With the rise and reign of social media has come the democratization of influence. While pop stars and athletes still dictate much of what we buy, brands are now reaching out to extraordinary social media users to connect with audiences in a more intimate way.
Below, we show you the faces of some of Instagram’s biggest stars, and how their personal brand has positioned them to be spokespeople for others.
Amy Pham (262K Followers)
LA-based DJ and model Amy Pham (@iamamypham) has an irresistible personality that shines through Instagram. Her posts show her twerking at music festivals, joking around with her boyfriend, and showing off her new threads. Amy injects just the right amount of youthful oomph for brands like Bose, with whom she’s partnering to give away a SoundLink Mini Speaker.
Julie Lee (133K Followers)
Photographer and food enthusiast Julie Lee (@julieskitchen) started crafting her signature collages as a way to showcase the produce at her local farmer’s market. With a keen eye for color, design, and texture, Julie has rocketed her creations to fame, and both brands and fans have taken notice.
Patrick Beach (263K Followers)
Patrick Beach (@patrickbeach) and his partner Carling Harps (@carlingnicole) are yoga teachers and adventurers. With his feed, he documents his travels, street wear, and yoga practice, which has a unique emphasis on inversions. He’s attracted health-oriented brands like Ace, purveyor of raw cookies and nut milk.
Jessica Leasca
Another social media guru and musician based out of LA, Jessica Lesaca (@jessicalesaca) oozes California cool. Her laid-back, sunny vibes have helped her land several partnerships with brands. In the ‘gram above, Jessica styles herself in the spirit of Cookie Lyon, a heroine on the show Empire.
Gigi Crouch
Seventeen-year-old Gigi Crouch (@scolerina9247) is a ballet dancer who has overcome scoliosis to attend Pacific Northwest Ballet’s Professional Division. Her feed is a gorgeous gallery of dance, and it serves as an inspiration for other girls who are facing similar obstacles. Her can-do attitude and talent have attracted brands like Label Dancewear.
Mr. Bagel
Okay, so Mr. Bagel (@chinnybuddy) is technically a chinchilla and not a human, but he still has an audience number in the tens of thousands. Mr. Bagel has a cause, too–raising awareness for animal rescue and crusading against fur. While we don’t know of any brands reaching out yet, it’s hard to see how a face as furry as this can fail.