Nara Smith and the new era of influencer marketing

Sign up to receive the Vogue Business newsletter for the latest luxury news and insights, plus exclusive membership discounts. Mix flour, eggs, water and red food dye and you get… a Marc Jacobs tote bag? Nara Smith usually posts TikToks of herself making food from scratch — from waffles to bubblegum to grilled cheese (including the butter, cheese and bread). Last week, she made a handbag. A “delicious, red Marc Jacobs tote bag”, as Smith described it in her signature disaffected monotone. The brand tapped the model and content creator to “make” a mini tote in Smith’s typical video format. The next day, the brand posted a campaign featuring Smith for its new denim chain tote bag. The video has been viewed 13.7 million times (at the time of publishing) and generated $966,000 in media impact value (MIV) on TikTok, and $285,000 on Instagram, according to Launchmetrics, in the first 48 hours of publishing. This just surpasses Smith’s typical MIV on her own posts: $948,000 on TikTok; $277,000 on Instagram. By brand standards, the content generated an MIV 149 times that of an average Marc Jacobs influencer TikTok post; and 44 times the Instagram average. “This campaign respects Nara’s creative format,” says brand strategist Clara Escoms. “Not many brands are able to maintain a creator’s voice while introducing their products into their narrative.” (That said, the campaign has also drawn criticism for its likeness to a TikTok posted by creator Mary Korlin-Downs back in December, in which she ‘makes’ a Marc Jacobs bag in the oven.) Smith’s internet star has exploded this year: her TikTok followers are up 700 per cent since 9 January, and Instagram is up 670 per cent, according to influencer marketing platform Lefty. And it’s translating to serious brand heat. One “get to know me” video, in which Smith introduces herself while doing her makeup, raked in MIV for the brands featured. It generated an MIV 130 times higher than the average influencer post for Mac Cosmetics and an MIV 100 times higher than the average influencer post for Summer Fridays, according to Launchmetrics. She’s also proven polarising. With Smith’s growth has come heightened discussion about her role in 2024’s rise of the “trad wife”, a term describing a married woman promoting traditional gender roles that relegate women to that of mother and homemaker. (Smith, 22, has three children.) On TikTok, this manifests in cooking, homemaking and family content. Online commentators, long familiar with Smith’s husband, model Lucky Blue Smith, who is Mormon, have raised concerns that Smith’s videos are vehicles for promoting Mormon values. Others say Smith is in on the joke; that her content is meant to be satire. Smith, for her part, has refrained from engaging in the discourse, save for one TikTok where she acknowledges that her religion is a “hot topic” on the internet and assures viewers she’s not a “hardcore Mormon”. Smith plays into the “empty billboard” phenomenon (first raised in the context of Smith by TikToker Bee Better Company). The empty billboard influencers — those who stay neutral on issues and don’t share their opinions or interact much with commenters — are on the rise, says Ted Raad, founder and CEO of talent management agency Trend Management. But Smith isn’t your typical trad wife. She’s long operated in the luxury space, cooking in looks from Chanel Pre-Fall 2024 to Rodarte Spring/Summer 2024. And brands, largely undeterred, have capitalised on her traction. Smith’s partnerships with brands including Marc Jacobs, Prada and Isabel Marant have helped to elevate her image and influence, says Lefty head of marketing Lea Mao. The appeal is clear, as Smith helps to usher in a new era in influencer marketing. Airtight aesthetic Smith’s content is a hit because it follows a consistent, specific aesthetic while veering into the uncanny. “[It] offers a visually appealing and aspirational escape from everyday life, often evoking a sense of nostalgia that resonates with viewers,” Mao says. “Her focus on visuals and limited dialogue aligns with the increasing popularity of short-form video content.” It’s the specific — and unique — video formula that keeps audiences coming back, Raad agrees. “Making gum from scratch because your husband ran out — then putting on the fanciest dress, and adding a very soft tone voice-over to it — the story of it all makes her content very interesting to watch,” he says. Smith’s focus on visuals — and the associated “wow effect” — is what stood out to ready-to-wear brand Selezza London, whose big, frilled jackets Smith has worn in three videos. “We received a lot of reactions, and I think it was due to the impeccable alignment of style, with an added touch of flair to her cooking and lifestyle videos,” says PR manager Mariia Bulavina. “No one expects to see someone wearing 3D voluminous garments for cooking.” What’s puzzling, though, is that we say we want authenticity. And Smith’s content is anything but. Raad distinguishes between authentic-as-relatable and authentic-to-creator. Few would suggest Smith’s cooking-from-scratch content is a relatable experience of motherhood or homemaking. What Raad says works anyway is Smith’s specific aesthetic and unique content, which other creators can take cues from. “While adopting a universally appealing persona may attract more campaigns, it can also lead to quick burnout as creators struggle to maintain a facade that doesn't align with their authentic identity,” Raad says. The empty billboard It’s perhaps an understatement to say Smith’s content is not relatable — her spending hours on end in the kitchen to make her kids peanut butter and jellies from scratch has raised eyebrows. Her lifestyle is unattainable for most, Raad says, “which makes her appealing but a hot topic of conversation — especially in the comments”. Many onlookers have dubbed Smith a “trad wife”. The term has gained even more traction online this past week following a Times article on TikTok creator Hannah Neeleman of Ballerina Farm, “the queen of the ‘trad wives’”, that sparked hot debate and raised concerns about the lifestyle. Neeleman and Smith are also both members of the Mormon church, often criticised for partaking in women’s oppression. Brands should take note and tread carefully — the trad wife moniker is often used negatively to criticise creators for pushing anti-feminist beliefs on their audiences disguised as aspirational homemaking content. Smith herself (like other creators associated with the label) has never attached herself to the “trad wife” persona. This is key, Raad says: by not actively associating with it, Smith avoids deterring most brands. This distancing — from Mormonism explicitly, and the “trad wife” label implicitly — helped clear the way for brands, Escoms says. Remaining neutral on personal beliefs and avoiding controversy makes an influencer more versatile, especially in the context of brand deals, Raad says. “While it depends on the brand, many prefer to stay away from public matters, making ‘opinion-neutral’ creators especially appealing,” he says. But in a world where, outside of social media, not everything is sleek, polished and easy, some brands want influencers who will be vocal on issues that matter to them, Raad says. “Although the trend of ‘empty billboard’ influencers is on the rise, there are still many brands proud to work with creators who take a specific stance, and significant marketing budgets are allocated for those who are open and passionate about sharing their beliefs.” Smith may not share her beliefs, but while it has played a part in her virality, it’s not the driving force, experts agree. It’s all about the content. She’s nailed the balance between narrative and aesthetics, Escoms says. Save from narrating her cooking and the odd GRWM, Smith doesn’t talk much at all. And this is why brands want in. “An influencer does not need to talk about fashion to become a fashion creator,” she says. “Nara Smith’s content helps us understand that using fashion as a shock element — wearing evening gowns to make chewing gum from scratch — brings value.” Comments, questions or feedback? Email us at feedback@voguebusiness.com. More from this author: America’s election chaos spells uncertainty for fashion Mall brands’ comeback partner is the cult fashion label This summer’s top European hot spots for brand pop-ups

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