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How to get the best out of each dish with Gastronomy Influencers

How to get the best out of each dish with Gastronomy Influencers

How to get the best out of each dish with Gastronomy Influencers

With the festivities being right around the corner, we have found ourselves browsing through social media and the internet to find the perfect cake or roasted meat recipes, while coming across delightful recipes we also envy, and are inspired by the aesthetically pleasant looking tableware and kitchenware.

A beige table runner laying on a wooden dining table, white porcelain plates that perfectly match with the matte golden cutlery, a candle holder standing in the middle of the table – making the dining room warm and cozy. How can all these images in the feed not make us look forward to hosting dinners with family and friends?

Since the festivities are just a month away, our research team noticed the increased need to update and bring forward our “Gastronomy” list, to selectively showcase the most prominent gastronomy influencers and magazines. Scroll down to learn more about them and the relevance of gastronomy across markets.

The Pandemic: Where it all started

Although it has been hard to endure staying at home, and seeing our favourite restaurants with closed doors, the pandemic turned many of us into real foodies. It all started from baking the simplest banana bread to making delightful home-cooked dishes.

Social media were a big factor when it came to finding our favorite recipes. Nisha Chittal, editor at VOX mentioned that Instagram was loaded with sourdough and cookies recipes, and people liked to show off their home cooks through stories. Although not everyone is not much of a baker, many joined the newest cooking trends, and we all stumbled upon appetizing images of food presented in minimalistic settings with matching tableware, making us engage with narratives, that almost bring out the flavor through the screen. 

Social media accounts dedicated to food became increasingly popular. In fact, studies have shown that there is a rising amount of people that now turn to social media for cooking inspiration, and 71% of people have now gone digital by getting inspiration from Instagram, where tags such as #foodporn have been used more than 400 million times, showing how social media users are connected to visual displays of food. Social media encouraged many to become “self-proclaimed” foodies which also made us look toward to hosting dinners with our long-time-no-see friends and family and showcasing our newest cooking skills. 

With tags such as #tablescapes being increasingly used, many also realized the importance of table- and kitchen-ware. Online furniture stores, saw a strong demand for table and kitchenware, as more people have been eating and cooking at home. Luxury retailer The RealReal, saw that sales within its home category have risen by 16% over a year, with tableware being at the top of the sales. Whether it is when sharing your home-cooked dishes on social media or when hosting dinners, purchasing better tableware and kitchen tools became essential to create aesthetic social media images and a cozy atmosphere in the dining room. 

 

It’s about storytelling

Nowadays, foodie enthusiasts do not just purchase porcelain plates from seeing a raw product image, they need something more; storytelling. And because brands today are not only seeking to have customers buying their products, but also want to have loyalties with their customers, storytelling is a valuable way to do so.

As a brand, there are various ways in which you can think about combining your products with food, and let everyone engage with the narrative behind your images. People often need to feel connected to the images they see, and as a brand, you want to trigger an emotional connection: to fantasize about dinner parties, Sunday morning brunches, and many more precious moments that we attach to food.

If you need inspiration, our research team previously released an article about gastronomy and storytelling and suggested several hacks on how to combine storytelling with food.

 

Gastronomy Across Markets

As a brand, it is essential to have insights into how markets value and perceive gastronomy. Whether a country considers Christmas, Easter or even afternoon coffee and cake to be important events will tell you much about a country’s gastronomy principles and how much care is being put on the table and kitchenware. Our international research team gathered gastronomy insights from their own markets to give you a better idea of how various markets value and perceive gastronomy.

 

Denmark 🇩🇰

Denmark has a large culinary scene and Danes have a dominant tradition of dining at home, inviting family and friends over for dinner.

Because of that, tableware and interior are very important to the Danes – since having guests over for dinner is common on a weekly basis, and they of course want their Scandinavian aesthetics to reflect in their surroundings at home. So, in Denmark a meal isn’t just a meal, it will in most cases be a ‘hyggelig’ gathering of family and friends.

Popular Gastronomy influencer: @frederikkewaerens 

Popular Gastronomy Magazine:  SPIS BEDRE

Sarah Friis – Danish Lifestyle Researcher

Sweden 🇸🇪

Swedish gastronomy centers a lot around healthy, locally sourced produce. The food culture is largely shaped by the climate and therefore differs regionally, however, overall eating habits are quite tradition-bound.

Swedish cuisine can be described as explorative and forward-thinking as many staple dishes have international roots but are made classics through incorporations of local ingredients. Meatballs, with their Turkish roots being one such and arguably the most well-known example.

Larger meals and sit-down dinners are a big part of festivities, but the most well-known gastronomic concept is the country’s coffee and fika culture, where swedes enjoy a light pastry and cup of coffee with family, friends, or colleagues, preferably daily.

Popular Gastronomy Influencer: @zeinaskitchen

Popular Gastronomy Magazine: Elle Mat & Vin

Norway 🇳🇴

Norwegians enjoy international food, and you can find cuisines from all over the world in the country. However, traditional dishes and local ingredients are also highly regarded. For instance, as a large seafood exporter, fish is a quintessential part of the Norwegian diet.

Gastronomy goes hand in hand with the Norwegian holiday season: making traditional dishes enhances feelings of nostalgia and contributes to the festive mood. Likewise, it is normal to have designated tableware, silverware, and decor for this season.

These pieces are likely to remain for years and be passed down from generation to generation. Norwegians are therefore likely to invest in nice, timeless pieces designed to last many holidays.

Popular Gastronomy Influencer: @matpåbordet (Ina-Janine Johnsen)

Popular Gastronomy Magazine: Mat på bordet

Sara Linvåg Næss, Norwegian Lifestyle Researcher

Italy 🇮🇹

As we all know, Italian food is considered to be one of the finest in the world. That is why food plays a big role for Italians, not only because they love to eat well (and they know about their food!) but also because of what it means: getting together with friends and family to spend quality time together.

Italians take pride in setting their tables, even for informal or everyday meals and most families have complete sets of tableware, glasses, and tablecloths for the finest occasions.

During the Holidays this is particularly important as it is an occasion to gather friends and family to celebrate. Usually, the finest tableware, glasses, and cloths are used and a nice menu is served.

Popular Gastronomy Influencer: @csabadallazorza 

Popular Gastronomy Magazine: La Cucina Italiana 

Federica Manzi, Italian Lifestyle Researcher

Germany 🇩🇪

In General, Germans have a strong celebratory culture. Food is one of the ways, people in Germany express their culture and therefore it carries immense importance. Christmas, New Year’s Eve, or any other holiday in Germany is being celebrated by creating an atmosphere through delightful tableware and decoration.

This carries through generations and is practiced all over the country. Food is important to Germans, as they have special delights for all kinds of occasions e.g. Christmas and Easter, it is lived tradition. In terms of their cuisine, people in Germany have different traditions and views.

The north and the south of the country are really different in terms of food culture. In the north of Germany, people eat a lot of fish and maritime-inspired foods. In the south, people enjoy „Knödel“ and „Maultaschen“ which are some of the most traditional, iconic foods in the southern region.

Popular Gastronomy Influencer: @oneslicemore

Popular Gastronomy Magazine: Hygge Magazin

Kevin Pretzel, German Lifestyle Researcher

France 🇫🇷

France is often considered as the country of gastronomy and wine, and its cuisine is fundamental to French culture and heritage.

The French are very attached to their own local ingredients such as cheese and pastries and consuming these ingredients on a daily basis is essential to their lifestyle.

Festivities are highly regarded, and gatherings are often considered the perfect opportunity to consume delightful food with your loved ones. The French, therefore, like to invest in their dinner parties and enjoy setting their tables with sets of tableware that often have neutral tones to bring out the colorful and delightful dishes.

Popular Gastronomy Influencer: @marielaforetvegan

Popular Gastronomy Magazine: ELLE à Table

Ema Laurenzana, French Lifestyle Researcher

THE UK 🇬🇧

Classic British gastronomy is not as famous as some of our European neighbors, but the market for delicately decorated baked goods and afternoon teas in beautiful porcelain china sets as well as roast dinners, pies, and curries set on rustic tableware is massively popular on social media.

This is particularly true when it comes to vegan gastronomy. “Vegan foodies” from the UK are highly influential in the overall global movement of breaking the negative stereotype around veganism and normalizing it as a fun, easy, and delicious lifestyle choice. This is one of the factors that makes the UK’s gastronomy scene stand out in comparison to others.

Popular Gastronomy Influencer: @deliciouslyella

Popular Gastronomy Magazine: Delicious Magazine

Georgina Juel, UK Lifestyle Researcher

THE US 🇺🇸

Gastronomy is huge in the US as food is deeply embedded within the American culture. Days of celebrations, whether holidays or personal events – often revolve around food like it’s the natural companion to any social setting.

Much of the food we know to be American such as hamburgers, mac n cheese, and fried chicken does represent the county’s quick and accessible food culture.

However, its rich blend of ethnicities and cultures reflects its diverse gastronomy just as much and it is truly a melting pot of food fusions, regarding both flavor and gastronomy level. This has resulted in food generally being strongly associated with culture and community.

