This document discusses key opinion leaders (KOLs) in the fashion industry and their impact on marketing. It notes that KOLs have become a new marketing platform due to their large social media followings. Examples are provided of different strategies used by KOLs and brands for product advertising, including embedded advertising, acting as brand spokespersons, and limited edition collaborations. The document also examines trending methods used by KOLs, such as e-commerce platforms and live streaming, and the impact of KOL marketing specifically in China.

1. Marketing Research. . . . . .
December 2017
Key Opinion Leaders in Fashion Industry
Bloggers And Celebrities As Sales Drivers For The Brands

2. December 2017
Key Opinion Leaders in Fashion Industry
Index
1. KOL as a New Marketing Platform ………………………………………………………………………………....……………..……3
2. Impact of KOLs on Consumers ….………..………………………………………………………………………….....……….……. 9
3. Strategies used for Product Advertising via KOLs …………………………………………………………………..….........…….. 14
4. Trending Methods used by KOLs ……………...…………………………….…………………..………………...…………………. 25
5. KOL Marketing in China ……....…………………………………………………………………………………..…..……………….. 36
6. Risks of the Brand Promotion by KOLs ………………………………………………………………………..……..………………..41
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3. December 2017
Key Opinion Leaders in Fashion Industry
KOL as a New Marketing Platform
3

4. December 2017
Key Opinion Leaders in Fashion Industry
KOL as a New Marketing Platform
With the emergence of media and live streaming
platforms and their accessibility, it gradually became the
cradle of KOLs. Therefore, brand owners and
advertisers also pay more attention to the KOL market.
Especially content with specialized topics will be
supported by related sponsors. As shown in the list,
some of the most profitable Youtubers in the world
specialize in certain topics, and are able create unique
content to gain a large number of social media followers.
Therefore, KOLs attract sponsors related to their
specific genre and who want to target their consumers
better, and convert their popularity into a real business.
This has led to the use of KOLs becoming a new
advertising medium.
Youtuber
Annual
Income
Fans
Base
Content Topic Sponsors
Pew Die Pie $12M 56M Game play
Disney
maker studio
Rhett & Link $4.5M 3M
Good Mythical
Morning TV show
Gillette,
Wendy’s,
Toyota
Michelle Phan $3M 8M Makeup
Lancôme,
Dr. Pepper
Rosanna Pansino $2.5M 5M Cooking
Wilton
Brands
Roman Atwood $2.5M 7M Prank Video Nissan
Source: businessinsider.com
Most profitable Youtubers in the world
4

5. December 2017
Key Opinion Leaders in Fashion Industry
KOLs as a New Marketing Platform
China Social Media Budgets
● In the Chinese market, 72% of the brand owners
would increase their social media marketing input
● 63% of the companies rely on the promotion via
KOLs
● WeChat is one of the leading platforms for the social
media marketing in China, but the focus on this
channel is 14% lower than that on promotions via
KOLs
5
Source: admaster.com

6. December 2017
Key Opinion Leaders in Fashion Industry
Strategies used for Product Advertising via KOLs
6

7. December 2017
Key Opinion Leaders in Fashion Industry
Strategies used for Product Advertising via KOLs
7
Embedded Advertising
This the most direct and the
simplest format of advertising, and
the role of KOL is to advertise on
their existing social media
channels to make profit for its
sponsors. This could also become
a long-term sponsorship from the
advertisers.
Brand Spokesperson
Brand’s spokesperson or an
ambassador, means a KOL can
not only reap high rewards, but
also significantly improve the
brand’s visibility in its specific field
and help with endorsing the brand
in multiple ways through various
channels.
Limited Edition Collaborations
This is an advanced format of
fashion cooperation, in which
luxury brands collaborate with
influential bloggers and celebrities
to launch a limited edition product,
which is sold on special channels
to increase brand popularity in that
market.

8. December 2017
Key Opinion Leaders in Fashion Industry
Leandra Medine, founder of popular fashion and lifestyle blog Man
Repeller, started writing the blog in 2010. The blog instantly
received a lot of media attention. The blog has continued to be
popular and has gained a lot of followers over the years. With the
change in the global marketing environment, it also active on
platforms such Facebook, Instagram etc., which act as
supplementary channels for the blog.
Despite the shift in popular media channels, Man Repeller
continues to publish fashion articles on her blog regularly,
including posts about brands and products. For the 2017 holiday
season, the blog posted an article about a list of favorite pieces on
Moda Operandi, along with a discount code.
Another example of promotional activities done on the site is for
the lipstick brand Ilia, which was posted in October, 2017. The
article showed Leandra trying the various lip stains of the brand.
8
Product Advertising via KOLs
Embedded advertising by Man Repeller
Article about Moda Operandi on Man Repeller
Article about Ilia lip stain on Man Repeller

