The Journal
How to Get Celebrities to Use Your Products Authentically
Let’s be real, having a celebrity use your product is the ultimate PR win. It boosts credibility, increases brand awareness, and can lead to serious sales. But the question is: How do you get celebrities to use your products authentically, not just as a paid endorsement? A forced, transactional shoutout rarely has the same impact as an organic moment where a celebrity genuinely loves your product. So, how do you make that happen? Let’s break it down step by step. 1. Find the Right Celebrities for Your Brand Not every A-lister will be the right fit for your brand and that’s okay! The key is to target celebrities who align with your brand values and aesthetic. Look at their lifestyle: Would they realistically use your product? If your brand is all about clean beauty, target celebs known for their natural skincare routines. Check their social media: Do they frequently tag brands they love? Are they vocal about specific causes or interests that align with your brand? See what they’ve worn or used before: If they’ve already been spotted using similar products, they’re more likely to try yours. Pro tip: Don’t just go after the biggest names, rising stars, niche celebrities, and reality TV personalities can be just as (if not more) influential for certain audiences. 2. Work Through Their Stylists, Makeup Artists & Inner Circle One of the best ways to get your product into a celebrity’s hands? Go through their glam squad. Celebrities trust their stylists, makeup artists, and personal assistants to introduce them to new brands. Here’s how to do it: Find their glam team: Check Instagram tags, behind-the-scenes credits, or interviews where they mention their stylists or MUAs. Reach out to them directly: Stylists and makeup artists are more likely to accept PR gifts than celebrities themselves. Make it easy for them: Offer to send them a product to try on their celeb client, but keep it low-pressure. Example DM/email:“Hi (Name), I love your work with (Celebrity)! I think our (Product Name) would be a perfect fit for them, would love to send you some to try for your kit. Let me know if you’re interested!” Pro tip: Some glam team members share their PR contact details in their Instagram bios, so always check! 3. Send Thoughtful Celebrity Gifting (Without Being Spammy) Randomly sending products to celebrities without a strategy is a waste of time and money. If you’re going to gift, make it personal and thoughtful. How to Gift Celebrities the Right Way: Personalise it: Include a handwritten note that makes a connection (e.g., “We saw you love hydrating serums, this one’s packed with hyaluronic acid for a dewy glow!”). Keep it exclusive: Make them feel special by sending a limited-edition version or an exclusive first look at a new launch. Make it Instagrammable: The packaging should be high-quality, beautifully presented, and photo-worthy. What NOT to do: Don’t bombard them with multiple products they didn’t ask for. Don’t expect an immediate post or endorsement. Don’t follow up aggressively (One polite check-in is fine, but if they’re interested, they’ll let you know). Pro tip: Celebrities love products with their name or initials engraved, if possible, personalise your gift to make it even more special! 4. Leverage Celebrity Hotspots & Events A great way to get celebrities to use your products is to place them where they’ll naturally come across them. Here’s how: Get into celebrity gifting suites: These are events where brands showcase products for celebrities during award season, festivals, and fashion weeks. Partner with VIP hotel spas & salons: Luxury hotels, spas, and beauty bars that celebrities frequent are great places to get your products noticed. Sponsor high-end events: Getting your brand into exclusive launch parties, film festivals, or charity galas can put it in the hands of A-listers. Example: If you’re a beauty brand, getting your product stocked in the spa at The Beverly Hills Hotel or The Edition in London could lead to natural celebrity exposure. 5. Focus on Subtle, Organic Exposure The best celebrity endorsements don’t feel like endorsements at all, they feel like real moments of product love. Ways to create organic celebrity exposure: Send PR gifts before a big event: Celebrities are more likely to use your product when they need something new for an upcoming appearance. Encourage paparazzi moments: Celebrities get snapped at the airport, the gym, and coffee runs, make sure your product fits into their lifestyle. Get them using it without tagging: Some celebs don’t like to tag brands, but if they’re spotted using your product in paparazzi shots, interviews, or red carpet moments, that’s just as powerful. Pro tip: If a celebrity is photographed using your product, share it on your brand’s social media (“Spotted: [Celebrity] keeping their skin glowing with our hydrating mist!”). 6. Don’t Underestimate the Power of Micro-Celebrities & Influencers Major A-listers might be a challenge to reach, but reality stars, TikTok creators, and rising actors can be just as impactful, if not more. Why? They’re more likely to engage with brands. Their followers feel a stronger connection to them. They can be just as influential in niche markets (beauty, fashion, wellness, etc.). Example: A skincare brand that gifts Love Island contestants or Netflix reality stars might see more engagement than sending products to a big Hollywood celeb. Pro tip: Check who’s trending on reality TV, fashion week circuits, and TikTok’s beauty community, they could be your next big brand ambassador. 7. Play the Long Game (And Be Patient!) Celebrity placements rarely happen overnight. Sometimes a celeb will receive a product and start using it months later. The key is to be patient and keep your brand on their radar. Continue engaging on social media: If a celeb posts about your industry (skincare tips, wellness routines, etc.), comment or interact genuinely. Keep gifting strategic: Only send follow-up gifts if there’s a new product launch or a reason to reconnect. Leverage relationships: If a stylist or influencer has already loved your product, nurture that connection, they might introduce it to more high-profile people. Pro tip: Even if a celebrity doesn’t post about your product, them simply using it can be valuable. If they fall in love with it, they might talk about it later when the moment feels natural. Getting celebrities to use your product authentically is all about strategic placement, thoughtful gifting, and relationship-building. Instead of chasing random A-listers, focus on creating moments where your product naturally fits into their world. It might take time, but when done right, an authentic celebrity placement can be game-changing for your brand.