Popular Gastronomy Influencer: @sophia_roe

Popular Gastronomy Magazine: Bon Appetit Magazine

Cerena Kulego, US Lifestyle Researcher

The Netherlands 🇳🇱

Although there is a clear growing influence from other cultures in The Netherlands, you will see that the typical Dutch food traditions will not disappear anytime soon.

The dutch people are known for their stews, licorice, cheese, poffertjes and bitterballen. They often choose bread for lunch, and a combination of potatoes, vegetables, and meat when they have dinner. Also, the Dutch people find it important to have enough vitamins in their food and they love to buy biological products.

During celebrations like Sinterklaas, Christmas, and Easter, they love to spend extra time on their food and the table decorations. On those special occasions, they go all out and spend months in advance thinking about the menu, the tableware, and what clothes to wear. When they don’t have the time to do that, they prefer to go to a restaurant to have this nice experience.

Popular Gastronomy Influencer: @miljuschka

Popular Gastronomy Magazine: Delicious magazine NL

Michelle Achten, Dutch Market Coordinator

Belgium 🇧🇪

Although not considered the healthiest cuisine, Belgian cuisine is famous for its chocolate, fries, and waffles.

However, as Belgium is near the North Sea the northern part of the country enjoys eating seafood such as mussels and sea snails.

The southern part of Belgium is renowned for its large agricultural industry, and organic food is especially popular. Belgians love to host dinner parties with their friends and families and put much attention on decorating their tables according to the theme of their party.

Popular Gastronomy Influencer: @lili_food_and_go

Popular Gastronomy Magazine: Culinaire Ambiance

Michelle Achten, Dutch Market Coordinator

Image: Unsplash

 

Ema is the Lifestyle Researcher for the French market at VOCAST. She grew up in Brussels and previously worked with fashion PR. She is currently studying for a master’s degree in International Development and Business and has a strong interest in sustainable and ethical practices within the fashion industry.

 

 

 

 

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TikTok: Social media’s new powerhouse

TikTok: Social media’s new powerhouse

TikTok: Social media’s new powerhouse

Praised, criticized, and ever-changing – TikTok has undoubtedly been the social media in the spotlight the last year. What started as a platform for lip-syncing and dance videos has grown into a comprehensive portal; you may find videos and trends covering virtually every niche. TikTok has proven capable of blowing up songs, increasing voting turnouts, and spreading trends like wildfire. Consequently, the app has evolved into a significant platform for influencers to share their content and rapidly grow a following. What do these tendencies entail for the lifestyle market? And how can brands best utilize the platform?
TikTok’s growth has been exponential: originally released to the Chinese market by Bytedance in 2016, it became available for a worldwide audience when it merged with Musical.ly in 2018. Although Musical.ly was established in its time, its main focus was on music, dance, and lip-syncing, primarily attracting a younger audience.

TikTok has, with its mass appeal across a multitude of ages and demographics surpassed its predecessor’s success: one can practically find something for every need and interest. While entertainment and humor remain the leading content category, content within lifestyle is the runner-up. Here, creators within fitness, DIY/home renovations, beauty, and fashion respectively gather massive view counts.

A blooming portal for inspiration

Hence, it comes as no surprise that TikTok has evolved into an influential platform across lifestyle markets. With staggering and ever-increasing views, creators that share lifestyle content reach a large number of users. Therefore, many lifestyle influencers have embraced the platform and made it an essential part of their social media portfolio.

For these creators, the platform serves as a way to share a more authentic, personal side of themselves compared to other social media channels. Also, there are also numerous influencers whose social media success primarily derives from their TikTok accounts.

Among these is fashion influencer Carla Rockmore, termed as the “real-life Carrie Bradshaw” by Vogue. Based in Dallas, Texas, Carla has worked as a fashion and jewelry designer for decades. However, with the covid-19 pandemic putting limitations on product development, she discovered TikTok as a platform for creative expression in April 2020. Since then, Carla has grown a large follower base sharing style advice and showing pieces from her impressive wardrobe.

VOCAST spoke to Carla about her experience as a lifestyle creator on the emerging platform:

@carlarockmore

An “essential” is a piece you see yourself wearing with more than one look. #fashion #fashiontiktok #fashionadvice #style #fyp #foryou #foryoupage

♬ original sound – Carla Rockmore

Interview

From a creator’s perspective, how does TikTok differ from other social media platforms?

Carla: Tiktok Is a lot less formal. The follower expects less polish and production in the uploads. The platform allows for relatability more than the other platforms. Because my success in social media started on TikTok, all my videos on all platforms have an organic quality to them.

What type of TikToks do you find that your followers respond best to?

Carla: Fast and flash. Tiktok viewers need to get hooked with something fun in the first 5 seconds, or else they flip to the next video. So you need to understand how best to catch them. Your personality has to engage them enough keep their attention. They are also very visual.

 

In your opinion, what does it take to become a successful TikTok lifestyle influencer?

Carla: You need to be aspirational, entertaining, and informative all at the same time. Its also important to be consistent and authentic to your brand. If you take on too much advertising, or too many collaborations that don’t align with your brand, the followers see right through it.

What is the significance of TikTok in the world of fashion and lifestyle? Do you see it changing in the future?

Carla: Because Tiktok is less scripted, fashion is also less scripted on the platform. It has a frivolity and an authentic edge. Anyone can be a chef on Tiktok , anyone can be a beauty expert. You just have to have the right formula to be able to engage and keep your audience watching.

Making social media feel personal

Since Tiktok’s official launch in 2018, the number of active users has grown 800% by the summer of 2020. It has continued to grow since: the app hit 1 billion monthly users earlier this year, only five years after launch. This is significantly faster than social media powerhouses Facebook and Instagram, which reached the same milestone eight years after their initial launch.

One of the key features responsible for TikTok’s success is its technology. The app has become famous (or infamous) for its addictive algorithm, which curates a personal “For You” page specifically designed to make you want to stay on it longer. While older platforms to a larger extent rely on active online behavior, meaning following, liking, and commenting,

TikTok intends to capture its users’ passive behavior. This includes logs of how fast you scroll through content, how long videos are left on loop, as well as what category of sounds attracts your attention. This ultimately creates a hyper-responsive system of recommended content “For You”.

These personalized pages are the landing page of the app, and where 99% of the users’ engagement occurs, giving much real estate for aspiring creators to reach an audience. Being featured on the “For You” page is the way to gain traction and followers: creators thus try to growth-hack their way to being featured on as many users’ “For You” page as possible.

A unique and powerful algorithm

​TikTok’s technical features offer unique opportunities for engagement. Its personally customized feed drives organic interaction between user and creator, which allows smaller users to reach new audiences. Your personal feed features a curated mix of content from any account that is predicted to match your detected preferences.

Videos that are predicted to create widespread organic interaction will therefore be featured on more people’s “For You” page. This explains why the concept of going “viral” is so prominent on TikTok. Users can go from zero to millions of followers in a matter of weeks, and content trends come and go daily. This offers the opportunity for instant engagement; it can effectively help users gather a following in a small amount of time.

For brands, this can have great publicity value: gaining traction on TikTok can have a spillover effect, making new potential customers aware of your product and leading them to your other platforms. Consequently, the number of brands embracing the app is ever-growing.

Keep up with the trends but stay true to your brand

When starting a TikTok account for your brand, it is beneficial to consider the unique features of the app and plan a strategy thereafter. Firstly, the nature of the app is more fast-paced than major competitors like Instagram. On Instagram, content can gain traction over time, and a particular style of the content may persist for several months.

On Tiktok, however, these processes can occur in a matter of hours. This indicates that one needs to pay closer and more continuous attention to what is currently trending.

Although it may boost your account short term, following any trend that may align with your brand will not make you stick out from the crowd of people doing the exact same. To create an impact that lasts, you need to consider what you want your brand voice and personality to be.

The algorithm of the app offers intimate engagement and connection: keeping in mind the individual on the other side of the screen is thus a critical part of gathering traction long-term. After all, the content on TikTok users’ For You page is primarily curated based on what content they continuously engage with, not the accounts they actually follow.

What type of content do people want to see on TikTok?

With TikTok’s focus on shorts snippets and entertaining content, many brands have successfully embraced a more humorous, engaging tone than on other platforms. In fact, traditional branded content generally performs poorly on TikTok. In nature with the personalized style of the platform, users respond better to branded content that has an authentic tone.

This allows for letting loose and having fun: shifting from a corporate to a more personal tone. Making this shift may be intimidating and unfamiliar; therefore, numerous brands have successfully partnered with popular TikTok personalities, giving a face to the brand and making it more approachable. Thus, brands’ own content as well as collaborations with influencers benefits from maintaining this human, more relaxed tone.

Among the brands that have successfully adopted a more humorous approach is Ganni. For Copenhagen Fashion Week, the brand partnered with popular humor and fashion creator Davis Burleson. As part of his popular TikTok show, “What’s Poppin?” Davis interviews people on the streets of New York City about their clothing and life in a playful way.

