How To Make It Easy For Brands to Work With You

As influencer marketers working with some of the biggest brands in the beauty and lifestyle spaces, we work with hundreds and hundreds of diverse creators across social media every year. 

If you are looking to level up your game as an influencer or content creator, or wondering how to stand out in the crowd as a brand partner, here are some tips from members of the Agency Guacamole Accounts team:

Alexa, Manager, PR & Influencer Partnerships

Include Your Email In Your Profile’s Bio

“I can’t even count the number of times we’ve wanted to reach out to a creator and their email address is nowhere to be found, which forces the team to reach out via the black hole of the DM requests inbox! You can help make this process easier by including your email in your social profile’s bio!

“Additionally – and this is an insider tip – the email box on your Instagram profile only shows up on the mobile app, and influencer partnership teams are often working from computers, so if you can help us avoid looking up your profile on our computer and our phone by having your email in your bio, the greater the likelihood is that we’ll reach out to you!”

Cassie, Creative Project Manager

Communication is Key

“Make sure you’re staying on top of your emails and responding in a timely manner. Brands and agency partners are more likely to keep you in mind for future campaigns when we know your communication is consistent and timely, as it makes for smooth campaigns. And don’t hesitate to ask any and all questions – we’re here to help and want the process to run smoothly for all parties!”

Savanna, Senior Manager, Influencer Partnerships & Content

Location, Location, Location

“We’re not just casting for digital campaigns but also for content shoots, brand events and in-store experiences. Always make sure your location is in your bio or your content. No matter how much I stalk, if I can’t find your location easily, I skip and go to the next person when casting for an event. 

“Another tip is to create content in your city! We use TikTok as a search engine, so when casting for brand events, I usually search things like “Los Angeles content creator” to help find creators who live in the city we’re casting in.”

Sara, Senior Manager, PR & Influencer Partnerships

Organic Content is Everything

“If you love a brand, make sure you’re posting about them organically! When we are researching creators to work with, something we always look for is organic social love for the brands we work with. If a creator has already shown interest and support for a brand, this makes a paid partnership feel more authentic. Authenticity is important and brands love working with creators who align with their values and actually like/use their products.”

Gabe, Assistant Director, Operations

A phone number is the cherry on top of your mailing address!

“You included your street address – good. You included your apartment number – great! But what happens when you’ve done everything right and the driver still can’t find your place? Well, without a phone number, your shipment goes into Package Purgatory! Make sure to provide a phone number for easy delivery communications if they arise.

 “Additionally, if you provide your email address for a shipment, we can register you for email alerts on your package so you can have the peace of mind of knowing exactly what is going on with your goods as they’re headed to you.”

Agency Guacamole’s Big Day Out: Disneyland Edition

Sometimes we need to take a step away for a day out to refuel our creative juices, and what better way to do that than a fun day at Disneyland? For Agency Guacamole’s second annual team outing, the team grabbed their Minnie ears and headed down to Disneyland to experience a day full of magic. 

Photo Cred: Danyi, Influencer Partnerships Manager 

Despite rain being in the forecast, we did not let that stop us from having fun! The team enjoyed both Disneyland and Disney California Adventure Parks, where we rode several rides and ate all the snacks Disneyland has to offer.

We caught up with a few team members to see what their favorite parts of the day were: 

Sara, Senior Manager, PR and Influencer Partnerships 

“Disney with the AG team was so much fun! The park was already decorated for the holidays and it felt very festive. The highlight of the day for me was when we went on the Matterhorn and of course, the obligatory churro.”

Erin, Assistant Manager, PR & Influencer Partnerships

“I haven’t been to Disneyland since I was 13, so it was amazing (and nostalgic) to go back! My favorite part of the day was experiencing the rides I went on years ago. I would say my inner child was very happy that day!” 

Alexa, Manager, PR & Influencer Partnerships

"Despite the rain, I had a great time with Team AG! I loved the scavenger hunt! We had a few prompts throughout the day, instructing us to take a photo with or of certain items and through our participation, we gained entries into a giveaway! This prompt asked us to take a photo with any of Disneyland's holiday ears (Which was no problem for me as I bought a pair as soon as I got to the park!)!"

