never miss a deadline, never get caught in a scandal, and never develop creative differences with marketing teams.

So, why is this working?

AI Influencers Are Designed to Hack Engagement—And It’s Working

If there’s one thing social media platforms love, it’s consistency. And human influencers are not built for it. They burn out. They take breaks. They get sick. Their engagement drops if they don’t post frequently enough.

Now comes AI-driven influencers, designed to never stop creating content.

Elaina St. James, a prominent influencer and content creator, emphasizes the vast potential of AI-generated influencers:

"There's unlimited potential for AI-generated influencers both to help influencers with an established brand create content, realistic and fantasy, to satisfy the never-satisfied and ever-changing machine, which is social media."

These social media virtual personalities aren’t just competing with human influencers—they’re becoming their content-production assistants, churning out material 24/7. For brands, that means less dependency on human schedules and more control over storytelling.

But Let’s Be Honest—Can They Actually Sell Your Product?

A virtual influencer can make your brand go viral. That much is obvious. But can they actually make people buy?

It’s easy to get caught up in sky-high engagement numbers, digital avatars in marketing campaigns, and brands patting themselves on the back for ‘innovation.’ But at some point, someone in the boardroom has to ask: “Are we making money, or are we just collecting likes?”

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The Problem with Engagement That Doesn't Convert

Virtual influencers have one undeniable strength: attention. They can grab it, hold it, and keep an audience entertained. But attention isn't the same as action.

The average computer-generated influencer pulls an engagement rate of 5.9%, compared to 1.9% for humans. Sounds impressive—until you realize that engagement =/= sales.

A virtual brand ambassador can hype up a product, pose with it, and ‘talk’ about it in captions, but can they sell like a human influencer who actually uses the product, vouches for it, and can answer real questions about it? That’s where things start to crack.

Where Virtual Influencers Fall Apart

1. They Can’t Actually Experience What They Promote

A computer-generated influencer can’t take a sip of your energy drink, smell your perfume, or test your skincare on sensitive skin. That might not matter for brands selling fashion or tech, but if you’re marketing nutrition supplements, skincare, or fitness gear, authenticity is everything. Consumers want proof.

2. They Lack Emotional Conviction

A digital avatar in marketing can mimic emotions, but they can’t feel them. A human influencer can share real struggles, real triumphs, real experiences. A virtual influencer can only pretend—and audiences can tell.

3. They Risk a Backlash If Consumers Feel Misled

People hate feeling tricked. And when brands fail to disclose that an influencer isn’t real, they risk outrage, mistrust, and outright brand rejection. AI-generated influencers work best when audiences know they’re digital from the start.

Should Your Brand Use A Virtual Influencer?

There’s a reason AI influencers are making brands nervous—because they work. Not just for social media engagement, but for long-term brand building and market domination.

That’s the playbook. Virtual influencers are scalable, 24/7 brand assets that don’t age, don’t cause scandals, and don’t demand payouts based on their follower count.

But before you fire your entire influencer roster, let’s talk about when virtual influencer campaigns actually make sense—and when they’ll just burn your budget while looking really cool doing it.

When AI Influencers are Marketing Gold

If your brand is all about aesthetics, tech innovation, or entertainment-driven engagement, virtual influencers might be your best investment yet. They’re cost-efficient, hyper-customizable, and can be anywhere at once.

Luxury brands are already cashing in. Elle Taylor, Lil Miquela, Noonoouri, and Shudu Gram are pulling off high-end collaborations that most human influencers can only dream of. AI-generated influencers are digital mannequins that bring a brand’s creative vision to life—flawlessly and without limits.

Another massive advantage is that they don’t come with PR disasters. No “accidentally offensive” tweets from 2012. No late-night rants. No contract renegotiations after hitting a million followers.

For brands that prioritize consistency, brand control, and high-volume content production, the benefits of virtual influencers are impossible to ignore. They can generate posts 24/7, without ever getting tired, sick, or demanding an NDA because of an “artistic disagreement.”

When AI Influencers Will Tank Your Marketing Strategy

For all their engagement-hacking potential, virtual influencers aren’t magic money printers. And in the wrong industry, they can do more harm than good.