For the partnership with Ganni, Davis roamed the streets of Copenhagen interviewing fashionable people passing by, highlighting both what makes Danish fashion and people unique. The collaboration demonstrates how one can convey a humorous tone while still keeping one’s brand offerings in mind.

@ganni_official

Who can do math, not us 🤗 #copenhagen #whatspoppin #ootd @davisburleson

♬ original sound – GANNI


Meet the TikTok influencers

As a video-sharing tool, TikTok gives creators the chance to share a more creative and personal side with their followers. Consequently, it has become a popular social media for users to source inspiration for their lifestyle, clothing, and homes. The most successful TikTok creators are growing follower bases at a rapid pace and are becoming influential trendsetters. VOCAST has gathered the most prominent lifestyle influencers from each of our markets. Meet some of them here:

Denmark 🇩🇰 Mathilde Høeg Olsen

Mathilde is a 22 year old girl, living the Copenhagen lifestyle being very honest and down to earth on TikTok.
TikTok following: 88K

Sarah Friis – Danish Lifestyle Researcher

Sweden 🇸🇪 Lydia Tsegay

Lydia Tsegay shares her OOTD with a classy touch in a set mirror format where TikTok gets to enjoy her very curated Stockholm style with a variation in materials and shapes. Lydia wants to inspire black girls in Scandinavia to share their style.
TikTok following: 36K

Josefine Forslund, Swedish Lifestyle Researcher

Norway 🇳🇴 Marigona Kadrijaj

Marigona posts inspiring content that mainly revolves around her daily outfits and newest fashion purchases. She has a neutral and chic style, and is growing a follower base at a rapid pace.
TikTok following: 88K

Sara Linvåg Næss, Norwegian Lifestyle Researcher

Italy 🇮🇹 Elisa Maino

Elisa Maino shares beauty, outfit ideas and collaborates with many different brands in the fashion and beauty sector. Among the brands she collaborates with Boss, Salvatore Ferragamo, Furla and many other different fashion brands.
Tiktok following: 5,7M

Federica Manzi, Italian Lifestyle Researcher

Germany 🇩🇪 Daniel Toni Jais

Daniel is a German based fashion and lifestyle TIK TOK’er who’s influence has skyrocketed over the past year. He has build a very extensive community with over 952 K just on the platform. Posting content about his personal style which can be described as modern, sporty and elegant  characterizes his feed. Together with his girlfriend Nathalie Larché who is also a popular influencer, they serve their audience the typical power fashion couple that takes the social media world by storm.
TikTok following: 952K

Kevin Pretzel, German Lifestyle Researcher

France 🇫🇷 Hugo Dacquet

Hugo is a Parisian TikToker with a passion for streetwear fashion. Although he became one of the most prominent fashion TikToker from France through his OOTD videos, he also fits typically with the Parisian urban lifestyle.
TikTok following: 232K

Ema Laurenzana, French Lifestyle Researcher

THE UK 🇬🇧 Callum Mullin

Callum Mullin is a British fashion influencer with platforms on both TikTok and Instagram, and has recently launch his own gender-neutral brand. With nearly double the amount of followers on Tiktok, Callum is very much an influencer of his generation, posting fun, relatable content of his outfits, shopping trips and events he attends in a light heart, aesthetic and uplifting way.
Tiktok following: 251K

Georgina Juel, UK Lifestyle Researcher

THE US 🇺🇸 Taylor Hage

Taylor Hage is a 32 year old model and one of the most trending TikTok influencers. She is best recognised for sharing photos and videos of her daily outfits, styling tips and fashion trends on TikTok with her nearly 1.6 million followers.
TikTok following: 1,6M

Cerena Kulego, US Lifestyle Researcher

TikTok stats

Number of views per lifestyle category (November 2021):

Fitness: 176 Billion
DIY & Home Renovation: 126 Billion
Beauty: 129 Billion
Fashion: 103 billion

In numbers:

The world’s most downloaded app in 2020

Available in more than 150 countries

35% of users are between the ages of 19 to 29

Users spend an average of 52 minutes daily on the app

 

Sara is the Norwegian Market Coordinator at VOCAST, responsible for Norwegian fashion and lifestyle research. When not at VOCAST, she studies Brand and Communications at Copenhagen Business School. Besides work and studies, she is a travel, music and movie enthusiast.

 

 

 

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How YouTubers can make your brand grow

How YouTubers can make your brand grow

How YouTubers can make your brand grow

We all know and love YouTube for its incredible ability to provide us with – well practically anything we could want and think of to watch, whether it be entertainment, practical skills or news. What started as an amateur video outlet has grown into the world’s biggest video platform and second most used social network ever. The Google owned company continues to be used and loved by millions year after year, and that growth does not appear to be halting any time soon. 

To better understand the platform and its creators we’ve gathered information and spoken to Kendall Creedon, Talent Manager at Scale Management, a talent agency based in Los Angeles to share why you should aim to work with YouTubers. Read along to gain insights about the platform’s success and how it ought to be utilised by those in the fashion and lifestyle industry;

Less about the aesthetics 

No matter your interest you can be sure to find videos about it on YouTube. Though music videos and learning entertainment for kids are what gain the most views, product reviews, how-to tutorials, hauls, and vlog style videos are immensely popular and among those with the best engagement. YouTubers creating content of the latter mentioned type are oftentimes influencers, former bloggers, or socialites operating in and around the media and lifestyle industry who share lengthy intimate portrayals of their lives, with all that it entails.

Not only does the video format offer a calmer and softer impression, but the forum has been morphed into, and almost branded itself as a place where anything is given space, nothing needs to be too perfect, and where you are able to portray or talk about parts of your life that other platforms such as Instagram or Pinterest do not as easily allow for.

We spoke to Kendall Creedon, Talent Manager at Scale Management, an influencer agency with some of the most prominent US YouTube talent, such as Jackie Aina, Jess & Gabriel Conte, Nabela Noor, Summer Mckeen, and more, to better understand the platform. She highlights and confirms the above statements by saying that;

 

“Even with all of the developments of video on other social media platforms, YouTube is still the go-to for longer-form content. With longer-form content comes more time to be open, honest, raw, and vulnerable with your audience.

It allows for the creators to dig a bit deeper into themselves, show more aspects of their lives, and give audiences more moments with which to resonate

Kendall Creedon, Talent Manager at Scale Management

 

Since thoughts about ‘rules’ and aesthetics are not as prominent on YouTube as on other social platforms the well-curated videos or channels are not necessarily the ones receiving the most views or subscribers. On YouTube it becomes less about the aesthetics and more about the authenticity. The simplicity of the concept has welcomed a large majority to create content and in turn attracted millions across the globe to view it. 

More about the authenticity

This relaxed approach to YouTube proved true throughout the pandemic when many found comfort in its entertainment. When deprived of IRL conversation and connection, polished conceptualized content portraying “perfection”, which is often offered by other social platforms, was not as fit as jobs were lost, relatives became ill and people were forced into isolation. We craved entertainment that felt authentic, intimate, and easygoing. Which, as stated above, constitutes the essence of YouTube videos.

Aside from its entertainment-providing purposes, YouTube also acts as a tool to amplify voices to create tangible change and raise awareness of social issues in the offline world. Back in 2016, the platform launched the global initiative ‘Creators for Change’ to amplify the voices of role models worldwide. This meant the company provided influential creators with funding in order to create videos tackling certain global and social issues. This was done as both the platform and its creators recognized the weight and incredible spread YouTube has.

So, regardless of whether you watch entertaining content from the comfort of your home or present videos at the UN, the platform’s impact is universally understood across generations and working fields as one that makes a difference; for the individual as well as the community.

YouTubers and close relationships

Social media gives users the ability to become creators and producers of their own content. YouTube in particular has accelerated this blending encouraging content with sophisticated production and editing. Through videos and vlogs, YouTubers share their experiences as well as feelings and promote an affective and trusting connection with their audience.

Thus, it comes as no surprise that people feel they can easily connect and relate to these influencers. Creators share content that promotes authenticity and self-disclosure through these video diaries, by talking to the camera in a documentary-style way, which leads to closer and trustful forms of sociability with their followers, allowed into their daily life. Creedon attest to this when she explains that;

“Digital creators tend to share intimate and vulnerable parts of their lives, allowing their audiences to form deep connections with them. When you have a deep connection with someone, you are going to trust and believe in what they trust and believe in.

This is why brands see so much success with digital creator campaigns and why creators have become a lucrative aspect of marketing over the past several years”

This close bond becomes crucial for brands who are increasingly interested in getting immersed into consumers’ daily lives. YouTubers are perceived as more authentic and create content that resonates with followers who not only see them as approachable but believe them to be trustworthy.

Why Youtube?

YouTube being the world’s second-largest social media and search engine means incredibly high traffic and massive engagement. Between 2016 and 2019, the number of YouTube channels dedicated to fashion increased by 400% showing its steady growth that continued well into our recent ‘pandemic years’.

Simultaneously, the formats that work best on the platform (vlogs, product reviews, etc) can also be directly correlated with what fashion and lifestyle creators do, which again points to people’s will to take part in fashion-related content through YouTube.