Samantha, Vice President of Accounts

“I loved going on the Cars ride while wearing my sparkly Minnie Mouse ears! My daughter loves Minnie Mouse, so she was so excited when I came home with it!”

Adriana, Executive Assistant and Office Manager

“Our company outing to Disneyland was so much fun! Always a great time hanging out with our amazing team. Participating in the scavenger hunt prompts was also fun, trying to hunt down a mailbox at Disneyland was a little harder than I expected. Overall 10/10 and I can’t wait for next year!”

Cassie, Creative Project Manager

“My favorite part of this day was by far the holiday decorations. I walked around in the evening on Main Street, hot chocolate in hand, taking photos as the rainy sidewalk reflected all the beautiful lights. Truly the magic of Disney.”    

Fall is Here! What Products Team AG is Loving Right Now

With the transition into the fall season, beauty and grooming routines tend to shift to accommodate changing weather and social media trends. From changing color trends and the products required to manage those colors, to adding more hydration as the temperatures drop and the air dries out, to new product launches that you just HAVE to try, there’s always room for a new product (or 10!) in your daily routine.

Beauty routines are ever-evolving, especially among our beauty-obsessed staff with access to so many great beauty clients on our roster. Below, some of our team members share their favorite products as we transition into Fall:

Cassie, Creative Project Manager

“Fall is one of my favorite seasons – from the layered fashion to cozy home décor and ever so popular pumpkin spice lattes, I’m obsessed. And this season, I decided to try something new and go auburn red; the trendy cowboy copper has been circulating my socials and I’ve officially been influenced. The color is inviting, warm, sultry –  it’s giving Taylor Swift in her Folklore era. To keep my hair looking vibrant and shiny and to extend my color, I’ve been using Redken’s Color Extend Magnetics collection. It’s been a must-have in my new hair care routine and smells absolutely amazing!”

Savanna, Senior Manager, Influencer Partnerships & Content

“My hair and skin tend to get more dry as the temperatures drop, and I’m loving Matrix’s new Food For Soft shampoo and conditioner to add that much-needed moisture back into my hair. For skin I’ve been into cleansing balms as a gentle and moisture-packed makeup removal solution. My favorites right now are the Superberry Dream Cleansing Balm by Youth to the People and Cicaluronic Cleansing Balm by Mizon.”

Erin, Assistant Manager, PR & Influencer Partnerships

“For my hair, I have been rocking a protective style and Carol's Daughter’s Goddess Strength 7 Blend Hair & Scalp Oil has been my STAPLE to keep my hair healthy! It smells so good and the ingredients leave my hair feeling moisturized to prevent breakage and promote strength. For my makeup, I have been loving the Urban Decay Vice Lip Bond in the shade ‘OG Backtalk.’ It is the perfect transition shade from Summer to Fall and I love the long-lasting, transfer-resistant formula. Also, it's so fun to shake the bottle before applying!” 

Samantha, Vice President, Accounts

“I never go a day without using the Biolage’s All-In-One Multi Benefit Oil – I’m obsessed! It’s very lightweight and boosts my hair color and shine immediately – I also like to use the excess product on my elbows and cuticles. As we transition into fall, I just started using our new client Mizon’s All-In-One Snail Repair Cream! The product is super hydrating and doesn’t leave any oily residue, which is perfect for my combo skin type.”

B.L.N.D. is Back for 7th Annual Panel – Meet our Panelists Genderless Beauty – The Future is Now

B.L.N.D., Agency Guacamole’s annual panel event focused on Beauty, Lifestyle and Nurturing Diversity is back for another year of connection and fresh perspectives from those in our industry.

B.L.N.D started in 2018 and has become an important touchpoint for the beauty/lifestyle industry as it relates to representation and inclusivity, and we’re excited to share this year’s topic: Genderless Beauty – The Future is Now. 

We are so excited to hear from our panelists about their own unique perspectives on and experiences with gender (or the lack thereof) and how they feel brands in the genderless beauty space are connecting with consumers. Read more about each panelist below:

Frederic Chen (he/she/they) – Content Creator

Frederic Chen is a creator who covers everything from beauty, DIYs and decor, to fashion hauls. Frederic has spoken at length about their experience with gender and sexuality with their online community. Frederic is known for their series called “Making Up My Mind on ___,” where they do their makeup while discussing topics related to LGBTQ+ culture, internet drama and other hot topics.

