NIVEA®’s 2021 Skinfluencers Competition launch kicked off with an invaluable Masterclass.

On the 29th of September 2021, saw the launch of NIVEA®’s 2021 Skinfluencers search which was accompanied by a highly informative, free online Masterclass.

Hosted by digital content creator, radio/TV presenter, Pamela Mtanga, this masterclass was aimed at equipping other skin and beauty enthusiasts with the most up to date knowledge shared by a brilliant panel made up of Nadia Jaftha, Mpoomy Ledwaba and Lungile Thabethe. The ladies shared their insights and personal journeys when it comes to the ups and downs of content creation and the influencer industry.

The Competition:

The competition itself includes prizes to the value of R1 million, 1 OF 10 Influencer Starter-kits and also a life-changing 1 year training program. To talk more about NIVEA®’s 2021 Skinfluencers competition and program, was the Senior Brand Manager for Body Care at NIVEA, Sinenhlanhla Mambi.

“One thing we pride ourselves with as a brand is being close to our consumers. We know that becoming an influencer is something that they really aspire to. What better way for us, as a brand, to partner with those who love our brand. It’s about amplifying the voices that are out there, that are our consumers and giving them a platform to shine and to make an impact.”

Sinenhlanhla MambiImage Credit: Symbiotic Communications — Sinenhlanhla Mambi
*Image Credit: Symbiotic Communications*

Sinenhlanhla also talked about how, for NIVEA®, it goes beyond skincare. It is about caring for an individual beyond just the physical. NIVEA® is all about skincare and care is central to everything they do; so much so that the company’s purpose is: care beyond skin. Caring for the whole person and caring for the community. Essentially, NIVEA® Skinfluencer is about uplifting, caring for, and empowering their community. So, ultimately, the ideal winner for this should be someone who embodies the qualities that NIVEA® believes in.

“We are looking for a go-getter. Someone who is striving for better. Someone who is sociable. We want someone who is confident, who really knows who they are. The ideal candidate must be someone who is positive and has an optimistic outlook on life. We want people who are truly their authentic selves. We are a brand all about skincare. We believe healthy skin is beautiful skin. So, really let your skin shine.”

The process of entering is still the same as last year. To enter the NIVEA® Skinfluencer competition, visit www.NIVEA®skinfluencer.co.za, click on the “Enter now“ button, upload your entry video and wait for your submission link to be shared within 24 hours. Once your link has been generated, upload your branded NIVEA® video on your social media pages and tag @niveaskinfluencer (Instagram) and NIVEASA (Facebook) accompanied by the hashtags #NIVEASkinfluencer21 #UpliftCareEmpower before the closing date on the 21st of October 2021.

*Image Credit: Symbiotic Communications*

The Masterclass:

Host, Pamela, kicked off the Masterclass discussions with Mpoomy Ledwaba and Nadia Jaftha. Mpoomy and Nadia shared their personal experiences about how they became content creators and the lessons they learned along the way. Building an online community is at the center of influencer marketing.

Mpoomy says, when she first started out, she wasn’t even trying to be an influencer or a YouTuber.

“I was just trying to promote my business and I would also post bits of my life now and then. I wasn’t intentionally trying to build this brand. I was just putting myself out there and being true to myself. It’s easy when the work starts coming in and it becomes a career that you shift away from the authenticity. I’ve always had to remind myself why are people here, why are they following me, what do they need from. If I lose my voice, I lose the people. This helped me remain authentic to myself.”

To new content creators that are still starting out, Mpoomy says finding your voice is very important. When it comes to finding your voice, she says one should not be afraid to experiment and explore different things. It took her two years to finally find her voice. In addition to finding your voice, she believes excellence is key.

“Strive for excellence, not perfection. When you find your voice, you know how to define excellence for yourself and your brand. Lastly, consistency is key. When one thing doesn’t work out, you need to keep trying. That’s how you get better. That’s how brands find you.”

Mpoomy LedwabaImage Credit: Symbiotic Communications — Mpoomy Ledwaba
*Image Credit: Symbiotic Communications*

For Nadia Jaftha, she credits to her success to being strategic when it comes to curating the type of content people want to see. It’s all about finding a balance between authenticity and strategy.

“When I first started, all I wanted to do was just put out content. Today, a lot of people do not have business sense and they get exploited. When I blew up, the first thing I did was get a manager. Our social media is our resume. Brands look at your social media and decide if they want to associate with you.”

It is important to realize what your strengths and weakness are. Get someone to assist you on your weaknesses. If you are a creative but are not so good with finances, get someone to assist. If you want to do both but you are not good with the one, one of them suffers.

When it comes to maintaining authenticity for this campaign, Nadia says she did not have to compromise anything. In fact, she acknowledges NIVEA® for making the experience easy for her.

“I have worked with brands before and they would tell me, to just be myself but not like this or like that. NIVEA® gave me complete creative freedom. I didn’t have an ounce of makeup. I was confident. NIVEA® empowered me to maintain a beautiful glow from the inside out.”

Nadia JafthaImage Credit: Symbiotic Communications — Nadia Jaftha
*Image Credit: Symbiotic Communications*

Lungile Thabethe, another one of the formidable panelists at the Masterclass, spoke about how she saw a gap in the industry and took full advantage of it.

“I saw a gap in the content and beauty industry. I had skin problems at the time. I really delved into YouTube and found that there were other people struggling with the same problems as me and as a result, I wanted to help other ladies who were experiencing the same problems.”

Lungile has been intentional with changing the narrative when it comes to content creation and skincare. Her content is focused more on the message than how the content looks.

“When it comes to social media, you need to realize that there are real people behind those phones and so, they identify with the same problems that you go through on a day-to-day basis. It’s really important to be honest about your journey and your struggles because that’s what keeps people engaged. People won’t always remember what you were wearing or if your page was aesthetically pleasing, but they always remember the message. It is all about the message.”

Beyond the content creation process and trying to stay ahead of the curve when it comes to trends, Lungile is also aware of the toll one can take when exposed to too much content for a long period of time.

“At the end of the day, I think it’s important to realize that even though we’re on social media for business purposes now, we still need to have fun with it. We still need to remember why we started. I think it’s important to always pull yourself back when you start to feel overwhelmed.”

Lungile ThabetheImage Credit: Symbiotic Communications — *Lungile Thabethe*
*Image Credit: Symbiotic Communications*

The winners of the competition will also be embarking on a year’s journey with the brand to hone their talents, learn from industry insiders and start an amazing career. To further boost their online skills, the winners will participate in exclusive online tutorials to assist them with becoming a professional digital influencer, as well as receiving professional recording and digital equipment, and a digital editing program subscription valued at thousands of rands.

Ultimately, the NIVEA® Skinfluencer competition is an opportunity for the winners to be up-skilled and empowered to really make their mark in the beauty industry.