Creedon delves into this when explaining the role and work of talent managers, like herself, as they work closely to help YouTube talent create strategies with tangible goals to advance their careers and challenge them to think outside of the box. “You want to shoot for the stars? Do it. And then let’s work backward to figure out how we get there.” As she puts it.

How brands can utilise the platform 

Though it’s clear that individual creators and viewers both want to promote and experience fashion through YouTube, it may not be as obvious that brands could (and should) too. Not only do almost 90% of YouTube users under the age of 25 say they look to discover new brands on the platform but its efficiency and impact have, though unintentionally, been put to the test throughout 2020 when many fashion brands were forced to go digital in order to showcase their creativity.

The CFDA, for instance, partnered with YouTube Fashion to share how the platform could support designers and brands through their shift from in-person events to virtual experiences, and brands like Louis Vuitton, Balmain, and Saint Laurent opted for creating virtual front row YouTube seats to showcase their new collections and invited both fashion and non-fashion people to participate.

Across their channel, VOCAST client, London Fashion Week was among the first to take place exclusively online last season and 68 brands launched their latest collections on YouTube.  A lot of brands also took the opportunity to highlight issues far beyond fashion. Halpern, for example, paid tribute to front-line workers and Bethany Williams replaced the traditional catwalk show with a YouTube video highlighting the work she does with homeless families.

Brands are increasingly gaining a bigger presence on the platform by creating original content but also through collaborations with creators. When we asked Kendall about what YouTube collaborations usually hit home that brands could have in mind she said:

“Every creator is different in what feels natural for them to promote. On the brand side, it’s important to do your research on the creators you think would fit well with your campaigns and give the creator the creative freedom to integrate the product in a way that feels natural to them.

Occasionally brands who are new to the creator marketing space try to treat these integrations like they would treat any other ad, which ends up coming across to the creator’s audience as rigid and unnatural. Creators know their audience best, trust in that!”

Youtube across different markets

Denmark 🇩🇰

Since Denmark is a relatively small market, the YouTube segment is dominated by Lifestyle Youtubers, and doesn’t include many YouTubers who only focus on one segment.  The age range of the contacts in the danish Lifestyle Youtubers List is 18-30

Sarah Friis – Danish Lifestyle Researcher

Sweden 🇸🇪

27% of Swedish media consumers are using Youtube daily for streaming entertainment, watching instructional videos, and how-to series. The content published is within the lifestyle segment where outdoor adventures, challenges, travel, and daily routines have the most views. What stands out is that 59% of youtube viewers in Sweden are male.

Josefine Forslund, Swedish Lifestyle Researcher

Norway 🇳🇴

YouTube is a prevalent social platform in Norway. Some of the biggest media houses/companies (like NRK) have caught on to the influence of Youtube, and push their content through the platform and its influencers. In the lists you will find influencers within the lifestyle segment.  Most influencers create content that combines fashion, beauty, lifestyle and their daily life. The majority of the biggest lifestyle YouTubers in Norway are young and cater for a younger audience.

Sara Linvåg Næss, Norwegian Lifestyle Researcher

Italy 🇮🇹

Youtube is one of the biggest social media platforms in Italy, popular among different generations and age groups. In the italian lists you will find the most relevant contacts for beauty, home interior and fashion. Most youtubers focus on the lifestyle segment, however the beauty sector is the most prevalent one.

Federica Manzi, Italian Lifestyle Researcher

Germany 🇩🇪

In Germany, YouTube has gained immense popularity over the years. With over 81% of Germans loving and using YouTube in one way or the other, it came to be as the most popular social media platform in the country, especially among millennials. Beauty and lifestyle videos appear to be the most popular especially among teenagers and millennials.

Kevin Pretzel, German Lifestyle Researcher

France 🇫🇷

YouTube is the most prevalent social media platform in France. Some of the most popular influencers and personalities in France all started on YouTube, and it is common for influencers to have a YouTube channel next to their IG account. Used by everyone, it is also popular when it comes to news media and broadcasting news. In the french lists you will find “lifestyle” influencers that not only make videos about a particular subject but they also like to share “vlogs”, healthy lifestyles tips and hauls.

Ema Laurenzana, French Lifestyle Researcher

THE UK 🇬🇧

Youtube is important in the UK for what we could define “OG” influencers – think zoella! The most influential youtubers in the UK therefore are younger millennials that mostly use the platform for lifestyle tips and vlogs. The beauty channels are focused around beauty and make-up and are one of the most relevant sectors.

Georgina Juel, UK Lifestyle Researcher

THE US 🇺🇸

Youtube is by far the most used video platforms in the United States and many heavyweight influencer names have their bases there. Vlogs and sit-down videos are what gain the most traction and although millennials is the biggest consumer group, 92% of Americans say the use the platform weekly.

Cerena Kulego, US Lifestyle Researcher

Image: Unsplash

 

Federica is the Italian Market Coordinator at VOCAST, responsible for Italian Fashion and Lifestyle research. Along with her work at VOCAST, she studies Brand and Communications Management at Copenhagen Business School.

 

Cerena is the Lifestyle Researcher for the US market at VOCAST. She has a degree in Media and Communications and has previously worked with fashion PR. She cares for inclusion within the industry and when not working she’s a dedicated snacker and music listener.

 

 

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Sustainable Lifestyle: green is the new black

Sustainable Lifestyle: green is the new black

Sustainable Lifestyle: green is the new black

International markets value and perceive the importance of lifestyle brands being sustainable, ethical, and transparent differently. Scandinavia in particular is well-known and praised for standing at the forefront of sustainable development. Ranging from fashion weeks in Copenhagen and Stockholm aiming to be fully sustainable, to fashion brands having high sustainable standards, it is now challenging to find a Scandinavian fashion brand that does not use sustainable materials or openly shares its production processes. 

Two models which work exceptionally well for fashion and lifestyle brands are circular and slow. We have gathered exclusive insights from 3 Scandinavian-based sustainable fashion brands to find out more about these models and how to implement them.

Circular fashion

There are multiple ways in which brands can now engage in a circular fashion, the most common way that sustainable brands use is to facilitate the recycling opportunities of a product. It is essential that brands guide consumers on how to recycle their products by the end of use. It is also worth noting, that circular fashion is not only about the use of sustainable and re-purposed materials, but also includes pre-owned selling and buying which has been rising in popularity.

Vintage fashion is no longer described as outdated, but has become sought after and recently expanded 21 times faster than conventional apparel model commerce since 2019. Pre-owned fashion brings fashion one step closer to being circular and is the most obvious way of extending the lifetime of a product.

The concept of circular fashion is fast-growing and is gaining much attention among sustainable fashion brands, as the fashion industry is facing pressure from a new generation of consumers who demand more sustainable options within fashion. In fact, the potential value of fashion’s circular economy is said to be at $5 trillion. Making circular fashion processes an attractive and promising alternative to fashion’s linear production model.

VOCAST spoke to two entrepreneurs who both founded circular fashion brands so you can learn more about what it means in the Scandinavian market:

Industry insight: The Vintage Bar & reWear it

Marie Louise Schultz | Founder at The Vintage Bar

At the end of 2017, Marie Louise Schultz started The Vintage Bar with a clear mission, she wanted to inspire people and make them inspire others by showing that secondhand can be as cool as new: “I hope to inspire people to sustainably participate in fashion by selling and buying secondhand. I knew I wanted to start something myself, and I was aware of the impact of the fashion industry on our planet, so it was also important for me to support conscious behavior.”

Yasmin Matos | CEO & Founder at reWear it

Yasmin Matos is the CEO & Founder of reWear it, Denmark’s fashion rental mobile app. Yasmin is Brazilian and moved to Denmark to launch her startup. The app was launched in the market last July: “Our platform was built for women who love fashion but also want to reduce consumption, giving them access to brands they desire at a lower cost. They can make an extra income lending their unworn items, and get to wear new clothing with more frequency, fulfilling the desire for fashion.”

 

In your opinion, what are some common perceptions consumers have about circular fashion and brands that market themselves to be sustainable?

Marie Louise: As we come out of the COVID-19 crisis, consumers are looking for even more purpose from brands than before. They are expecting brands to be authentic to who they are and to offer products with value. Furthermore, consumers are having higher expectations of brands when it comes to their sustainability goals, and also when it comes to the fashion life cycle, such as overproduction and overconsumption.

Yasmin: I believe that many consumers understand how important it is that fashion brands take sustainable initiatives but also that only “initiatives” are not enough. Fashion circularity is not a concept fully understood by many, but most of them are aware of the necessary actions. The problem is so big and the whole industry needs to change, but consumers are also changing by themselves as the industry is not really doing enough; choosing to buy less, going for second-hand shopping, upcycling, renting, and so on. I believe consumers will definitely appreciate seeing brands changing and taking major steps towards circular fashion and sustainability, but being very honest and transparent about the impact they still may cause.

What kind of role do you think that the Scandinavian lifestyle industry is playing in the global conversation about sustainability?

