Kim, There’s People That Are Influencing!

Published on October 30, 2020, at 7:05 p.m.
By Emily Safron.

When Kim Kardashian announced that popular reality show “Keeping Up With the Kardashians” (KUWTK) would be ending in September after over 20 seasons, the nation was in awe. Now, a household name, the Kardashians have changed the world of social media and influencers as we know it.

KUWTK first aired in 2007 as one of the first reality shows on E!. At the time, the family was best known for late attorney Robert Kardashian. The Kardashians turned their prior reputation into a now almost billion-dollar worth enterprise through tactical cross-promotion and entrepreneurial skills.

Dash, the Kardashian sisters’ first business endeavor, was founded before the show’s airing in 2006. “When the opportunity for our TV show came about, I wanted to do it to bring attention to our stores,” Kim Kardashian confessed to Variety in 2015. “I was thinking this may not last very long, but we’ll grow a great business and expand online.” The business exploded with popularity once the show aired, launching spin-offs for the Kardashian sisters before the chain closed in 2018.

In addition to creating their lines, the Kardashians have been dominating the fashion world left and right. Fast-fashion brands have both collaborated with and copied the outfits that have earned them over a million likes. Athleisure, a popular trend combining comfortable clothing with activewear, has even risen 16% in sales. This rise can be attributed to the Kardashians, who are often seen showcasing the trend with their newest pair of Yeezys.

Starting on KUWTK at just 10 years old, Kylie Jenner launched her beauty business, Kylie Cosmetics, in 2015, selling out her first line in under 60 seconds.

Since first releasing her initial line, Jenner has expanded it to include skincare and other various makeup products, such as “Kylighters.” She uses social media to coordinate surprise drops and limited offering sales with a tactical approach to drive demand amongst her fans.

Jenner later went on to sell her brand to Coty Inc. for $600 million. The deal allowed Jenner to have a creative hand in the company but appointed a new CEO, Christoph Honnefelder.

Jenner hasn’t been the only one in the family to tackle the beauty industry, however. Kim Kardashian launched KKW Beauty, a line selling both fragrance and makeup products, in June of 2017.

While each sister has worked on her own products and endeavors, they’ve all skillfully snuck their family members into their brands. Whether it’s naming a product after them or collaborating, this strategy allows the brand to be viewed by a larger audience.

Kim’s newest venture into shapewear, Skims, has perhaps become one of her most successful business ventures. Kardashian released the collection in September 2019, selling out in minutes and profiting over $2 million. Like Jenner, Kardashian has also used her personal branding to showcase and coordinate surprise drops and releases.

Using her connections to her advantage, Kardashian has brought in buzz-worthy influencers and celebrities to model her newest releases on social media. Most recently, she dropped her latest launch of velour tracksuits with old friend Paris Hilton. The two recreated several of their iconic looks and photos from the 2000s, catching the eyes of longtime fans.

While KUWTK may be ending in early 2021, it’s safe to say that there are still many ways that fans worldwide will be “keeping up.”