Gloria Noto (she/they) – Pro MUA and Brand Owner

Gloria Noto has been a professional makeup artist since 2006 and is the founder of inclusive, minimalist skincare line @NOTO_Botanics. With Gloria as a member of the LGBTQIA+ community, this all-natural line of edited essentials was created with every body in mind. Noto Botanics reflects the changes she wanted to see in the industry. She wanted to make changes not only in the ingredients, but also in the visual identity and messaging of what wellness and beauty could look and feel like. 

Maebe A. Girl (she/they) – Drag Queen and Politician

Maebe is currently serving as Treasurer and At-Large Representative for the Silver Lake Neighborhood Council in Los Angeles. Upon her election in 2019, she became the first drag queen elected to public office in the United States. Maebe is responsible for forming the Silver Lake LGBTQIA Advocates Committee and a founding member and serves on the executive committee of the LGBTQ+ Alliance of Los Angeles Neighborhood Councils, which is recognized as the first city-backed initiative for the LGBTQ+ Community in the City of Los Angeles.

Attendees will have the opportunity to mingle with beauty industry execs, content creators, media and generally cool people who want to move this conversation forward.

As with all our B.L.N.D. events, there will be fun adult beverages, brand activations and a make-your-own-gift-bag gifting suite (you heard that right!).

Sign up now to attend via this link as this event is sure to sell out!

Summer Fridays At AG: What Is The Team Up To?

Here at Agency Guacamole, we love summertime. From the sunny weather and perfect days at the beach to weekend trips and an endless supply of brand pop-ups across the city, there is never a shortage of things to do in LA.

From Memorial Day to Labor Day, AG’s employees get to take Summer Fridays, a few Fridays of your choosing where you get to step away from work and enjoy a three-day weekend.  We caught up with some members of Team AG to see what they’ve been up to on their Summer Fridays:

Adriana, Executive Assistant & Office Manager

Adriana spent her Summer Friday with her dog, Tank, hanging out at the pool! Adriana says, "Tanning in the desert sun is only fun in good company. There's no better way to spend a hot summer Friday than with my lover boy Tank."

Samantha, Vice President of Accounts

Sam is a mom and loves sharing all LA has to offer with her daughter and husband. On one of her Summer Fridays, Sam and her family went to The Huntington, LA’s one-stop-shop for gorgeous gardens, art and culture. “I love going to The Huntington – it is a great all-day activity for my daughter who has endless amounts of energy. We always start with the Rose and Japanese Gardens and then take a break for lunch at their café, followed by a stroll around the Desert Garden and Conservatory before driving back home. The Rose Garden Tea Room has just opened up again and I look forward to taking my daughter there one day for a special Mother-Daughter day out.”

Malayah, Assistant Director, Creative Strategy & Partnerships

Malayah and her dog Saint love exploring coffee shops around LA. This Summer Friday, they visited Motoring Coffee in West LA before a shopping trip to the Century City Mall. Malayah says “Try their Matcha Latte with Oat Milk and check out some of the coolest cars in LA!”

Oscar, Operations/Warehouse Director

Oscar’s birthday is in August (shoutout to all the Leos reading this!) and he has made a tradition of going to Laughlin, Nevada to a super-scenic stretch of the Colorado River for his birthday. “I’ve been coming to Laughlin during my birthday month for the past 7 years! I absolutely love it there!”

Alexa, Manager, PR & Influencer Partnerships

Alexa stopped by the Skirball Center in the Valley to view their new exhibit on the Red Scare and how it affected creatives in Hollywood in the 1940s and 1950s. “I’m a bit of a history buff and I love learning about local LA history, so this exhibit was right up my alley. I also enjoyed the Skirball Center Museum exhibit on Ellis Island, which included a life-sized replica of the Statue of Liberty’s hand holding the torch, a symbol of freedom to all who entered the US through that port.”