Marie Louise: Being the home of some of the most sustainable brands, Scandinavia is playing a major role in the global conversation about sustainability by showing forward-looking and innovative business models. Globally, the lifestyle industry is of course doing things to reduce the enrivonmnetal impact of fashion, but Scandinavia is without any doubt speeding up the industry’s transition in a more sustainble direction. With events like the Global Fashion Agenda (Copenhagen Fashion Summit), the Scandinavian lifestyle industry is guiding the global industry to take action by introducing more conscious and innovative approaches. These event gather an important list of stakeholder to spread the word.

Yasmin: I chose to found a sustainable fashion-tech startup in Denmark specifically because of the role Scandinavia is playing when the talk is on green solutions. Scandinavian lifestyle is all about being part of a community, making life simple, practical and meaningful, and these are essential values when considering changing our habits drastically to help the environment. The whole world is watching what we are doing here, to see how it goes, how it works, and I do think that Scandinavian companies are working to lead the actions.

Have you noticed any trends in circular and sustainable fashion brands when it comes to marketing?

Marie Louise: More than anything else the tone of voice has changed to a sustainability narrative that is attractive to the specific target audience.

Yasmin: The most recent campaign by Levi’s in the Nordics has the same saying as reWear it’s pitch deck (“Global clothing consumption has doubled in the last 15 years. We can change that.”), so I believe that mentioning a green solution in the same package of a new pair of jeans or a nice dress, is definitely a marketing trend nowadays. Many brands are using and will use that but as said before, the consumer is getting every day more aware of the problem. I believe that it’s also a trend that we will have tools to measure which brands are really making real efforts before buying them and which solutions really work.

Slow fashion: a discussion with Buena Onda 

The second model that fashion and lifestyle brands can implement to be truly sustainable is the slow fashion model. A slow fashion model follows the opposite principles of fast fashion meaning that collections are fewer, pieces are more specific and waste is rarer. Slow fashion brands tend to follow the idea that creativity and authenticity to the artistry, production, durability, and wearability are worthy of as much time as it takes to get the product right for the consumer.

Designers are given as much space as they need to create their art, tailors are given proper time to construct the products in a safe and ethical environment. This model easily leans into ecological sustainability because products are designed in such a way that will naturally produce less waste – in essence, they are created for honest direct demand rather than inauthentically driving sales.

Founder & Creative director Farah Ragheb sat down with VOCAST to discuss some of her insights as a brand builder and consultant on what slow fashion really means and how the industry can learn from a slow business model:

Farah Ragheb | Buena Onda Founder & Creative Director

Farah Ragheb is a visionary with 15+ years of global experience in the retail, fashion, and lifestyle industry. She is the founder and creative director of BUENA ONDA, the first brand in the world to release only 3 items a year taking slow to ultra-slow. In March 2021 she launched the ‘Simplified Retail Model, Elite MaterClass, empowering entrepreneurs, game-changers, and global businesses to achieve true sustainability driven by positive impacts.

What are some common perceptions brands have about what slow fashion means, and what advice can you give to those wanting to implement a slow fashion model?

Farah: Before I got into this space, some brands released six to eight or even up to 36 collections a year if not more – and when I used to read about slow fashion in the media, it usually highlighted the quality, craftsmanship and storytelling. So when the idea for Buena Onda came, it was to step away from everything I’ve known to do things my way –  I went slow because I saw the industry in front of me going really fast and that model not really working.

 

Creative directors can’t be creative at the snap of a finger, human creativity just doesn’t work like that. So we also started to see that sustainability elements and positive impact elements were becoming a part of the more simplistic model by default.

 

“The principle about starting a slow brand is putting you back in the equation.”

Would you also say that it’s not just about ecological sustainability but also humanitarian sustainability – people’s working and living balance for example?

Farah: Yes, it’s a holistic approach, we follow a full circle model meaning we radiate positive impact at every level of operation. So when you’re good, your business is good, nature is good and when you’re good to people nature and yourself your soul is good.

This holistic approach to brand building gives people the space to be human and give them time in what they are pursuing. It’s a mindset shift to go into this slow pace. What you see in the industry and on social media can make you feel like you’re out of the loop but you take the decision to be out of that loop.

So would you advise consciously removing yourself from the societal exceptions?

Farah: Yes, and I work with a lot of founders and co-founders consulting them on their brand building and the beautiful thing when they do slow down is that their engagement numbers go up, why? Because their quality is going up. So I would really advise those wanting to be a slow brand is find where their bliss is, how can they work in a way that suits their lifestyle, their mindset. So design a brand in a way that suits you and makes you feel blissful more often than not.

What kind of role do you think that the Scandinavian lifestyle industry is playing in the global conversation about sustainability?

Farah: Well, Scandinavia has some good PR across the globe about an area that is very conscious sustainably – it has a good reputation. In the space of fashion, having come to Copenhagen to consult for some major fashion brands here, I think that a lot of brands are still following a fast fashion model. So I believe that there is still a long way to go in terms of changing the mindset of the businesses in the fashion space, but I think that the majority of them are taking big strides towards that which is pretty incredible. I believe that they have the right intention around it but for any company running for X amount of years, it takes time to shift and change.

 

It really is about a mindset shift and it would be absolutely amazing to see more Scandinavian brands take that route and think smaller. I will say though that Scandinavia is having a great global conversation especially with the launch of Vogue Scandinavia with a perspective no Vogue has had before. But in general,

 

“we’re coming to a point now when consumers aren’t having it any other way and brands will be driven by consumer demand and it’s a beautiful thing.”

Have you noticed any trends in slow and sustainable fashion brands when it comes to marketing?

Farah: Sustainability isn’t just about the materials we use and the packaging we use, yes it’s intertwined into that but for us, we follow a path of true sustainability so that means the essence of how we do things is sustainable. Our marketing is very human-centred – we don’t say B2B or B2C it’s human to human for us. We don’t bombard our community pushing them to buy products from us, we tell stories, share chill summer destinations and share blissful imagery. We post our campaign and when our consumers wear them we repost them and people see them around.

 

“From a communications standpoint, our sustainability message is what we are – our brand speaks for its self: its three items every summer and every collection connects to the next over the years.”

Greenwashing: the do’s and don’ts of sustainability marketing

With the relevance of sustainability in lifestyle marketing, it is essential to use it as a valuable aspect and not turn into what could potentially be considered as “green washing”. Greenwashing can be defined as when a company uses false claims to suggest its eco-responsibility, making it challenging for consumers to have a clear overview of how sustainable a brand is. It is for that reason that a brand’s sustainability claims should be humble and specific, sustainability is a journey and there is always work to do before reaching a point that fully satisfies consumers.

There are various ways in which brands can reach a stage of transparency through honest marketing strategies, while also avoiding any reference that could possibly be considered as greenwashing:

Use numbers instead of words

Avoid using words such as “eco-friendly” and “sustainable” without presenting any numbers. Consumers find numbers more meaningful. Present the sustainable goals of your brand through science and data. If your products are made of recycled material, be clear about what percentage of your products are made of recycled materials.

Be transparent!

Provide detailed information and tracking about supply chains. Trace the source of where the materials come from, customers like to know from where their clothes come. This also includes transparency about your company’s carbon emissions water consumption and waste production. Share honest information about the work conditions in which the manufacturers work, consumers value good work ethics.

Offer visual engagement

Consumers enjoy being informed on what a company does and how it contributes to sustainability. A relevant way to offer informative sources is through pictures and videos, demonstrating what causes a company to stand behind, while also informing and encouraging the audience to get involved.

Sustainability goes beyond green

As a company, go beyond caring for the environment. Diversity and inclusion are huge assets when ensuring sustainability. Acknowledge and be transparent about diversity and gender equality within the company. Diversity, gender equality, and work ethics are of growing relevance, and consumers appreciate knowing that they are purchasing products from a brand that supports equity, diversity, and inclusion.

Facts & figures:

  1. 57% of consumers are willing to change their purchasing habits to help reduce negative environmental impact.
  2. 71% of consumers indicate that transparency is important and they are willing to pay more for brands that provide that.
  3. 46% of consumers are value-driven in the clothing and footwear industry, while 35% are purpose-driven.
  4. 45% of consumers look for brands that are sustainable and/or environmentally responsible.
  5. 72% of consumers are willing to pay more for brands that are sustainable and/or environmentally responsible.

Sustainability across 10 markets

DENMARK 🇩🇰

What kind of magazines, influencers, media can we find on the Danish list?

This curated list includes sustainability influencers, online platforms, and sustainability advocates. Many of the influencers included in the list are incorporating sustainability in their everyday life, their platforms aren’t solely focusing on sustainability – but they are focused on living a sustainable lifestyle and inspiring others to do the same. The common belief among the contacts of this list is; that even the small things matter in creating a sustainable future. 

How do these contacts reflect the current view on sustainability in Denmark?

Sustainability has become an integrated part of Danish society and is somehow almost expected amongst brands and large corporations to be incorporated. This change in society is a reflection of a rising interest in sustainability among Danes. Many contacts in the list are into re-using, and how to be more sustainable simply by being more aware of your consumption and re-using what you already have; Signe Hansen and Ann P. are both advocates of re-using. 

