5 Celebs Who Are Experts at Branding Themselves

Stars are experts at using social media to define and expand their image, something that marketers have taken note of and could learn from. There’s a reason why the Kardashians are paid millions of dollars to post ads online. By leveraging their fame to influence their fans, who are often the most devoted social media followers, big names like Kate Hudson, Justin Bieber, Chrissy Teigen and Ryan Reynolds can make a considerable impact on their business pursuits. And by partnering with other brands, they are able to extend both their reach and their influence across Instagram, a platform that everyone’s watching. The Kardashian-Jenner family No other famous family has managed to dominate Instagram like the Kardashian-Jenners. Kylie Jenner’s account is filled with posts featuring her lavish lifestyle along with promos for the self-titled cosmetics lines that helped make her a 21-year-old billionaire. Kim Kardashian-West stirs up press coverage with memorable launches for her perfumes that not only use her own image (and body), but also involves sending samples to her celebrity friends in packages that appear in their Instagram posts, reaching millions of fans each time. Khloé Kardashian’s social media savviness helped the release of her Good American brand become the biggest denim launch in history, earning $1 million on the first day. And just as business-minded as her younger sisters, Kourtney Kardashian has come out swinging with Poosh, her new lifestyle website that covers everything from pregnancy to travel and also collaborates with companies that are in line with Kourtney’s own brand. The family also promotes each other’s endeavors, which is why you’ll see Khloé posting about both Kylie’s cosmetics and skincare as well as Kim’s perfume. Their posts all receive millions of likes and almost as many comments from interested followers who snap items up, with the Kardashian-Jenner product lines often selling out within hours. [kickout id="1" label="kylie jenner"] Kate Hudson After earning her place in Hollywood thanks to roles in movies like Almost Famous (2000) and How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days (2003), Kate Hudson, the daughter of industry heavyweight Goldie Hawn, is still acting, but these days she’s also making big moves with her popular athleisure brand Fabletics. Hudson uses Instagram to model the newest items that can be ordered via a monthly subscription as well as display their fashionable functionality during her social media-worthy workouts. [kickout id="2" label="kate hudson"] Justin Bieber Justin Bieber’s followers may primarily be fans of his music, but the star uses Instagram to introduce them to his collaborations—like his armpit-boasting post for his Schmidt’s Naturals deodorant “Here + Now”—and to promote his own Drew House clothing and accessories brand. The star can be seen in shirts, socks and necklaces adorned with a signature smiley face that his wife Hailey modeled for. The pair even popped up together on Justin’s account as characters from The Simpsons with the animated version of the singer wearing a Drew House hoodie and hat. Bieber also posts about famous faces who have been spotted sporting his line, like DJ Khaled and Jaden Smith. [kickout id="3" label="justin bieber"] Chrissy Teigen Chrissy Teigen may be known for amusing her Twitter followers with cheeky messages, but on Instagram, her Stories are filled with videos of the star whipping up the recipes that can be found in her cookbooks while her posts show off the appetite-stirring results (with Teigen’s adorable daughter Luna testing out the dishes). The model also keeps her fans and followers in-the-know when it comes to her collaborations, like her Cravings Collection cookware with Target that Teigen promoted alongside her mom, Vilailuck, who is a social media star in her own right. [kickout id="4" label="chrissy teigen"] Ryan Reynolds Along with attracting millions of fans and earning a spot as an A-list actor due in part to his leading roles in films like Deadpool and Detective Pikachu, Ryan Reynolds has become famous for his quirky sense of humor, which he uses to both charm fans on Instagram and promote his company Aviation Gin. He displays his signature sauciness on his brand’s behalf in videos that earn millions of views and certainly know how to play on a popular trend or viral figure—like nabbing an appearance by Fyre Festival’s Andy King (yes, that guy). While celebrities are certainly still willing to appear in traditional ads, anyone looking to work within the social media sphere should recognize and learn how famous faces are lighting online opportunities on fire with their savvy Instagram-focused marketing campaigns. [kickout id="5" label="ryan reynolds"]