Instagram was launched in 2010 as a simple platform designed for quick photo sharing. At the time, no one could have imagined that it would become a future advertising tool for literally everything under the sun, from lipstick to the best casino bonuses, from lingerie to professional sports drinks. And what we see today are entire brands that have grown from Instagram pages thanks to influencers. Let’s look at how this works using the most successful examples.
Kylie Jenner – the Beauty Empire
It was Kylie who became one of the first to prove that Instagram could be more than just another social network. This young woman’s popularity began with the show Keeping Up with the Kardashians, which gave her a decent starting point, but it was on the platform itself that she orchestrated the real explosion of her persona and her brand.
Her account was created in 2011, and in 2015 she launched the Kylie Cosmetics brand. Her flagship product was the Lip Kits, the first batch of which sold out in less than a minute thanks to Instagram. Kylie also launched a range of make-up and skincare products. Today, her page has over 400 million followers, and the company is valued at over $1 billion.
In this case, Instagram has effectively replaced traditional marketing. Every post is an advert as effective as the best casino bonuses, and every follower is a potential customer.
MrBeast – Sweets as Part of the Show
Another striking example of organising sales through Instagram advertising is Jimmy Donaldson. In 2018, he was actively building his own brand on this social network, running all sorts of competitions among his followers. Thanks to this, he gathered over 65 million followers, and in 2022 launched the actual company Feastables.
Today, the company produces simple chocolate bars with no unnecessary marketing gimmicks. In the first month of launch, MrBeast managed to generate $10 million in sales solely through his Instagram page – a more effective conversion rate than that of the best casino bonuses. Today, the product is sold in all major US retail chains and is even available at Walmart.
How Instagram worked: it helped merge the concept of a chocolate bar with the show, and people are still buying the product to be part of the game.
Emma Chamberlain – the Coffee Lifestyle
Emma has become a symbol of an entire Gen-Z culture. She didn’t just create an Instagram page – she turned it into a genuine, honest home blog, free from artificial glitz and glamour. Her posts are all about maximum comfort and authenticity; her rise to popularity began in 2017, when everyone was craving something real in the online space.
Having amassed over 16 million followers, in 2019 Emma decided to launch a full-fledged brand – Chamberlain Coffee. It is a collection of different types of coffee beans, each with distinct processing techniques and levels of roasting, designed to create the perfect cup. Moreover, what appeared on Instagram wasn’t just an advert – it was a showcase of daily coffee rituals.
This time, unlike the now-familiar ‘best casino bonuses’ style of advertising, the social network didn’t just create a brand, but an entire culture of coffee consumption.
Logan Paul – Turning Hype into Beverage Sales
Logan was a prominent figure even without Instagram. The boxer simply used his persona to generate hype not only in the ring but also in business. His Instagram grew rapidly from 2015 to 2017, amassing over 27 million real followers. In 2022, the athlete turned this following into a customer base for his new brand – Prime Hydration.
In collaboration with KSI, Logan began actively promoting his own sports drinks and energy drinks via his page, literally selling the product to his own fans. In the first year, this generated over $250 million in sales. The company often faced product shortages, but this only fuelled public interest further, creating even more hype.
The sense of scarcity gave people a feeling akin to the best casino bonuses – pushing through the queue to buy a drink was the ultimate reward in this Instagram phenomenon.
Kim Kardashian – Selling Solutions, Not Clothes
The biggest star of Instagram brands is, after all, Kim. Her page has been active since 2012, and in 2019 she began actively promoting her SKIMS brand through it. With over 360 million followers and a brand value of more than $4 billion, it’s all down to a unique approach to a new type of marketing.
Kim doesn’t just sell shapewear and premium basics. On her page, she offers real solutions to the problems faced by curvy women. Different sizes, different colours, shades that perfectly match skin tones – her Instagram shows that anyone can achieve a regal silhouette in the mirror.
This time, such advertising has risen above the hype surrounding best casino bonuses – the account has effectively become a luxury shop without unnecessary middlemen.
So, What Unites These Brands?
Different years, different names, different approaches and different products – today, Instagram sells literally everything from everyone. However, what do all the brands we’ve discussed have in common? Well, the answer is trust, because all these companies grew out of the owner’s personal brand. People today don’t pay attention to faceless adverts for ‘best casino bonuses’ – they look at what an influencer they believe in is offering. A celebrity’s recommendations are taken more seriously than standard adverts and detailed website descriptions. Instagram today is a new marketplace where the currency isn’t money, but trust.