How to Capitalise on Press and Influencer Coverage
So, you’ve landed some amazing press or influencer coverage, congrats! Your brand has been featured, the buzz is building, and now you’re wondering… what next? Many brands make the mistake of assuming the work is done once they’ve secured coverage. But in reality, this is just the beginning! To truly maximise the impact of that hard-earned media placement, you need to squeeze every drop of value out of it. In this guide, we’ll walk you through exactly how to capitalise on press and influencer coverage to boost brand awareness, drive sales, and build lasting credibility. 1. Share It Everywhere First things first: don’t let your coverage go unnoticed! You need to shout about it from the digital rooftops. Post it on social media: Share the article, video, or post across all your platforms. Add an engaging caption, tag the journalist/influencer, and use relevant hashtags. Use Instagram Stories:Take screenshots and share them in a carousel format. Use fun stickers, GIFs, and polls to make it interactive. Pin it to the top of your profiles: On Instagram, TikTok, and X (formerly Twitter), pin the coverage post so it stays visible for new visitors. Feature it in your email newsletter: Your subscribers are already interested in your brand, show them the great things people are saying about you! Update your website: Add a “Featured In” or “Press” section with the logos of publications and influencers who have covered you. This builds credibility for new customers. 2. Turn It Into a Testimonial Press and influencer endorsements act as powerful third-party validation. Instead of just sharing the article and moving on, use it as an ongoing trust signal. Pull out key quotes: If a journalist or influencer said something great about your product, turn it into a graphic or video for social media. Incorporate it into product pages: Add a “As Seen In” badge or testimonial section to reinforce credibility. Use it in paid ads: Highlight media coverage in your Facebook, Instagram, or Google ads to strengthen social proof and drive conversions. 3. Engage with the Journalist or Influencer Building relationships is key in PR. If someone has featured you, nurture that connection to increase your chances of future coverage. Send a thank-you message: A simple DM or email expressing appreciation can go a long way. Engage with their content: Like, comment, and share their posts to stay on their radar. Offer them exclusives: Next time you launch a product or have an exciting update, pitch it to them first. Collaborate further: If it was an influencer feature, consider working together on a deeper level, such as a paid campaign, giveaway, or ambassador program. 4. Repurpose the Content for Maximum Impact One piece of coverage can be repackaged into multiple formats to extend its lifespan. Here’s how: Create a blog post: Summarise the coverage in a blog on your website, adding your own insights or behind-the-scenes details. Film a reaction video: Share your excitement on Instagram Reels or TikTok, reacting to the coverage and adding your thoughts. Turn it into an infographic: Visual content is highly shareable! Summarise key points in an eye-catching design. Make it a case study: If the coverage drove significant traffic or sales, document the results as a case study to show potential stockists or investors. 5. Keep the Momentum Going One feature is great, but consistency is key in PR. Use this coverage as a stepping stone to secure more. Leverage credibility: When reaching out to new journalists or influencers, mention your previous press features to show that your brand is newsworthy. Create a media kit: Include your latest press, key brand info, and high-quality images to make it easy for future press to cover you. Monitor performance: Use Google Analytics or social media insights to see how the coverage impacts traffic and sales. Pitch follow-up stories: If an article performed well, reach out to the journalist with a fresh angle or update to continue the story. Press and influencer coverage is more than just a momentary win, it’s an opportunity to build long-term brand authority, attract new customers, and open doors to bigger opportunities. By following these steps, you’ll ensure your features don’t just sit there collecting digital dust but actually work for your brand. So, next time you land a piece of coverage, don’t just celebrate, strategise!