Sarah Friis – Danish Lifestyle Researcher 

SWEDEN 🇸🇪

What kind of magazines, influencers, media can we find on the Swedish list?

This curated list is a mix of influencers, editors, online platforms, and other creatives advocating for a sustainable lifestyle. Some are opinion leaders traveling around Sweden giving lectures like Johanna Leymann, while others simply want to inspire people with their choice of consumption and through the brands they’re interacting with like, Signe Siemsen. 

How do these contacts reflect the current view on sustainability in Denmark?

Most influencers and editors on the Swedish market are interested in sustainability and make sustainable choices from time to time. But they don’t live a sustainable lifestyle. The contacts on this curated list want to inspire others and make a difference, either through their social media profile or in their profession. They don’t brand themselves as sustainable, even though they have the aesthetic, but educates their audience through their content. The slow-living lifestyle that is so prominent on the Swedish market is dominant on this list.

Josefine Forslund – Swedish Market Coordinator 

NORWAY 🇳🇴

What kind of magazines, influencers, media can we find on the Norwegian list?

The sustainable lifestyle Norway list comprises a variety of different contacts. The selected contacts present various approaches to sustainability, including influencers that promote more mindful consumption and sustainable brands, magazine editors that put sustainability on the agenda, to entrepreneurs of more eco-friendly lifestyle businesses. This illustrates how sustainability is present across numerous lifestyle practices and businesses.

How do these contacts reflect the current view on sustainability in Norway?

Norway has implemented sustainable approaches and business processes from early on and has thus earned a reputation as an environmental nation. In recent years, there has been an increased focus on environmental concerns, especially among the younger population. This is also seen among influencers and editors. While there are few influencers that fully devote their brand and content to sustainability, they do to a larger extent than before strive to make sustainable choices. These contacts can effectively spread the message of more environmental consumption.

Sara Linvåg Næss – Norwegian Market Coordinator 

GERMANY 🇩🇪

What kind of magazines, influencers, media can we find on the German list?

This curated list summarizes the most relevant German contacts when it comes to the topic of sustainability. Here you can find influencers, magazines, podcasters, editors, blogazines, and freelance journalists, of which all have one thing in common. This is, having a conscious lifestyle at heart and writing essentially about what inspired them.

From relevant online magazines such as „Viertel Vor“ & „Fashion Changers“ to elevating personalities such as Kim Gerlach and Annemarie Bernhard, this list has united all advocates for responsible living. 

How do these contacts reflect the current view on sustainability in Germany?

The topics of sustainability and conscious living have received a lot of attention in recent years. Climate change and our natural habitat dissolving have convinced many Germans to change their views and look out for sources that promote a lifestyle that encourages dealing with resources more responsibly. Political uprising underpins this movement, with green parties and entities all over the country gaining popularity. Editors, Magazines, and Influencers are interested in sustainability and the incorporation thereof in their content in one way or another. A mindful way of life that focuses on the „right“ choices characterizes this list. 

Kevin Pretzel – German Market Coordinator 

FRANCE 🇫🇷

What kind of magazines, influencers, media can we find on the French list?

The sustainable lifestyle list for the French market consists of some of the most prominent sustainable influencers. Covering topics such as sustainable fashion, tips to living a zero-waste lifestyle as well as inclusivity and body positivity. The list also consists of various media such as podcasts about sustainable fashion and online publications that focus on sustainable lifestyles and brands.

How do these contacts reflect the current view on sustainability in France?

Most of the contacts within the french sustainable lifestyle list are passionate about sustainability and want to encourage their followers to have a sustainable lifestyle as well. The other contacts are interested in specific aspects of sustainability, such as nutrition and interior, and are rather seeking to inspire their audience. Lastly, many influencers, editors and magazines, in the French market, do not only consider “being sustainable” as only caring for the environment,  but also value inclusivity and diversity, and consider it as being as essential as sustainability.

Ema Laurenzana – French Lifestyle Researcher

ITALY 🇮🇹

What kind of magazines, influencers, media can we find on the Italian list?

The lists include the main contacts when talking about sustainability and the environment in Italy. From sustainable fashion to healthy food and lifestyle tips in general. Along with influencers and sustainable editors for the main magazines, the list includes magazines such as DailyGreen (which covers all topics concerning the environment, green economy, and lifestyle), Solo Moda Sostenibile (about sustainable fashion), and so on. 

How do these contacts reflect the current view on sustainability in Italy?

Italy is getting there when it comes to being sustainable, many influencers promote a healthy lifestyle and more people are becoming involved in second-hand buying or recycling of products and materials. I think the list matches the overall interest that Italy has towards become more sustainable. However, the country is still in the early stages of the process.

Federica Manzi – Italian Lifestyle Researcher

THE NETHERLANDS 🇳🇱

What kind of magazines, influencers, media can we find on the Dutch list?

The Dutch sustainable lifestyle list consists of influencers covering subjects such as sustainable fashion, plant-based food, and also sustainable home interior. The list also includes various media focusing on sustainability, such as online publications and podcasts. Lastly, there are also contacts within the list who do not specifically define themselves as “eco-friendly” but rather cover subjects such as inclusivity and self-love.

How do these contacts reflect the current view on sustainability in The Netherlands?

Sustainability in the Netherlands is very important, and it is becoming inevitable to not find a media or an influencer that does not take a stance on sustainability. Most of the contacts within the list are really seeking to inspire people to make a change, whether it be in terms of consuming habits or nutrition. It is also important to note, that some of the contacts consider their lifestyles as being fully sustainable, making them particularly selective when it comes to working with brands.

BELGIUM 🇧🇪

What kind of magazines, influencers, media can we find on the Belgian list?

The curated list for the Belgian lifestyle market consists of influencers that stand for sustainable fashion, interior, nutrition, and also traveling. Furthermore, the list also includes magazines, editors as well as chefs, covering sustainability as their main focus.

How do these contacts reflect the current view on sustainability in Belgium?

Most of the contacts in the list are interested in sustainable fashion or interior but do not fully live a sustainable lifestyle, although they are still careful when selecting brands or products that they use or wear. While the magazines and chefs within the list, are seeking to inspire others to shop and cook sustainably.

THE UK 🇬🇧

What kind of magazines, influencers, media can we find on the UK list?

This curated list contains a mix of magazines and influencers all advocating for a sustainable lifestyle. The majority of the magazines are online publications and cover all areas of lifestyle such as fashion, home interior, beauty & wellness, food & gastronomy, family life, and even travel. The influencers in this list vary from boho-chic green living advocates to city-dwellers sharing their conscious life habits with their followers.

How do these contacts reflect the current view on sustainability in the UK?

Sustainability is not as ingrained into the British lifestyle as it is in Scandinavia, however, the eco-boom amongst influencers especially is on the rise and these are the leading creative contacts to get to know. Magazines targeted towards sustainability have usually been separated from other lifestyle magazines in the UK, but recently sustainability editors and segments in traditional lifestyle publications are becoming more common.

Georgina Juel – The UK Market Coordinator

THE US 🇺🇸

What kind of magazines, influencers, media can we find on the US list?

This list is made up of a mix of online platforms, magazines, influencers, and creatives dedicated to sustainability in most aspects of life. Many of the contacts are individual creators such as Simply Living Well who’s showcasing dedication to the suitability movement through home/living content while others like Mikaela Loach take on the role of activist and voice opinions regarding the movement bluntly often while showing off a great sustainable outfit at the same time.

How do these contacts reflect the current view on sustainability in the US?

Those interested in sustainability in the US like to make that clear, as they often, like these contacts subscribe to an idea of the movement that reaches beyond the individual commodity. Although the dedication to the movement in the US is quite the individual standpoint supporters of the movement represent a view of sustainability that is often versatile and involves slow-living/low-impact, social justice, and environmentalist aspects. They are advocates for living well through these practices and gladly brand themselves as such. They won’t hesitate to stress the need and urgency for a shift to a sustainable lifestyle approach to their audiences whether that’s by showcasing sustainable fashion options or advocating for policy change. 

Cerena Kulego – The US Lifestyle Researcher

Sustainability contacts

DENMARK

Signe Hansen – Signe is a well-known sustainable influencer focusing mainly on fashion, living in Denmark.

Reach: 84.1K

Instagram: @useless_dk

Website: https://www.uselesswardrobe.dk/blog/

SWEDEN

MAKE IT LAST – Make it last is a network of fashion creatives, with a focus on sustainability. Make it Last produces digital media content, consult brands and reach creative audiences.

Reach: 28K

Website: https://makeitlast.se

NORWAY

Celine Aagaard – is a veteran in the Norwegian media landscape, and has been the Editor-in-Chief of several leading magazines. Additionally, she has established herself as a fashion influencer, advocating more environmental, timeless clothing pieces, and as the founder of her own, sustainable clothing brand. She currently holds the position of Sustainability Expert at the newly launched Vogue Scandinavia.

Reach: 188K

Website: https://envelope1976.com/

GERMANY

Fashion Changers – is an online publication that creates content about sustainability in the fashion and beauty industry.