Erin, Assistant Manager, PR & Influencer Partnerships

Erin took an overnight trip down to the OC in celebration of her best friend's 25th birthday and had some yummy food, relaxed by the pool and sang some tunes at Plush Karaoke Lounge. “Despite the fact that I’m not the best singer, I really enjoyed spending time with my friends at this karaoke lounge! The atmosphere was amazing (I especially loved the touch of pink!) and they had a great selection of songs to choose from. I can’t wait to come back again for another night out!” 

With summer coming to a close, Summer Fridays were the recharge our team needed to start prepping for the rush that comes at the end of the year. What were some of your favorite memories made this summer? Leave us a comment below!

Agency Guacamole Gets a Taste of Barbie-Mania

It’s undeniable that Barbie has become one of the biggest cultural moments of 2023. Everywhere you go right now, it's Barbie-mania!

The team at Agency Guacamole had a chance to enter the Barbie-world, when our client Tangle Teezer announced it was partnering with Barbie to send out a Barbie-inspired mailer–and that AG would get the opportunity to bring this pink-tastic project to life. 

“It seems like everywhere you look these days it’s Barbie time all the time,” noted Agency Guacamole’s Principal and Founder Bilal Kaiser. “I’m beyond thrilled that we were able to partner with our friends at Tangle Teezer to create an experiential mailer moment that connects with beauty creators and Barbie fans alike in a fun, quirky way.”

Physical mailers are a big part of many brands' influencer marketing strategy. At AG, we know the value a well-executed mailer can bring to a brand campaign–we send out thousands of mailers and sampler boxes across our clients to support new launches and special moments. With more and more brands looking to be seen on social media and stand out when connecting with editors, creating a unique package with thoughtfully curated contents is key to ensuring that you won’t fall flat.

Leading the Tangle Teezer x Barbie Mailer campaign was Danyi Zhang, our Influencer Partnerships Manager. Danyi has worked on a ton of mailer campaigns, but this project has been extra special just due to the attention Barbie is getting right now. 

“Leading this Tangle Teezer x Barbie mailer project has been an incredibly rewarding experience,” noted Danyi. “The team was inspired by the classic Barbie doll packaging and wanted to recreate a mailer box that exudes nostalgia and captures the essence of Barbie’s iconic image.”  

The Tangle Teezer x Barbie mailer resulted in a gorgeous box that resembled the well-known Barbie packaging, making it possible for recipients to see exactly what they were getting due to the “window” feature, just like a Barbie doll box. 

The boxes were sent to a range of social media influencers across categories, with each package containing a variety of Tangle Teezer products plus two Tangle Teezer x Barbie Detangling brushes. With so many influencers wanting to be a part of the Barbie moment and being true fans of Tangle Teezer, AG has already seen how this labor of love is connecting with influencers. 

“So far, we’ve received great feedback from our mailer recipients, and we were thrilled to see all the exciting social content surrounding this collaboration,” added Danyi. 

Check out some of the love on social for the Barbie x Tangle Teezer collab below:

@fancylikegracie

@essie.michelle

@mariaaamarzullo

Seven Things We Are Looking Forward To This Year

AG’s seventh year in business has begun and we’re already in full swing – organizing events, planning influencer marketing campaigns and pitching out brand news and new product launches. 

As we celebrate the year ahead, here are 7 things we are looking forward to most in 2023.

Lucky Number 7! - Team Agency Guacamole

Started by our Founder and Principal Bilal Kaiser in 2016, Agency Guacamole turns seven this year! Over the past seven years, Bilal has grown the business into a top-tier, award-winning PR and communication services agency, working with some of the biggest brands in the beauty and lifestyle space, including Redken, Baxter of California, Urban Decay and Equinox to name a few. Agency Guacamole has been recognized with numerous industry awards, including from The PR Net, Bulldog Reporter and Hermes, among others. With seven years of memorable client headlines, unique events and captivating influencer campaigns, this is only the beginning for AG!

B.L.N.D. 2023 - Bilal, Founder & Principal

“We started B.L.N.D. back in 2018 because we saw a need for more voices in the industry from different communities: people of color, LGBTQ+, differently abled and any other underrepresented group. Our goal with this event has always been to create a conversation around the challenges people face in the beauty industry and celebrate the opportunity to be inspired by different voices that we do not always get to hear from.”

