The Rise of the Reality TV Influencer

In this new post from us here at Down at the Social, we look at the rise of the reality TV influencer which includes a very brief history of reality TV and influencer marketing, and how yesterday’s reality stars are the influencers of today.

Plus, we outline how influencer marketing could work for you.

Read on and be ‘influenced’...

Using a famous face to promote a brand certainly isn’t anything new. Brands have used celebrities in their advertising for years; from Britney Spears for Pepsi to Michael Jordan for Nike.

But influencer marketing has been around for a long time.

Some argue that one of the world’s first influencers was Josiah Wedgwood, renowned English potter and craftsman, back in the 1700s.

One of the most innovative potters of his time, Wedgwood convinced the Royal Family to allow him to use the title of ‘Potter to Her Majesty’ which catapulted him to international success and opened the door to many other high-profile customers.

Today, the influencer landscape is very different. Social media stars and influencers are now some of the world’s most recognisable people, with some even becoming bonafide A-listers in their own right.

How Reality TV Became the World’s Guilty Pleasure

For years, TV was the main source of entertainment, and one of the few ways a brand could communicate to an audience through advertising and marketing.

However, this was to soon change with the emergence of new technologies in the 1990s and 2000s.

Internet bandwidths had increased, built-in camera phones were being released and more and more people were going online.

TV producers soon started to realise they could monetise the attention of thousands of people by creating unscripted, unfiltered footage featuring real people.

Similar to the social media influencers of today, we began to see huge value from reality stars which came from seeing genuine, authentic people - much unlike the highly polished images we were used to seeing from celebrities.

Reality TV quickly became a staple of our everyday lives. Big Brother was one of the first reality shows in the UK and quickly developed a cult-like following.

Since then, we’ve seen a huge amount of reality shows explode onto our screens from The Only Way is Essex and Made in Chelsea to Geordie Shore and the undeniable champion of them all, Love Island.

Reality TV and Social Media: A Match Made in Heaven

If you’re on a social network (and if you’re not, what are you doing?!), you’re likely surrounded by influencers every day.

An occupation that’s soared in popularity, a recent survey revealed that 17% of children aged 11 - 16 want to be a social media influencer whilst 14% said they wanted to be a YouTuber when they grow up, outranking a teacher or vet.

Many of the most popular influencers we see today came from reality TV shows like Love Island, with casts often gaining celebrity status and acquiring large social followings throughout their time on the show. Plus, they often choose this route as a getaway into kickstarting a career as an influencer later.

One of the most famous examples of a reality star influencer has got to be none other than Kim Kardashian and the Kardashian/Jenner family. Kim Kardashian’s rise to fame has been nothing short of a masterpiece, which started with a leaked sex tape, to a reality empire with ‘Keeping up with the Kardashian’s’ and, today, she is one of the world’s most photographed stars.

Others such as Love Island’s most successful ever contestant, Molly-Mae Hague, has firmly cemented her place as influencer royalty. She’s partnered with some huge names such as Beauty Works and Starbucks, has had countless clothing lines, secured a book deal, and was appointed creative director of Pretty Little Thing in 2021.

And as for just how much an influencer can ‘influence’, in 2018 Kylie Jenner famously tweeted that she’d stopped using Snapchat. Within hours, the share price of Snapchat had plummeted 6% and more than $1 billion dollars had been wiped off its market value proving that influencers do hold significant impact to brands, and their followers.

Reality Stars = Commercial Influence

In a recent survey, it was found that 76% of Gen Z and 68% of Millennials, as well as 50% of females from every age group, watch reality TV shows like Love Island proving that they’re far more than just a little guilty pleasure.

Actually, reality TV shows and their contestants hold significant commercial influence.

When it comes to products featured on reality TV, millennials are the most active spenders on makeup, skincare, personal tech, accessories, nightclubs, restaurants, and apps.

So, how do they do it?

An influencer knows that the most valuable thing they have is their name but reality stars, being slightly more media-savvy, already know how to use the influence of their name for TV appearances, brand deals and events.

The more popular a content creator gets, the more value their name holds. When a fan sees their favourite reality star’s name attached to a product, they’re more likely to be interested in it.

And why do reality stars make good influencers?

On social media, you control your own image. When you’re on TV, though, your image is in the hands of the producers and TV execs.

This unfiltered, raw and authentic quality is what draws so many fans to these reality stars. Audiences have watched them fall in love, get their hearts broken, they’ve watched their dreams come true, or they’ve witnessed them lose everything.

This makes the reality star influencer more approachable and authentic when compared with other influencers and content creators, who can carefully manufacture their entire personal brand.