Reach: 27K

Website: https://fashionchangers.de

FRANCE

Rosa B – is a French influencer and YouTuber, based in Lille. Rosa makes content about vintage fashion and upcycling, she also often shares sustainable brands that she appreciates.

Reach: 82K

Website: https://rosabohneur.fr

ITALY

Doina – Is a Moldovian fashion influencer based in Milan, Italy. She cares deeply about the environment, sharing tips and sponsoring brands that are sustainable. She is the ambassador of “no more plastic” and she owns a jewelry line made of recycled materials. She has worked with many high-end and luxury brands, including Louis Vuitton. 

Reach: 802K

Website: http://doina.co/

THE NETHERLANDS

Bedrock Magazine – is the online magazine for a conscious and healthy lifestyle, the pillars are simple: mind, body, and a better world. 

Reach: 361K

Website: https://www.bedrock.nl

BELGIUM

Eline Reynders – is an online marketeer with a heart for sustainability and fair fashion based in Belgium.

Reach: 30K

Website: https://www.elinerey.be

THE UK

Flora Beverley  – Flora is a health and fitness blogger from the UK. Her blog focuses on beauty, food, travel, physical and mental health, and sustainability. With her blog and social media platforms, she aims to document her lifestyle in a way that inspires her follower to be more healthy in the body, the mind, and the planet.

Reach: 132K

Website: https://foodfitnessflora.blog/blog/

THE US

Jazmine Rogers (That Curly Top) – Through her colorful style and feed, Jazmine approaches sustainability from a specific angle: the intersection of sustainability and race. Shedding a light on the fashion industry, its exploitative working conditions in developing countries, and environmental inequities which are strongly intertwined.

Reach: 124K

Website: https://www.canva.com/design/ 

Georgina is the UK Market Coordinator at VOCAST, responsible for British fashion and lifestyle research. Along with her work at VOCAST and studies at Copenhagen Business School, she is passionate about conscious fashion reform in the industry.
Ema is the Lifestyle Researcher for the French market at VOCAST. She grew up in Brussels and previously worked with fashion PR. She is currently stuyding a master’s degree in international development and business and has a strong interest in sustainable and ethical pratices within the fashion industry.

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Få succes med influencer marketing som offentlig instans

Få succes med influencer marketing som offentlig instans

Influencer marketing er en branche i vækst, og mange virksomheder bruger det i kommercielle sammenhænge til at kommunikere ud til en specifik målgruppe med et bestemt budskab. Men vidste du, at offentlige instanser også kan have gavn af det f.eks. i form af en...

How Pinfluencers can benefit from digital showrooms

How Pinfluencers can benefit from digital showrooms

How Pinfluencers can benefit from digital showrooms

Pinterest is a social media platform that most people use as an online vision board. Pinterest is capturing dreams – being used as a tool to plan the future. So why not take part in planning the future? Pinterest offers you the opportunity to meet your customers when they feel inspired and lets you take part in creating an inspirational atmosphere, thus leading to future purchases.  Here is why you should keep Pinterest Influencers, referred to as Pinfluencers, in mind when arranging your digital showroom.

Get familiar with Pinterest

Pinterest is more than just a medium to share photos, videos, and other inspiring content. Its abilities go beyond being a regular social media network. Read along to get insight on why Pinterest stands out in terms of driving traffic and marketing value for individuals but brands especially.

With more than 400 million people visiting Pinterest every month, Pinterest holds a huge potential to increase and drive traffic but also to raise awareness in regards to interesting stories and streams of content. People are on Pinterest to try new things, save new ideas, and often to make their next purchase. Insights show that 85% of the users on Pinterest go to the platform when starting a new project.

Furthermore, the platform attracts mostly female users, as six out of ten pinners are women who are mainly interested in home decor and interior boards. Looking for and finding inspiration is Pinterest’s business model as it offers a huge variety of clickable boards, and its users have more than 200 billion pins saved which account for the credibility of the platform and makes it attractive for marketers and inspiration seekers. With over 28% of marketers using the platform for their business efforts, and 97% of searches on the platform being unbranded, there is a wide area of use for different purposes.

Pinterest is where people browse, discover and buy. Show up at the moment of inspiration, and take your audience from idea to “I did”.

– Pinterest Business

How to use Pinterest as a brand

Distributing your content as a brand on Pinterest is very easily managed. The platform makes it possible to organize content tailored to your needs, including organizing boards in regards to themes, ideas, plans, or types of inspiration. It will be very easy for Pinfluencers and users to click through your boards and share or re-pin their favorites. As a brand, you are also able to make your posts “shoppable”, which means consumers can directly access any product being advertised on any curated board. Furthermore, the platform offers a “live links” function on content which enables you as a brand to drive traffic to your own website or business directly through the curated post. This is especially valuable if you enable clickable links in your content.

Another aspect worth highlighting is that building a community with Pinterest has become easier than it has ever been before. The platform is built upon interaction and is a two-way street. This makes it possible to build long-term relationships with your followers by, for example: following their accounts, commenting on similar content to yours, using the right keywords/hashtags, and matching your presence on Pinterest with all your other social media channels. If you want to step up your game even more, the option to pay for a “Pinterest ads account” will enable you to run ads on the platform, increasing your visibility and engagement rates even more.

People on Pinterest are eager for new ideas, which means they want to hear from you. Content from brands doesn’t interrupt on Pinterest – it inspires.

– Pinterest Business

The benefits of working with Pinfluencers

Pinterest is a social media platform designed for commerce, making it the go-to place for consumers in the mood for shopping – or for those looking for inspiration. This makes Pinterest the ideal place for consumers to get to know your brand. Pinterest as a marketing tool isn’t solely targeted towards brands directly. Collaborations with Pinfluencers can be the easiest way to access large followings on Pinterest. Consumers are inspired by their favorite Pinfluencers and are seeking their platforms to find inspiration for their next purchase. For that reason, Pinfluencers can be a valuable asset for your brand – making your products visible on the ultimate go-to platform for inspiration.

When working with a Pinfluencer, there are various ways to go about it. The first option presents itself as a mere partnership between the brand and the Pinfluencer, resulting in the Pinfluencer sharing imagery and pictures from your brand portfolio/image bank thus redirecting traffic towards your brand and creating buzz. The second option incorporates the special delivery of imagery, directly created for you as the brand from the Pinfluencer. We are talking about content that has been solely created for the sake of promoting a specific product/service of your brand. A paid partnership that is being followed by many more creative ventures like this can create a satisfying relationship between both parties.

The world of marketing is changing, and creating a lasting impression as a brand is more important than ever before. Therefore, Pinterest offers a unique opportunity for lifestyle and fashion – brands to align with visual worlds that mirror their own aesthetics. Effects such as driving traffic of like-minded people and potential new brand enthusiasts can occur.

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Et opslag delt af Pinterest (@pinterest)

How can Pinfluencers benefit from digital showrooms?

Digital Showrooms can be a helpful tool for Pinfluencers. That is why it is important to keep your imagery updated and easily accessible. Pinfluencers are browsing through aesthetically pleasing imagery every day, so they expect your digital showroom and platforms to be beautiful – this is the first step in being an attractive collaborating partner to a Pinfluencer. They make a living on aesthetics and of course, only wish to develop their boards with beautiful imagery. The digital showroom is a ticket for the Pinfluencer to get direct access to professional pictures and content for their boards. Uploading the pictures from your image banks to Pinterest makes it even more convenient for the Pinfluencers to pin your pictures and add them to their own boards. So if you really wish to get the attention of Pinfluencers, be on Pinterest, be visible and keep on uploading.

Pinterest Predicts

Every year Pinterest creates its predictions for the upcoming year. It is not the typical “trend” report, rather a “not-yet-trending” report. Take a look at their interesting predictions for 2021, in regards to Fashion, Beauty, and Home, right here;

Fashion Predictions

Athflow - Athflow is the new Athleisure

“When athleisure meets elegance—that’s athflow. Flowy pants, casual jumpsuits, and oversized outfits will replace athletic clothes as the new go-to loungewear. Athflow is professional enough for the “office,” stretchy enough for the yoga mat, and comfy enough for the couch”

Cocoon Swoon - Cocooning is the new Layering

“Blankets as a fashion statement? Oh yes. Pinners will turn to shawls, puffers, and slouchy socks in 2021—no matter the weather. Let’s make cozy comfort part of every season”

Up clothes and personal - make it is the new work it

“Make it your own. Gen Z will take personalization to the next level with DIY everything, from painted-on denim to custom crewneck sweatshirts”

Home Predictions

Vibey Lights - Neon hue is the new you

“Neon rooms will get the spotlight treatment—especially from Gen Z. Pinners will reinvent their bedrooms with bright, color-drenched lighting for majorly moody looks. LED lighting is a 2021 vibe”

Dish is out - Shelfies are the new gallery walls

“Calling it now: kitchen shelves will be the new favorite corner of the house in 2021. People will collect and invest in eye-catching dinnerware, from colored glassware to handmade clay plates”

Japandi aesthetic - Japandi is the new modern

“Every decor lover just swooned. Japanese design meets Scandinavian minimalism in this rising home decor trend. Sleek lines, neutral color schemes, and calming setups will be on the radars of Pinners everywhere”

