As I sit finally being able to relax on a Sunday night, I click to the E network, to the groan of my significant other. It’s Keeping Up with the Kardashians time! Some might think less of me for watching the show but it doesn’t stop me. I frequently get asked, why do you watch the Kardashians? I watch them because they are marketing gold. Ok, so the drama and the fashion and makeup aren’t bad either, but I consider the show to be my weekly lesson in marketing.

I, and a few friends, are convinced that in the future, the Kardashians are going to be a section in a marketing class. They have turned an unfortunate sex tape into a TV show and into a brand. Not just a family brand but each individual has their own sub-brand on top of it. The entire family is a global brand and I would find it hard pressed to find someone that does not know the name Kardashian. There are some that may hate them but if you look at it from a purely business and marketing point of view, it’s amazing!

Because of their popularity, they do not have to purchase ads. They do all of their own marketing via their social media platforms. Heck, usually, they are the ones being paid to be in someone else’s ad! They go even further as to only share certain products and news with you if you purchase their app! So they not only sell you their app but they are able to then sell you another one of their products. They also do a lot of cross promotion with each other. For example, when Khloe had a lip-kit within Kyle’s lip kit line. Genius!

They are each moguls in their own right. They span several demographics in age so they are able to sell and service a wide variety of customers. I use the show as an opportunity to study what they do and how they do it. Their marketing approach for each sister is different as is the demographic that is being targeted for each. I am not saying that I am going to go out and make a sex tape BUT I might get a fashion idea or a color scheme idea or heck, even a hashtag idea from their show. If you want to make sure that you are at the top of branding, fashion, hashtags, marketing and social media trends, AND you can stomach the drama, then you can learn a lot by studying the Kardashians.

I’d love to hear about what shows you might watch to help up your social media game or thoughts might have about the Kardashians. Negative or disparaging comments about them will not be approved. We are not here to bash, we are here to learn.