Last year was our biggest B.L.N.D. event so far and this year, we plan on going even bigger. We can’t wait to share the theme for this year, but for now all we can say is we look forward to continuing the conversation.

Putting Wellness First - Erin, Assistant Manager, PR & Influencer Partnerships

“I am looking forward to continuing my wellness journey. This year I have been meal-prepping, going back to the gym and trying other forms of exercise. I fell off a bit last year, but I'm so excited to rediscover my passion for wellness!”

Festival Season - Sara, PR & Influencer Manager

“Festival season is always a fun time, but this year I am really looking forward to the fashion, beauty and new music that has already been teased in the past couple of months. While I am a big music fan, I mostly just love the time with my friends.”

Disney Turns 100 - Alexa, PR & Influencer Manager

“As a regular Disney attendee, I’m excited to see what they have in store for their 100th-year anniversary. The park recently opened Mickey & Minnie’s Runaway Railway and unveiled new nighttime spectaculars at each of the Disneyland Parks, so I can’t wait to go this year and be a part of the anniversary celebrations!”

Summer Travels - Malayah, Sr. Manager, Influencer Partnerships

“I am looking forward to summer so I can travel the world. Planning is key but sometimes being spontaneous is just as fun. So far, I've narrowed down a few of the countries I want to visit but I'm open to letting things come my way. I can't wait for the yachts, champagne and sun this summer!”

New Eats in LA - Samantha, Vice President, Accounts

“One of my favorite restaurants is coming to LA. Atla is opening on Abbot Kinney this spring and I used to go there a lot when I lived in New York. Excited to have a location closer to home!”

Our 2023 Trend Forecast for Beauty Influencer Marketing

In the past few years, influencer marketing has become one of the most powerful marketing tools for brands big and small, as consumers continue to look to their favorite social media personalities for all sorts of recommendations.

Brands have been using influencers with engaged followings on channels such as Instagram, TikTok and Twitch to promote brand initiatives, products and more, capitalizing on the influencer’s credibility to persuade their audience.

While the power of influencer marketing does not seem to be going away anytime soon, the types of content and general feel from consumers around this type of brand advertising continues to change. 

As we get ready for new influencer marketing programs for our beauty clients in 2023, here are some insights from Team AG on what we feel will be important to social users in 2023.

Keeping It Real - Malayah, Sr. Manager, Influencer Partnerships

The pendulum will slightly swing from video back to photos–but with a twist. TikTok has shown it can captivate an audience for hours on end with a mere scroll. With the new expansion of the photos feature, TikTok will soon become bigger competition for Instagram. The photo feature incorporates audio, allowing users to tell a story with their images. This is the main differentiator between TikTok and other platforms.

It’s a better version of the Instagram camera roll dump but with audio to curate a vibe. Consumers crave authenticity and low-lift driven platforms that entertain.

Less Focus on “Likes” - Sara, PR & Influencer Manager

Back in 2019, Instagram introduced the option for users to hide like counts on content. With more and more people prioritizing self-care and mental health, the social channel was applauded by many for moving away from what some feel is one of the most detrimental parts of social media–the chase for approval.

With this in mind, creators and brands have the opportunity to change up their strategies and KPIs for the coming year. Both sides can focus more on creating authentic/transparent experiences for consumers while steering away from sales-focused social media advertising.

Taking Over Pop Culture - Savanna, Sr. Manager, Influencer Partnerships & Content

As we continue to dive deeper into the digital age, more consumers are trying to make social media influencing a full-time career–leading to much saturation in the industry. In the next year, we will see macro and mega influencers start moving into pop culture such as TV, scripted entertainment, modeling, etc. We are seeing it already with influencers like Charli D’Amelio, who is getting her own show on HULU and competing on Dancing With The Stars. As for nano/micro-influencers, we will see them play a heavy role for brands as UGC content creators/paid advertising media models.

Since the influencer space is growing at such a high rate, it will become more difficult for new, aspiring consumers to break into the industry. Those who achieve popularity and status will become even bigger than social media personalities. They will be involved in large-scale events, billboards, becoming the face of a brand, etc.