More door - Cloffice is the new home office

“Say goodbye to open floor plans. Pinners are getting creative with closed doors. In 2021 we’ll all learn what a “cloffice” is. Even when doors aren’t available, people will find new ways to create some personal space”

Beauty Predictions

Skinimalism - Skinimalism is the new glow up

“It’s the end of the caked-on makeup look. Pinners will embrace slow beauty and let their natural skin texture shine through. This new “effortlessly chic” routine is simple and sustainable”

Indie beauty - Cheeky is the new chic

“Take it from Gen Z: indie isn’t what it used to be. Their version is defined by bold-colored crop tops, baggy jeans, and emoji-inspired makeup and nails. When it comes to beauty, 2021 will be about feelin’ cute”

Poppin' protective styles - Low-maintenance is the new high heat

“Pinners will get creative with braiding techniques that are protective, low-maintenance, and glamorous. Beyond the braids, style mavens will add their own personal touch with beads or colorful highlights”

Rainbrows - Defiant brows the new defined brows

“Brush up your brow game. In 2021, people will embrace bold brows and experiment with statement-making styles. Nothing is too out-of-the-brow this year”

To get access to the curated lists of Pinfluencers and more;

   
Image: Unsplash

References: Pinterest

Sarah is the Lifestyle Researcher for the Danish market at VOCAST. She is very passionate about the fashion industry and along with her work at VOCAST she studies Communication at Copenhagen Business School.

Kevin is the German Lifestyle Researcher at VOCAST. He has a degree in Fashion Journalism and Media, which makes him an expert in all things fashion and lifestyle. While he currently undergoes his second education in Marketing & Communication Design, he also established a strong interest in Social Media and Communication Strategy.

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Få succes med influencer marketing som offentlig instans

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Vogue Scandinavia

Vogue Scandinavia

Vogue Scandinavia

This August, the highly anticipated Vogue Scandinavia was launched. Comprising a whole region, the edition covers the Nordic countries of Norway, Sweden, Denmark, Finland and Iceland. The magazine aims to be an emblem of modern Nordic fashion, combining elements from all the Nordic countries to highlight the characteristics of their unique fashion. 

Vogue is with its vast history and global impact considered a worldwide fashion authority. The power of Vogue and the impact of being featured in a Vogue magazine has acquainted the magazine a status of a guiding star for readers and brands to follow. Therefore, the launch of Vogue Scandinavia marks a significant moment in the Scandinavian fashion history.

The 28th edition of Vogue: Vogue Scandinavia

In June 2020 the launch of Vogue Scandinavia was officially announced. With the ever increasing impact of Scandinavia as a fashion destination, the new edition was met with excitement – it serves as a natural addition to the catalogue of different Vogues. The magazine emphasises the role of Scandinavian fashion on an international level.

By publishing Vogue Scandinavia in English, the magazine isn’t only made easy accessible for the Nordic countries, but worldwide. In addition to representing key features of Scandinavian fashion, the magazine takes a political stand on concerns and values of the Nordic region.

Vogue: a fashion history 

Vogue Magazine originates from America, where the first ever edition saw the light in 1892. Since 1909, the magazines have been part of Condé Nast Publishers. Vogues first international edition, British Vogue, was launched in 1916, and marked the beginning of what would become a global fashion powerhouse. Today, Vogue is published in a total of 19 languages, targeting a massive worldwide audience. The launch of Vogue Scandinavia marks the magazines’ 26th international edition.

With its long history and establishment, Vogue Magazine has heavily influenced the development of the fashion magazine industry. Furthermore, its impact on fashion trends remains prevalent to this day. In 2009, The New York Times named Vogue “high fashion’s bible”.

Vogue Scandinavia ethos: Sustainability on the front page

Vogue Scandinavia aims to cover fashion in a sustainable matter. Its Editor-in-Chief, Martina Bonnier, has been working actively with sustainable fashion for the past 20 years – and has made sure that environmental matters are a key pillar in the launch of Vogue, being carbon neutral from day one. This represents the love and care of nature that is apparent across the Nordics. According to Bonnier, it is this common link of nature that binds Nordic people together. This is reflected in the first issue of Vogue Scandinavia, and will remain a central theme in upcoming issues.

 

“Our goal is to give back more than we consume, to become carbon negative throughout our whole value chain”

– Mariann Jacobsson, Vogue Scandinavia’s Head of Sustainability.

 

 

The fashion industry is notorious for its environmental footprint; Vogue Scandinavia is hence putting a heavy emphasis on how one can lead a more modern and sustainable fashion consumption. This is not only represented through the content of the magazine, but in all levels of the production chain. Vogue Scandinavia is transparent in their sustainable processes, from how the paper of the magazine is locally sourced and produced in the Finnish woods, to how they have cut out plastic wrapping and gone for a more environmentally-safe wood fibre packaging.

To further minimise waste and be more sustainable, Vogue Scandinavia will be the first edition of Vogue not to be sold in physical shops. Its 6 yearly issues are exclusively to be bought on the online Vogue Scandinavia platform. With the publishing industry becoming more digitalised, Vogue Scandinavia solely being represented online utilises the advantages of online platforms. Vogue Scandinavia aims to serve its readers as a three-dimensional experience consisting of look, smell and sound; scented paper and digitally sourced sound.

 

“We hope to inspire our stakeholders, industry colleagues, and our loyal readers to make small changes for good. A small step made by many people creates a movement, and we are proud to be leading this movement in our industry.”

– Mariann Jacobsson, Vogue Scandinavia’s Head of Sustainability.
 

Meet the Editors

Martina Bonnier

Martina Bonnier is the Editor-in-Chief at Vogue Scandinavia.

 

 

Konca Aykan

Konca Aykan is the Fashion Director at Vogue Scandinavia.

 

 

Allyson Shiffman

Allyson Shiffman is the Senior Fashion Writer at Vogue Scandinavia.

 

 

Josefin Forsberg

Josefin Forsberg is the Junior Fashion Writer at Vogue Scandinavia.

 

 

Camilla Larsson

Camilla Larsson is the Fashion Editor at Vogue Scandinavia.

 

 

Rawdah Mohamed

Rawdah Mohamed is the Norwegian Fashion Editor at Vogue Scandinavia.

 

 

Sophia Roe

Sophia Roe is the Danish Fashion Editor at Vogue Scandinavia.

 

 

Natalie Setterwall

Natalie Setterwall is the Digital Editor at Vogue Scandinavia.

 

 

Celine Aagaard

Celine Aagaard is the Sustainability Expert at Vogue Scandinavia.

 

 

Asa Steinars

Asa Steinars is the Nature Expert at Vogue Scandinavia.

 

 

Gucci Westman

Gucci Westman is the Beauty Expert at Vogue Scandinavia.

 

 

Marianne Theodorsen

Marianne Theodorsen is the Handbag Expert at Vogue Scandinavia.

 

 

Kristian Haagen

Kristian Haagen is the Watch Expert at Vogue Scandinavia.

 

 

Sandra Hagelstam

Sandra Hagelstam is the Shoe Expert at Vogue Scandinavia.

 

 

Mikko Puttonen

Mikko Puttonen is the Gender Fluidity Expert at Vogue Scandinavia.

 

 

Mona M Ali

Mona M Ali is the Diversity & Inclusion Editor at Vogue Scandinavia.

 

 

Tom Pattinson

Tom Pattinson is the Editorial Manager at Vogue Scandinavia.

 

 

Jennifer Nilsson

Jennifer Nilsson is the Social & Commercial Media Editor at Vogue Scandinavia.

 

 

Rebecka Thorén

Rebecka Thorén is the Assistant to the Editor-in-Chief at Vogue Scandinavia.

 

 

How to reach the Editors

The editorial of Vogue Scandinavia is a wide variety of Editors and Experts, all prominent contacts within the Scandinavian fashion industry. VOCAST have gathered consent from the entire editorial and created a list solely dedicated to Vogue Scandinavia.

 

If you wish to subscribe to our Vogue Scandinavia list, please contact us here:

Sarah is the Lifestyle Researcher for the Danish market at VOCAST. She is very passionate about the fashion industry and along with her work at VOCAST she studies Communication at Copenhagen Business School.

Sara is the Norwegian Market Coordinator at VOCAST, responsible for Norwegian fashion and lifestyle research. When not at VOCAST, she studies Brand and Communications at Copenhagen Business School. Besides work and studies, she is a travel, music, and movie enthusiast.

 

Josefine is the Swedish Market Coordinator, responsible for the fashion and lifestyle research and coordination within the Swedish market. Alongside her work, at VOCAST she is finishing her studies in Communication Design & Media in Copenhagen.

 

 

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Få succes med influencer marketing som offentlig instans

Få succes med influencer marketing som offentlig instans

Influencer marketing er en branche i vækst, og mange virksomheder bruger det i kommercielle sammenhænge til at kommunikere ud til en specifik målgruppe med et bestemt budskab. Men vidste du, at offentlige instanser også kan have gavn af det f.eks. i form af en...