Working with an influencer, and particularly a reality star influencer, can greatly improve your brand’s reputation, increase trust, authority and, most importantly, help to build sales. Stats show that 79% of people would trust an influencer’s recommendation over a celebrity endorsement.

This being said, it’s important to choose the right influencer for your niche.

Whether it’s a reality star, content creator, micro-influencer or nano-influencer, Down at the Social can help you tap into the world of influencer marketing - simply get in touch to find out more, and in the meantime, why not download our Influencer Report to give you a headstart?

Mel HillMay 22, 2023

Blog

The Rise of the Reality TV Influencer

In this new post from us here at Down at the Social, we look at the rise of the reality TV influencer which includes a very brief history of reality TV and influencer marketing, and how yesterday’s reality stars are the influencers of today.

Plus, we outline how influencer marketing could work for you.

Read on and be ‘influenced’...

Using a famous face to promote a brand certainly isn’t anything new. Brands have used celebrities in their advertising for years; from Britney Spears for Pepsi to Michael Jordan for Nike.

But influencer marketing has been around for a long time.

Some argue that one of the world’s first influencers was Josiah Wedgwood, renowned English potter and craftsman, back in the 1700s.

One of the most innovative potters of his time, Wedgwood convinced the Royal Family to allow him to use the title of ‘Potter to Her Majesty’ which catapulted him to international success and opened the door to many other high-profile customers.

Today, the influencer landscape is very different. Social media stars and influencers are now some of the world’s most recognisable people, with some even becoming bonafide A-listers in their own right.

How Reality TV Became the World’s Guilty Pleasure

For years, TV was the main source of entertainment, and one of the few ways a brand could communicate to an audience through advertising and marketing.

However, this was to soon change with the emergence of new technologies in the 1990s and 2000s.

Internet bandwidths had increased, built-in camera phones were being released and more and more people were going online.

TV producers soon started to realise they could monetise the attention of thousands of people by creating unscripted, unfiltered footage featuring real people.

Similar to the social media influencers of today, we began to see huge value from reality stars which came from seeing genuine, authentic people - much unlike the highly polished images we were used to seeing from celebrities.

Reality TV quickly became a staple of our everyday lives. Big Brother was one of the first reality shows in the UK and quickly developed a cult-like following.

Since then, we’ve seen a huge amount of reality shows explode onto our screens from The Only Way is Essex and Made in Chelsea to Geordie Shore and the undeniable champion of them all, Love Island.

Reality TV and Social Media: A Match Made in Heaven

If you’re on a social network (and if you’re not, what are you doing?!), you’re likely surrounded by influencers every day.

An occupation that’s soared in popularity, a recent survey revealed that 17% of children aged 11 - 16 want to be a social media influencer whilst 14% said they wanted to be a YouTuber when they grow up, outranking a teacher or vet.

Reality Stars = Commercial Influence

In a recent survey, it was found that 76% of Gen Z and 68% of Millennials, as well as 50% of females from every age group, watch reality TV shows like Love Island proving that they’re far more than just a little guilty pleasure.

Actually, reality TV shows and their contestants hold significant commercial influence.

When it comes to products featured on reality TV, millennials are the most active spenders on makeup, skincare, personal tech, accessories, nightclubs, restaurants, and apps.

So, how do they do it?

An influencer knows that the most valuable thing they have is their name but reality stars, being slightly more media-savvy, already know how to use the influence of their name for TV appearances, brand deals and events.

The more popular a content creator gets, the more value their name holds. When a fan sees their favourite reality star’s name attached to a product, they’re more likely to be interested in it.

And why do reality stars make good influencers?

On social media, you control your own image. When you’re on TV, though, your image is in the hands of the producers and TV execs.

This unfiltered, raw and authentic quality is what draws so many fans to these reality stars. Audiences have watched them fall in love, get their hearts broken, they’ve watched their dreams come true, or they’ve witnessed them lose everything.

This makes the reality star influencer more approachable and authentic when compared with other influencers and content creators, who can carefully manufacture their entire personal brand.

Working with an influencer, and particularly a reality star influencer, can greatly improve your brand’s reputation, increase trust, authority and, most importantly, help to build sales. Stats show that 79% of people would trust an influencer’s recommendation over a celebrity endorsement.

This being said, it’s important to choose the right influencer for your niche.

Whether it’s a reality star, content creator, micro-influencer or nano-influencer, Down at the Social can help you tap into the world of influencer marketing - simply get in touch to find out more, and in the meantime, why not download our Influencer Report to give you a headstart?