When Gen Z Write the Marketing Script: What Brands Can Learn
By Emily SmithOct 31
In 2016, K-pop wasn't new, but a group emerged that is now one of the biggest K-pop acts: Blackpink.
K-pop artists are not only shaking up the music world with record-breaking songs and sold-out concert tours, they are also hot for brands to invite them to their events or make them their brand ambassadors. From fashion to technology and entertainment, brands across all industries want to work with them, recognizing the opportunity to get their brand in front of their massive fan base.
In this blog, we dive into the world of Blackpink and their fans, delivering some impressive statistics and insights. We used Brandwatch Consumer Research to analyze online conversations from August 2016 to May 2024, and Brandwatch Influence to analyze the social media performance of Blackpink's social accounts. We also added impressive statistics from other online sources.
Let's dive in.
1. Blackpink are racking up awards and breaking records
Since their debut in August 2016, Blackpink have been on a roll. At the time of writing, they have collected 106 awards and 339 nominations. Blackpink are the first female K-pop group to win a VMA (MTV Video Music Award) and the first female K-pop group to top the Billboard 200. They are also the first K-pop group to reach 1 billion views on YouTube for their music video "Ddu-Du Ddu-Du". And they also managed to snatch three Guinness World Records titles from BTS with the music video for their song "How You Like That". These examples are just a glimpse of all the achievements Blackpink have made over the years, but they give a good idea of how successful the quartet is.
2. They are sparking a lot of conversation online
Since their debut in 2016 (from August 2016 to May 2024), there have been over 423 million online mentions about the band and nearly 13.4 million unique authors are talking about them. That's about 148k mentions per day, with more people talking about the band than people living in Portugal.
The love they receive is global. According to geographic data, these are the top locations with the most online conversations about the girl group:
- Thailand
- Philippines
- US
- Indonesia
- South Korea
3. Their Born Pink World Tour broke records
The Born Pink World Tour was Blackpink's second world tour to promote their second album of the same name. They performed an impressive 66 shows in 22 countries.
It was so successful that the band broke records:
- The highest-selling tour by a female group in Oceania
- Their August 2023 show in Las Vegas was the highest-grossing vocal concert by any group in history.
4. Blackpink fans spread the love using hashtags
Hashtags are a great way to increase the chances of a post going viral and to find other fans using the same hashtag. The #blackpink hashtag is, unsurprisingly, by far the most used hashtag in Blackpink online conversations over the past twelve months. In second place is 블랙핑크, the Korean spelling for Blackpink.
With their album Born Pink, they debuted at #1 on the Billboard 200 album charts, something that hadn't been accomplished by an all-female group in over a decade. They broke a record on the day of release with over 1 million copies sold, a number no other female artist has ever achieved.
5. Lisa is the most mentioned Blackpink member online
Not only do Blackpink fans like to talk about the band as a group, but they also like to point out the performances and accomplishments of individual band members. And no other member is mentioned as much as Lisa.
Of all the online posts since 2016 that mention at least one Blackpink member by name, 42% talk about Lisa. That's an impressive number.
Looking at online conversations over the past 12 months, the ranking shifted, and Jennie climbed to second place as the most mentioned Blackpink member.
6. They are the first K-pop group to headline Coachella
Coachella is one of the most popular music festivals in the world, and a lot of attention is paid to who will perform and who will attend. With celebrities and influencers crowding the festival grounds every year, getting a spot in the lineup means you are at the top of the music world.
2023 was not the first time Blackpink performed at the festival. In 2019, they became the first female K-pop group to perform at Coachella, and in 2023, they not only performed there, but were the headliners. This makes them the first K-pop band to do so. It was the most streamed live show on YouTube in the history of Coachella with 250 million viewers.
7. Black heart is Blackpink love
The black heart emoji 🖤 is the most used emoji in Blackpink conversations. In over 11 million posts, fans share their love with the black heart emoji.
The second most popular emoji is the fire emoji, which is used by fans to praise artists' performances, outfits, and brand collaborations. The "loud crying face" emoji, in third place, isn't just used in sad conversations. While there are mentions of fans sharing their sadness about not being able to attend a concert or Blackpink not winning an award, the emoji is mainly used to express excitement.
What are the most used emojis by Blackpink members? Breaking down the conversations, there are some differences.
The black heart emoji is also the number one emoji when fans talk about Jennie and Rosé. The growing heart emoji is the most used emoji in Jisoo conversations, and fans talking about Lisa like to use the fire emoji.
8. Blackpink fans are Gen Z and female
Blackpink fans have their own name: Blink. A combination of the first and last letters of Blackpink. The Blink fandom is very vocal, as we have already seen, and according to online data, they share some characteristics:
- 75% of people talking about Blackpink on X are female.
- 67% of online mentions on Reddit and X come from Gen Z, followed by 28% of mentions from Millennials.
- Most of the followers of their Instagram and YouTube accounts are from Indonesia.
- On Instagram, their followers' interests are music, friends and family, and fashion.
- Blackpinks’ posts on Instagram get over 884,000 likes and on YouTube over 2.1 million views on average.
9. Blackpink are fashion icons
Blackpink are fashion icons, which is no surprise since fashion is one of the biggest interests of their fans. Be it creative outfits for their music videos or performances, or the clothes they wear on their way to the airport or an event: their looks are constantly being shared and praised on social media.
Let's look at the biggest fashion events. When Jennie attended the Met Gala this year, she became the second most mentioned celebrity in online conversations. All the members of Blackpink attended fashion week shows earlier this year and received many mentions. Lisa was the most talked-about celebrity, and her appearance at the Louis Vuitton shows was the moment that caused the highest spike in online conversations.
10. Brands love working with Blackpink
Wherever they go, they make a big splash online, so it's no wonder that brands love working with Blackpink. They have an impressive list of some of the biggest brands. Luxury brands in particular love the girl group members as brand ambassadors, and having them wearing and promoting their latest designs is always guaranteed to increase sales. Blackpink is a powerhouse. In addition to their successful band, they all have solo careers and have ventured into the world of the movie industry. So, it's no wonder that they've all managed to amass an impressive net worth.
Here is their net worth by member:
- Jisoo: $29m
- Lisa: $28m
- Jennie: $23m
- Rosé: $20m
Jisoo tops the list with an impressive net worth of $29 million. Although she isn't the most talked about member online, she was able to garner this impressive figure because she also has a successful acting career, with one of her biggest roles in the K-drama Snowdrop. In second place is Lisa, who also has acting experience and recently landed a role in the third season of The White Lotus.
Why brands should collaborate with K-pop bands
K-pop is the winning formula for brands when it comes to celebrity collaborations. They have a huge and engaged following that pays attention to what products and brands their idols endorse.
It is a huge opportunity for brands to reach Gen Z and bring their brands to a younger audience. As we have seen with recent fashion events, the members of Blackpink have been some of the most mentioned celebrities, giving the designers they wore a huge amount of reach online.