Hilton Hotel heiress, Pairs Hilton, has been a fixture in pop culture since she flew onto the scene in the early 2000s.  Amidst a flurry of paparazzi leaks, international jet-setting, and legions of teens moored to her every move, Paris is considered the prototype of the modern influencer.  Unprecedented in her impact, she not only ushered in a new era of influential behavior, but she also engendered what it means to BE an influencer.

However, she is not a monolith. Despite the evolving landscape, she disproved critics at every turn, evolving alongside a precarious and ever-shifting industry. From industry darling to PR maven, and now multifaceted businesswoman, Paris’ story is akin to the transformation of the creator economy, she evolved with the creation of social media at its infancy to its current form and harnessed it to her benefit, providing a blueprint for the road of influencer ahead. Below, we chart her growth with the progression of the industry in three evolutions:

Early Influencer Marketing: Neo-Celebrities

During this era, Paris was making the rounds in the party scene and starring in reality shows. This version of influencer was bestowed upon people. The public viewed people like Paris, who was so vastly out of touch, as an oddity and an aspiration. Paris had no real way to control her narrative and how she influenced people without a level of exchange or relatability. At this point influencing was a passive and expensive entity that relied on mechanics that were trite and unpolished. The original formula: Show up to an event, pose for a picture, or carry an item while you are out and about. By doing this it was implied that the influencers were “partners” of the brands. There was a wait-and-hope aspect to this style of outreach, there were not always guarantees that the influencers would attend the events or carry the products. This style of influencing reflected the period, it relied on “traditional celebrities” (movie stars, CEOs, heiresses) and was primarily done in glossies and gossip columns.  This would change with the rise of social media and introduction of personal points of view.

Social Media Created Digital Stars

With the advent of social media apps like Instagram and Twitter, influencers were handed a new tool to further grow their stardom. Now able to connect one-to-one with their audiences, social profiles gave them the ability to exert more control, immediacy, and influence over their personal brand. Paris continued building her personal brand by sharing her goings-on and setting trends with hashtags like #sliving and #lovesit.

Influencers also started to become a PR vehicle with brands inviting them to events and gifting them products. By doing this, brands hoped the influencers would encourage their audiences to engage with them.  In this evolution, influencers are starting to have a more active role. Instead of being passively assigned loyalties based on pictures taken of them, they are actively posting about brands and causes they choose to support.

Becoming a Media Mogul with Brand Influence

At this point, Paris Hilton is shredding her 2000s character and becoming her own media channel. She owns a production company and creates content on every social media platform and multiple brand collaborations. Paris’s ability to forecast trends has been what has helped her maintain relevance. She was one of the first major influencers to start a podcast and keeps her brand collaborations relevant based on audience insights.

Most recently, she has partnered with brands like Alani Nu energy drink and F1 racing, both of which are hugely popular with her audience. Paris has been using her platform to speak out about her past with abusive institutions and her adult ADHD diagnosis. Influencers have more control than ever over what they post about and the personas they create. Influencers are expanding their offerings by venturing into podcasting, digital products, and e-commerce, to name a few.

Paris Hilton and Influencer marketing have evolved a lot in the last twenty years. Paris evolved her influence by recognizing the changing climate of influencer marketing, such as the need for more authentic content that puts the creator into the message, not simply behind the message. Today, Paris Hilton taps the equity of her name to reach a broader audience than traditional branded media. Knowing the history of influencers allows marketers to get to the heart of what makes them successful. This understanding will allow marketers to transform as the media space evolves, just like Paris Hilton.

Creo uses data-backed practices to create dynamic experiences for our clients and forecast future trends to step boldly into the next evolution of influencer marketing. Contact us to learn how Creo can help your brand.