Within the past few years, social media has become a hotspot for influencers to gain exposure and followers. More specifically, Instagram and TikTok are two of the most populated social media applications — with almost one billion active users combined.
Since a majority of celebrities and influencers have accounts on both platforms, it’s also a main source of their income. Recently, many have partnered with the apparel company, Suspicious Antwerp. Well known celebrities/influencers include: Chase Stokes, Todd Smith, Tom Holland, Camila Mendes, Tyler Cameron, Cameron Dallas and more.
However, Suspicious Antwerp has also partnered with popular minority influencers as well, such as: Jota Filipe, Natalia Love, Malik Lindo, Nadia Araujo, and Jasmine Tookes — amongst others.
Another company that has been shifting its focus onto building brand deals with minority influencers, is Sweet Pea. Sweet Pea is a unique dating application that limits users to 15 swipes per day. According to their website, the app’s focus is to shift the dating dynamic from a simple “swipe” to a mutually beneficial conversation between both parties.
Recently, Sweet Pea has partnered with various minority TikTokers, to promote their app in new and creative ways.
With almost 2 million TikTok followers, American hip hop group, iLOVEFRiDAY, posted a promotional video for Sweet Pea. In the skit, Aqsa Malik catches her boyfriend, Xeno Carr, typing on his phone. After asking who he was texting, Malik takes his phone and appears shocked to learn that he was talking to a girl on a dating app (Sweet Pea). Carr denies it and swears that the conversation was strictly platonic. Malik then ends the video by asking where she can download the app so that she can keep an eye on Carr’s Sweet Pea activity. Carr admits that the link is in their bio.
The video was viewed by over 800,000 fans, and a majority of their comments went along with the skit.
Influencer, Honey B, also partnered with Sweet Pea on TikTok, to share her own dating story. Honey B currently has over 1 million TikTok followers, and the video has over 150,000 views. In her video, she gushed about how she met her boyfriend, and that although she was never fond of the dating app scene, she had decided to give Sweet Pea a try. Luckily for her, it worked out, and she met the man that she’s currently with.
The hashtag, “Sweet Pea app” has been viewed 4 million times on TikTok, due to the originality and creativity, from influencers of all ethnicities, genders, and sexual orientations.
While popular influencers with 10 million+ may statistically attract more revenue, minority creators attract more of a diverse audience — in age, ethnicity, and more. For example, minority influencer, Bria Jones, only has 258,500 TikTok followers. However, due to the fact that she posts about social issues, fashion tutorials, and advice Q&A’s, her videos generate a lot of views, and her audience is very diverse. Her comment section is primarily filled with positivity and love.
Minority creators have the capability to affect a broad spectrum of viewers — since fans tend to watch creators that they can somewhat relate to. Influencer, Kate Austin is best recognized for her appearance on The Ellen Show — when she proposed to her fiance on live television. She went on to share her coming out story, including how she no longer has contact with her parents [due to their conservative beliefs].
Austin has been an LGBTQ+ activist for a while, and currently averages 94,500 TikTok followers — many of whom identify with the LGBTQ+ community.
Diversity inclusion in brand partnerships will attract more than just the standard type of audience, as proven by Calvin Klein’s latest billboard. For years, Calvin Klein has marketed caucasian, thin models as the face of their brand. However, last month, they released the new face of their Time Square billboard — which featured activist, Jari Jones — a black, plus-sized trans model.
- Entertainment News Writer: Monica R.
