Welcome to the first entry of the "Brands That Inspire" blog series!
This weekly series will enlighten and empower you to think outside of the box. We want you to plan strategically and effectively. We want you to be innovators in your industry. We want you think big. More importantly, we want to provide realistic methods you can incorporate into your business & marketing planning.
So get ready to take notes!
Each week we will highlight selected entertainment, lifestyle and beauty brands that show HOW you can, effectively, incorporate brand development, digital marketing, public relations, event management and business operations into your growth strategies.
In honor of Black History Month, we are spotlighting black-owned brands throughout February. This month's brands include: The Guys Next Door podcast (Entertainment), Scottie Beam (Lifestyle), and B. Simone Beauty (Beauty).
GUYS NEXT DOOR (GND)
It's More Than Just A Podcast
(Entertainment Brand)
The Guys Next Door podcast features Grammy-nominated singer/songwriter and actor, Mack Wilds; media personality and social commentator, Mouse Jones; and international dot connector, Fly Ry. The podcast consists of raw (and often, humorous) conversations that address the millennial generation's thoughts on love, life, relationships, sex, and everything in between.
What Can You Learn From This Brand?
Collaboration is all about identifying and mutually supporting the strengths of your partners. Think of your favorite band. Chances are you have a favorite member and because you do, you're more inclined to listen to the band's music, buy the brand's album, attend the band's events, etc. The same concept applies to GND (and works in their favor!) Individually, Mack, Mouse and Fly Ry have their own brand identities, yet they come together to create a platform that doesn’t compromise what they’ve built outside of the podcast. Because they have dedicated time to building influential platforms of their own--their thought-provoking opinions, transparency and humor provide unique value that appeal to multiple listeners, at the same time.
Whenever you have the opportunity to connect with your consumer in-person, do it! (Note: Brand advocacy increases when the consumer is engaged.) Recently, the GND podcast had their first live show, which allowed listeners to engage with the hosts and take part in the conversations, in-person. Due to the live show’s success, GND will be going on an official tour this year; and therefore, continue to create exclusive experiences as well as personal memories for their loyal supporters.
Content doesn’t have to come from a complicated marketing strategy. (Note: Repurposed content is the KEY!) Not only do GND post the audio of their podcast episodes to all streaming platforms, but they also post video clips (from their episodes) on Youtube as well as Instagram. By doing this, they're appealing to listeners who prefer to listen to the podcast or watch the recording of episodes (aka, feel like they're in the room having the discussion in real-time). The distribution of quality content on multiple social media platforms allows GND to meet their audience where they're at and effectively communicate with them. (Additional information that can inspire content production: GND also posts photos from the behind the scenes and with their guests.)
SCOTTIE BEAM
There's Power In Staying True To Yourself
(Lifestyle Brand)
Deanii "Scottie Beam" Scott is a media personality, model, and music lover. With her career starting at Hot 97 (NY's #1 radio station for hip-hop); to being on billboards in Time Square; speaking on panels and hosting a variety of media platforms (ex. the Black Girl Podcast)--Scottie's brand is multi-dimensional.
What Can You Learn From This Brand?
Being yourself WILL take you places. Scottie is an excellent example of how you can transform your influence in one arena into an overarching personal brand built on authenticity. You may be uncertain of the evolutions your brand hasn’t faced yet, but if you’re certain about who you are, each phase will make sense and feel right. In Scottie's case, her dedication to embracing her process as well as confidently carrying out her purpose has allowed her to navigate through all phases of her brand growth--the good and bad. More importantly, staying true to herself (aka being self-aware) has allowed her to control her narrative.
Vocalizing support for social groups that inspire you the most, isn’t a bad thing. From her social commentary, expressed ideas and music playlists, Scottie is an advocate for uplifting and shedding light on the experience of black women. Because of this, Scottie’s audience of millennial black women feel they are genuinely heard, seen and therefore, united. By catering to a defined target audience, Scottie’s brand comes with specific credibility that makes her a top influential target for brand partnerships, media placements and simply someone, millennial black women can relate to.
B. SIMONE BEAUTY
Don't Box Yourself In
(Beauty Brand)
B. Simone Beauty is an extension of B. Simone--the comedian, actress, artist and business woman who gained recognition through Vine. Although her initial passions aligned with cosmetology and music, B. Simone's claim to fame was her funny personality, edge and viral skit videos. However, now with an established platform, B. Simone has been able to diversify her brand to enter the TV and beauty industries.
What Can You Learn From This Brand?
Just because one aspect of your brand gains success (first), doesn’t mean you have to abandon your other passions. B. Simone is a licensed cosmetologist who didn’t prioritize being an actress or comedian. Instead, B.Simone's entertainment talents formed wings of their own and allowed her to become a recurring cast member on MTV’s Wild N’ Out; be a part of VH1’s Cruise Girls with Lil Kim; earn her own show on Zeus Network; and tour as a stand-up comedian, internationally. Despite her significant success as a comedian and actress, B. Simone’s love for beauty didn’t subside. In Fall of 2019, B. Simone launched the website for her beauty line--B. Simone Beauty--and made $100,000 within two months. That said, you don’t have to choose between multiple passions that make you happy. But sometimes, it's best to build the credibility and audience of one brand entity, in order to have a greater impact on the other(s).
Caring about your marketing experience, shows that your brand values quality. On every aspect of B. Simone Beauty's marketing, you’ll find immaculate photo quality and a diverse range of skin tones in the models. Because the content is produced in this way, the customer will feel more confident that they're purchasing a product that caters to those who appreciate quality and diversity.
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