Star Power: These 10 Celebrities Are Putting Their Name Behind Big-Name Brands
From Kevin Hart to Karlie Kloss, check out 10 companies that have some of today’s winning personalities leading them.
Art Streiber
This story appears in the June 2018 issue of Entrepreneur. Subscribe »
Companies, of course, create brands. And people can be brands. And some of the most brilliant brand-companies today are being launched by the smartest brand-people, who understand intuitively how to reach and engage fans.
Related: 10 Genius Marketing Campaigns That Went Viral
As part of our 100 Brilliant Company list, we singled out 10 winning personalities and what they’re doing to push boundaries.
BRYAN R. SMITH | AFP | Getty ImagesFenty Beauty by Rihanna
The pop star is all too familiar with the lack of makeup made for women of color. With Fenty, she promised “beauty for all” — and delivered.
Jamie McCarthy | Getty ImagesKode with Klossy
The girls’ coding school, inspired by model Karlie Kloss’s experience learning code, is expanding nationwide. Each student can connect with Kloss in person or via video chat.
Cindy Ord | Getty ImagesSkinnygirl
Reality TV star Bethenny Frankel started with a margarita brand and has deftly wielded her licensing power. Snacks, sweeteners, even denim — she brilliantly promotes it all.
Related: 10 Insanely Clever Ways These Companies Grew Their Business
Rich Fury | Getty ImagesGirlBoss Media
NastyGal founder Sophia Amoruso used her own fall to inspire an events series and content site for ambitious women. A recent redesign hints at a move toward a social network.
Marla Aufmuth | Getty ImagesShondaland
Shonda Rhimes, the megaproducer who charmingly live-tweets episodes along with her fans, signed a new $25 million per year deal with Netflix, signaling a major expansion.
Katherine Frey | Getty ImagesMomofuku
Chef David Chang keeps expanding — creating the hit Netflix series Ugly Delicious, and launching Majordomo Media and his own podcast.
studioEAST | Getty ImagesVaynerMedia
The digital agency led by Gary Vaynerchuk is betting heavily on voice, developing Google and Alexa voice campaigns and even VoiceCon, a “state of the union on voice.”
Related: 10 Product Innovations You Need on Your Radar Right Now
Stefanie Keenan | Getty ImagesTommy Hilfiger
After three decades, the designer just keeps innovating, launching Tommy Adaptive, a new line created for people with disabilities
Paul Morigi | Getty ImagesThrive Global
Arianna Huffington’s wellness brand is rapidly expanding, and bringing work-life balance to big clients such as JPMorgan, SAP and Hilton.
John Lamparski | Getty ImagesKevin Hart
Kevin Hart has gone from comedian to the man who owns comedy — consistently dominating the box office with his HeartBeat Productions, which recently signed a first-look deal with Universal Pictures, while also staying on the cutting edge of digital media as a cofounder of Laugh Out Loud Network, a joint venture with Lionsgate. Read our full profile here.
Companies, of course, create brands. And people can be brands. And some of the most brilliant brand-companies today are being launched by the smartest brand-people, who understand intuitively how to reach and engage fans.
Related: 10 Genius Marketing Campaigns That Went Viral
As part of our 100 Brilliant Company list, we singled out 10 winning personalities and what they’re doing to push boundaries.
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