成為KOL需要形象突出且充分表現對特定範疇的認識，才可捕捉到觀眾目光。而在化妝方面當紅的韓國KOL Pony，則是極為成功的例子。
Pony是來自韓國的化妝師，亦是韓國著名女歌手CL的御用化妝師。Pony於數年開設YouTube Channel 「Pony Syndrome」，推出不同風格的化妝教學及仿妝影片，而她高超的化妝技巧及仔細的解說為頻道帶來不少觀眾，現時Pony的YouTube Channel已超過500萬訂閱。而不時於Instagram上傳美妝照片、化妝資訊及日常生活的Pony，亦有超過600萬追蹤者。其後Pony開設個人化妝品牌 — Pony Effect，推出後深受女士歡迎。即使推出個人化妝品牌亦無阻與其他化妝品牌合作，如﹕Dior，Etude House，Givenchy及Shu Uemura等。 Pony之所以成功全因她充分利用化妝專長，就如上一篇文章所提及，運用感興趣的專長能令你事半功倍，效果更佳。加上近年韓流文化大行其道，韓式化妝大受歡迎，Pony的YouTube Channel正正迎合市場需要。設有英文字幕亦照顧到世界各地的觀眾需要，國外同樣受歡迎，大大增加知名度。
近年不少品牌紛紛邀請KOL為產品或服務作宣傳，到底是甚麼原因驅使各大品牌通過KOL作宣傳策略？在「人人也可以當KOL」的年代，品牌又是如何挑選合適的KOL為品牌宣傳？
若目標顧客是年輕人，利用KOL作宣傳是十分適合的選擇。根據社會認同理論，我們傾向接觸與自己有相近之處的人，如年紀、背景、興趣、價值觀等，也更容易相信同一羣體的人的意見。不少KOL為年輕一代，相對銀幕上的明星，KOL對年輕觀眾而言更為「貼地」，不論想法還是意見，對於年輕觀眾會相較容易接受。以Pony為例，作為20至30歲的KOL，Pony的意見與觀眾的年紀相近，容易得到一眾有化妝習慣及擁有一定消費能力的女性認同。因此不少以年輕女性為目標顧客的化妝品牌會邀請Pony為代言人或作宣傳。其次，若成為特定範疇的KOL，觀眾會視KOL為該方面的權威，使他們的意見更值得信賴，從而說服觀眾購買或吸引注意。就如Pony作為化妝師，若她發表與合作品牌有關的化妝品或化妝技巧相關的影片會更具說服力。
如打算利用KOL作宣傳途徑之一，品牌要先考慮其目標對象所注重的範疇，然後選擇合適的KOL合作。邀請與品牌行業相關的KOL，會大大提升品牌形象！
Learning from Pony Syndrome -- How to choose a suitable Key Opinion Leader (KOL) for your brand?
Learning from Pony Syndrome -- How to choose a suitable Key Opinion Leader (KOL) for your brand?
To be a successful KOL, you need to have an outstanding personal image and show your good understanding of a certain aspect in order to catch the audience’s attention. Talking about some popular beauty KOL, many of you will think of Pony, the well-known beauty blogger in South Korea.
Pony is a makeup artist from South Korea, she also helps CL, who is the famous female singer, do her makeup. A few years ago, Pony started her YouTube Channel ‘Pony Syndrome’, uploading makeup tutorials and some celebrities inspired makeup videos. Her excellent makeup techniques and detailed explanation bring her audience. Currently, there are over 5 million audiences subscribing her channel. Apart from YouTube, Pony is also active on Instagram with over 6 million followers. Pony started her own cosmetics business -- ‘Pony Effect’ years before, which became one of the favorite makeup brands among the young ladies. Even Pony has her own brand, this never stops other beauty brands like Dior, Etude House, Givenchy, Shu Uemura and the like to cooperate with Pony.
The reason why Pony is so successful is that she sufficiently exploits her strength -- makeup. As mentioned in the last post, making use of your hobbies and profession can help you yield twice the result with half the effort.
Plus, under the trend of Korean culture, Korean style makeup has gained great popularity in the market. Pony’s YouTube Channel can exactly meet the market demand. By adding English subtitles in her videos, the channel caters the need of audience worldwide, this helps her being known by more overseas audiences. These days, more and more brands invite KOLs to promote their products or services or be the spoken person. Why brands are using KOL marketing more frequently? In the generation of ‘everyone can be KOL’, how should brands choose suitable KOLs to cooperate with?
If you are targeting young consumers, it is good for you to use KOL marketing. According to Social Identity Theory, we tend to communicate with people who share something in common with us, including age, background, hobbies, belief and so on. We also tend to believe their opinion than others. Many of the KOLs are young generation, compare to the celebrities shown on TV programs or movies, they are more ‘down to earth’, which makes their ideas accepted by the young audience. Take Pony as an example, being a KOL aged between 20 and 30, her thought may be similar to her audience, who are passionate in makeup with a certain level of consuming power, they may be convinced by Pony easily. Therefore, there is no doubt that cosmetics brands like to invite Pony for cooperation or promotion.
Moreover, KOLs in particular professions are likely to be taken as being at an authoritative position by the audience and their opinion is more trustworthy for potential customers to consider. Like Pony, as she is a professional makeup artist, if she publishes makeup tutorial using brands that she cooperates with, it will be more convincing.
If you would like to use KOL marketing as one of the marketing strategies, you should first consider your group of target customers and choose suitable KOLs to cooperate with. Inviting KOLs in relevant industries for promotion can greatly increase your brand awareness and reputation!
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