9. December 2017
Key Opinion Leaders in Fashion Industry
Mr. Bags, with 3 million followers in China, has become one of the
top 10 fashion KOLs on Weibo. Mr. Bags has turned his social
media platform into a design and marketing channel. In 2016, he
formed a team to start working with luxury brands.
For Valentine's day in 2017, Mr. Bags collaborated with Chloé to
launch a global premiere limited edition Chloé Faye Day-Blue bag,
85 handbags were sold out in 3 minutes. Following this success,
two more brands collaborated with him, namely, Givenchy and
Strathberry. Strathberry handbags sold out on WeChat in just a
minute.
His biggest collaboration was with Tod's for which he designed a
capsule collection. Mr. Bags also went to Tod's headquarter to
participate in the design process. For promotions, Tod's posted
three short film campaigns on social media. The videos showed
behind the scenes footage and Mr. Bag's efforts in the project.
9
Product Advertising via KOLs
Limited Edition with Luxury Brands by Mr. Bags
Capsule collection with TOD’s
Mr. Bags limited edition Chloé Faye Day-Blue

10. December 2017
Key Opinion Leaders in Fashion Industry
Trending Methods used by KOLs
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11. December 2017
Key Opinion Leaders in Fashion Industry
Trending Methods used by KOLs
Live streaming
With the power of the KOL’s
network and the emergence of
live social media, the KOL can
initiate direct interaction between
the brand and customers.
Through live promotion of
products, KOL persuades and
increases chances of the
purchase.
E-commerce Platforms
Because of large numbers of
followers, many KOLs have
transformed their business into a
brand, using their popularity and
distinguishable style to create
their own collections and
collaborative products, which are
sold through their own or brands’
e-commerce platforms.
11

12. December 2017
Key Opinion Leaders in Fashion Industry
Kardashians sisters are one of most influential social media icons.
The family members have been subject to media attention for
several years. The family has been known for endorsing various
brands and products in the past years.
Kardashians have been particularly known for their innovative
makeup style of ‘contouring’, which has become a widespread
trend in the industry now. Owing to their trendsetting expertise in
makeup, Kylie Jenner launched her own makeup line in
November 2015, which is now a multimillion dollar brand. Kylie
has her own e-commerce website for the beauty brand, and
constantly promotes her products through social media channels
like Snapchat and Instagram.
In April 2017, Kim Kardashian West collaborated with Kylie for
Kylie Cosmetics. After which Kim announced the launch of her
own beauty brand called KKW beauty. Kim Kardashian West's
first product launch from her new makeup brand KKW Beauty
earned $14.4 million in sales, and is sold through her website for
KKW beauty.
12
Trending Methods used by KOLs
E-commerce Platform by Kardashiasn
Website of Kim Kardashian West’s brand KKW beauty
Kylie Jenner promoting her beauty brand on Instagram

13. December 2017
Key Opinion Leaders in Fashion Industry
Live streaming has become a subsidiary function of e-commerce
business, which helps in presenting the KOL himself/herself and
the products to consumers in a real time. This way the KOL
obtains more engagement on the platform, as well as the indirect
profit for the store.
For example, Zhang Dayi uses Taobao Live streaming to update
fans about her new collections on her online store, getting more
than 410,000 views and more than 1 million Likes on these
videos.
After one of her broadcasts, her personal Taobao store sold
nearly 20 million Yuan worth of products in two hours, and it set a
new sales record for Taobao live streaming platform.
13
Trending Methods used by KOLs
Live Streaming by Zhang Dayi
Zhang Dayi

14. December 2017
Key Opinion Leaders in Fashion Industry
KOL Marketing in China
14

15. December 2017
Key Opinion Leaders in Fashion Industry
KOL Marketing in China
Chinese Celebrities
Many celebrities from the traditional entertainment world in China,
are transforming into KOLs through the new social media
channels. Celebrities already have a fan following due to their
expertise in their field, and it is easier for them to gain popularity
as KOLs on social media too.
With the help of celebrities, brands can work towards promotional
activities online as well as offline. This has given rise to a boost in
collaborative projects between brands and KOLs.
Fan Bingbing, the top Chinese star, did a live streaming through
Elle Magazine’s social media account, interacted with audience
and shared her trip schedule in Paris for Fashion Week and live
videos from the Louis Vuitton Spring Summer 2016 show. Within
an hour, the live stream had an audience of more than three
hundred thousand, and her unique makeup become a hot topic of
discussion.
15
Fan Bingbing at the Louis Vuitton
Spring Summer 2016 fashion
show
The live streaming of Fan
Bingbing on Elle Magazine’s
account when she arrived at the
LV fashion show.

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