Israeli drugstore launches training program to turn Beauty vlog fans into influencers

1. Teach me how to vloggy
Israeli drugstore launches training programme to turn
beauty vlog fans into influencers
May 23, 2016
Searches for online cosmetic tutorials in Israel rank among the most popular digital
content category, with over 3.5m monthly beauty-related searches taking place.
But unlike the rest of the word, where beauty vlogging is a crowded space, in Israel
this community is just beginning to grow.
With that in mind, drug and beauty store Super-Pharm partnered with Google and
YouTube to launch its ‘Beauty Academy’ in search for the next generation of
beauty vloggers. Its aim? To turn 20 beauty-conscious people into influencers by
teaching them the ins- and outs of vlogging.
The programme runs for a month and includes biweekly lectures and workshops on
all things related to beauty video vlogging. This means everything from styling,
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2. make-up application techniques, video self-presentation, editing and journalism
through to social media skills, YouTube analytics, nurturing subscribers and even
collaborating with brands.
The lecturers chosen are both Israeli and international experts from the fashion,
beauty, marketing and media industries.
To apply, contestants needed to enter their existing YouTube channel URL or
upload a video of themselves on the campaign microsite, explaining why they
should be part of The Beauty Academy.
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3. At their graduation ceremony, the most exceptional student will be awarded a
beauty experience in London including a visit to the ‘YouTube Space’ – the
company’s first production facility designed especially for YouTube creators –
where the winner will be invited to apply what they’ve learnt and collaborate with
the YouTube creative community.
In the future, all Beauty Academy graduates will be invited to attend occasional
meetups and classes so they can continue perfecting their skills and share their
experiences with their co-creators.
Those who didn’t get a place can still learn from the experts, as all lessons will be
uploaded to Super-Pharm’s YouTube channel (see the first video from The Beauty
Academy below).
The campaign, developed by Israeli-based BBR Saatchi & Saatchi, is supported by
traditional PR and online ads.
INSIGHT /
Second mover advantage / The campaign comes at the right time to capture the
nascent vlogging community in Israel. While beauty-related video content is
popular there, the country has only one leading beauty vlogger – Ashley Waxman
Bakshi. It makes perfect sense for the brand to nurture wannabe vloggers who are
likely to review and rate products which are relevant to and available in their
domestic market. This approach can be successfully applied across other territories
and industries.
Training future ambassadors / Eva Hasson, planning information specialist at
BBR Saatchi & Saatchi, told Contagious: ‘While Super-Pharm will nourish
[people’s] passion and desire to become influential beauty vloggers, it will not in
any way taint their authenticity by tying them to the brand beyond teaching them
the tools and skills of the trade for becoming Israel’s next leading beauty vloggers.’
While the Beauty Academy doesn’t require the future influencers to link back to the
brand in any way, we can see how the programme can help those vloggers to
become powerful ambassadors. After all, if the brand gives them a head start into
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4. their dream career at no cost, they might feel the need to return the favour. And
what a better way to do that than recommending that their followers get their
beauty products from Super-Pharm?
Everyone’s invited / ‘We were not searching only for people who already were
YouTubers but rather we sought to attract a more assorted group of people from
different backgrounds, ages and occupations. Women and men, religious and
secular people, Jews, Muslims, Ethiopians, young people but also more mature
people so that consumers of all ages could find their beauty guru,’ said Eva
Hanson.
Indeed, the chosen 20 are a diverse group in terms of gender, ethnicity and
background. This is a smart way for Super-Pharm to appeal to different
demographics. Bearing in mind the retailer’s products – from make-up, to drugs
and babycare – this is a winning tactic to extend the campaign reach beyond the
standard 20-something beauty vlogger wannabe.
Enabling the community / The lessons are genuinely useful for people looking to
start their career in vlogging. It also makes a lot of sense from a brand perspective.
Teaching people skills in video editing, social media and digital marketing will
enable them to showcase and promote the products their review in the best
possible light.
What’s more, publishing the content from the workshops online positions Super-
Pharm as a brand that aims to nurture the wider vlogging community, not only the
20 selected participants, growing the quality and availability of relevant local
vlogging content in country.
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