Friday 5: Influencers You Need To Know

This week in our Friday 5 series we’re talking about influencers. From gaming to fashion and every niche in between, there is an influencer for everything! While influencers themselves are far from a new concept, their value within the marketing ecosystem has been hotly debated and is ever changing thanks to platforms such as TikTok and Twitch. 

According to a recent survey conducted by Influencer Marketing Hub, 72% of marketers believe that the quality of consumers gained from influencer marketing campaigns is better than with  other marketing strategies. With the Advertising Standards Agency constantly cracking down on influencers and brands who ignore the rules, the topic of stricter regulations (particularly within the cosmetics industry) is always in the news. 

As the influencer landscape changes dramatically every few months as creators shoot viral fame, or get ‘cancelled’ because of a scandal – it’s hard to know who’s in and who’s out. So without further ado, here are the influencers we’re loving! 

  1.  Grace Beverly  

Why should I care? 

Natwest GBEA Young Entrepreneur of the Year and founder of two brands paving the way in D2C fitness (TALA and Shreddy), Grace Beverley is a successful female entrepreneur shaking up the business world, with a global reach of over 1.5 million. 

By twenty-three, Grace was named first in Forbes 30 under 30’s retail and e-commerce list, had graduated from Oxford University and attained a Sustainable Business accreditation from Harvard Business School.

Grace’s inspiring commitment to accelerate the slow-fashion space has led to features in Drapers, Forbes, CEO Today, VOGUE Business and Business Insider.

Having followed Grace over the last six years, her work ethic and authenticity is unparalleled. She is a wonderful example of an informed influencer who places transparency at the heart of every campaign she works on. Her new book “Working Hard, Hardly Working: How to achieve more, stress less and feel fulfilled” was released earlier this month and is already The number one Sunday Times bestseller!

2. VIKKSTAR123

Vikram Barn, more popularly known as Vikkstar123, is a gamer/content creator and member of mega popular YouTube group: The Sidemen (20 million subscribers and counting!). 

Vikram’s main channel has 7.16 million subscribers while his streaming channel, VikkstarPlays, has a little over a million subscribers. Some of the brands that he has worked with include Three UK, Polo Ralph Lauren, and JBL. Vikram is also supported by Activision, the developer of Call of Duty. 

As many established Youtubers have done before, Vikram is now navigating the transition into traditional media, recently appearing on Michael McIntyre’s BBC 1 show ‘The Wheel’. While Vikram’s online fame may be lost on viewers over the age of 25, he’s certainly one to watch and has also been teasing an appearance on the latest series of The Crystal Maze. 

3. Hand Luggage Only 

Why should I care? 

Yaya and Lloyd are the award-winning travel duo behind Hand Luggage Only. 

While we recently discovered their content through TikTok, their blog was originally founded in 2014 whilst the pair were studying. Since then they have turned a small travel blog into a global sensation with over 1 million monthly unique visitors. 

Focusing on realistic and affordable travel suggestions, Yaya and Lloyd have inspired thousands with their stunning content and helpful tips from destinations such as Iceland, Croatia and Japan. 

The duo expanded their travel brand across all the major social networks, striking particular success on Pinterest, where they achieve over 10 million impressions a month!!

TikTok has also been an exciting recent addition to their brand. From dreamy destination POVs to comedy, Yaya and Lloyd have cracked the code on TikTok. Gaining over 100,000 followers in under 5 months and featuring in TikTok’s 2020 Pride campaign.

Make sure you follow Hand Luggage Only on TikTok for some amazing travel recommendations once the world opens up again!!

4. Cheddar Gorgeous 

Why should I care? 

Cheddar Gorgeous is a non-binary drag artist, storyteller and self-professed “alien, unicorn, idealist”. 

Gracing our feed with their unique, otherworldly and whimsical makeup looks, Cheddar has turned making a spectacle of themselves into an art form. 

Cheddar uses the platform of drag to educate, create communities and comment on current affairs. They are also the co-creator and host of the hugely successful Channel 4 Television show, Drag SOS, helping people across the UK build self confidence, explore identity and express their inner fabulousness through the power of drag.

One of our favourite campaigns from Cheddar was when they worked on the cleaning brand Method’s UK launch. Taking billboards and digital screens by storm across the UK, Cheddar’s involvement was not only as a ‘model’ but also as an aesthetic designer. They created a ‘couture’ look based on Methods purpleMulti Surface cleaner, bringing the brand to life by personifying the product. 

This is a wonderful example of a brand trusting an influencer’s vision and creative talent, in turn creating an authentic and believable partnership for followers to enjoy. 

5.) Hill House Vintage / Paula Sutton

Why should I care? 

Hill House Vintage is run by stylist and homemaker, Paula Sutton. Paula was named by British Vogue as the ‘Happiest Influencer on Instagram’.

Paula upped and left her glamorous London life (where she worked in fashion publishing) ten years ago to move to Hill House in Norfolk with her family and Coco, the chocolate cross Labrador. 

Since then, Paula has curated a beautiful country home, mixing new with vintage, to find her perfect aesthetic. Paula is a House and Garden Contributor and has worked with brands such as Penhaligon’s, COS, Etsy, Lancome, Barbour and Loaf. 

If you’re looking for quirky and fabulous home inspiration – look no further!!