1. If your audience is obsessed with authenticity, AI influencers won’t cut it.

Customers buy from people they trust. If you’re selling skincare, nutrition, or wellness products, consumers want to see real humans using them. A CGI influencer can pose with a vitamin bottle, but they can’t actually take it. That matters.

2. If your brand thrives on community, AI influencers can feel… fake.

Community-driven brands succeed because of human connection. AI influencers can be engaging, but can they make people feel something?

If your brand is built on lifestyle, culture, or emotional relatability, a virtual influencer might come across as cold, lifeless, and unconvincing.

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3. If you’re in healthcare, sustainability, or anything sensitive, tread carefully.

Consumers don’t want a digital avatar in marketing campaigns for serious topics. Healthcare, sustainability, social impact—these require real voices, real emotions, and real trust. AI influencers can help with awareness campaigns, but relying on them for credibility is a bad look.

So… Should You Fire Your Human Influencers Yet?

Not so fast.

Yes, virtual brand ambassadors are turning influencer marketing into a low-maintenance, scandal-proof machine. They don’t demand contracts, take offense at brand guidelines, or suddenly decide they’re too big for your product. They show up, do the job, and keep engagement rolling. For luxury, tech, and fashion brands, that’s a dream scenario.

But if your business relies on trust, authenticity, and real human connection, handing everything over to AI could backfire—badly. A CGI influencer can pose with a skincare serum, but it can’t tell you if it actually cleared acne. It can promote a wellness routine, but it has never been tired, stressed, or alive enough to need one. Consumers are smart. And when they feel deceived? They walk.

The future of influencer marketing isn’t about choosing between AI and humans—it’s about knowing when to use each. Virtual influencers are only here to dominate where humans fall short.

Another week, another batch of updates from your favorite platforms. Whether you’re a marketer, a social media pro, or just trying to keep up with the chaos, here’s your no-fluff roundup of what’s new in the world of social.

What’s new on Instagram?

Instagram Rolls Out “Restyle Your Image” for Stories‍

Instagram is experimenting with a new AI-powered tool called “Restyle Your Image” for Stories, giving users fresh ways to enhance their visuals directly in-app. The feature allows you to modify objects and backgrounds, expand your photos, apply creative effects, and even remove unwanted elements—all with just a few taps.

It’s another step toward making content creation more dynamic (and a little less dependent on external editing apps).

‍Instagram Expands Access to “Chat with AIs” Feature‍

Instagram is now rolling out its “Chat with AIs” feature to more users and regions. This tool lets users interact with AI characters directly in chat, offering both entertainment and utility right inside the app. Whether it’s for fun, support, or just curiosity, it’s another sign of Meta’s growing AI push across platforms.

What’s new on Threads?

Threads Might Soon Help You Sync with Your X Faves‍

Threads is working on a feature that could make onboarding even smoother: the ability to follow the same popular creators you already follow on X (or Twitter, if you insist). If you've been missing familiar voices, this could be your shortcut.

Threads Is Testing a "Weekly Recap" Tool‍

Some users have spotted a new "Weekly Recap" feature in testing, offering a summary of account activity plus tailored tips to help improve reach. You’ll also be able to turn on notifications so you never miss your weekly insights. Helpful or overwhelming? Time will tell.

Topics on Threads Get a New Look‍

Threads is also rolling out a subtle but notable UI change: when you tag a post with a topic—like “New on Threads”—it will now show up next to your username instead of as blue linked text. It still works the same way (tap to explore related posts), but the cleaner look may help keep posts more focused.

What’s new on LinkedIn?

LinkedIn Quietly Removes the "Videos" Tab‍

Say goodbye to the "Videos" tab in the LinkedIn app's footer. No big announcement, just... gone. It’s part of a larger trend where LinkedIn is subtly shifting its interface, perhaps putting more emphasis on other types of content.

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New LinkedIn Newsletter Shares Video Strategy Tips‍

While the tab is gone, video content is far from dead. LinkedIn has launched a new newsletter focused on video creation best practices—packed with advice to help users produce more engaging content and boost discoverability. It’s a solid resource if you're trying to level up your video game on the platform.