The Continued Rise of Celebrity/Influencer-Founded Brands - Alexa, PR & Influencer Manager

 As we saw in 2022, celebrities and influencers introduced beauty bands en masse, from Hailey Bieber’s Rhode, to Chloe Morello’s Sireni Beauty, to Kim Kardashian’s SKKN by Kim, to other beauty and wellness brands from those such as Ciara, Brad Pitt, Travis Barker and others. In 2023, this is sure to continue, as celebrities see that their names bring customers in droves and influencers who attend launch parties are sure to talk about a brand if they’ve met its mega-famous founder.

With this increase in celeb and influencer-founded brands, there will likely be an increase in scrutiny of founders who the public feels have never shown an interest in the beauty or wellness industries–and that’s how we’ll see some brands thrive and others slowly retreat.

What do you think will happen in the beauty influencer marketing space in 2023? Tell us in the comments below!

Our Biggest B.L.N.D. Ever!

We started the Beauty, Lifestyle, and Nurturing Diversity (B.LN.D.) initiative in 2018. Our vision is to expand diversity, equity and inclusion in the beauty/lifestyle industry, and our events are  geared toward those working and creating in the beauty and lifestyle industries. 

We’ve held B.L.N.D. events in Los Angeles, New York and Atlanta, as well as virtually in 2020.

This August, we had our biggest B.L.N.D. ever in Los Angeles, our home base. The theme was Beauty Entrepreneurship as an Entrepreneur of Color– and the event sold out twice. We had a phenomenal panel of beauty entrepreneurs along with brand partners and a make-your-own-gift-bag station.

“Everyone we talk to in and out of this industry immediately connects with the vision we shared at that first event in 2018—that it’s not enough to feature a Black person on an Instagram feed in February or a Pride flag in June,” said Agency Guacamole Founder and Principal Bilal Kaiser. “We have to do more in front of and behind the scenes.” 

This year’s panel featured the following four leading beauty entrepreneurs:

• Akilah Releford (@akilahreleford), founder and CEO of Mary Louise Cosmetics

• Margarita Arriagada (@MargaritaArriagada), founder of Valdé Beauty

• Michelle Ranavat (@MichelleRanavat), founder of Ranavat

• Naya Roberts-Smith (@labeautyologist), founder of her own esthetics business

The evening unfolded with light bites and refreshments, including a custom cocktail presented by Hair.com, followed by an incredibly engaging conversation. The panelists shared insights into their experience in the beauty space as entrepreneurs of color–including the value of leaning into your vulnerability. 

Margarita Arriagada shared her experiences around leaving a C-level job to start her own company. “Leaving a successful corporate role to start a brand was very scary and left me feeling vulnerable–but this is the first time in my life that I can feel myself growing.” 

Naya Roberts noted that “you can often feel disadvantaged as a beauty entrepreneur of color, but you have to find your people – the people that root for you and want you to succeed and who will support you at every stage of the journey.”

And there was beauty business advice aplenty, including from Akilah Releford. “As a business owner, it’s incredibly important to be comfortable not getting instant gratification or praise. Learn to celebrate the small victories within yourself.” 

Michelle Ranavat echoed this, telling brand founders to not delay happiness around specific milestones. “Be happy along the journey at every stage. Learning to fail is a skill, and learning to handle failure more and more gracefully over time is such an important skill to have as a successful business owner.”

We have big plans for B.L.N.D. in 2023 and can’t wait to share with you soon. As Bilal said at this year’s event (our 6th!), “Even if we can’t change the world tomorrow we can use our platform and our community—this means you all!—to help change things for the better, one day and one conversation at a time.”

Agency Guacamole Recognized by The PR Net in Its 2nd Annual The PR Net 100

As a PR agency, we’re typically focused on celebrating our client wins, whether that's a great piece of media coverage or a successful influencer campaign. This month, however, we are taking a moment to celebrate an agency win, as Agency Guacamole was recently named to the PR Net 100 list of the top PR firms in the US.

While we are a communications agency that works with a lot of big brands, at heart we are a small business that works hard to bring our clients’ visions to life. We are so excited that our hard work has been recognized by the PR Net.

Launched in 2021, the PR Net 100 recognizes talent, innovation and influence in the very competitive world of PR agencies. Spots on this list are awarded to firms that have shown agility, resilience and a reimagining of the communications business.

"We are so honored to be included on this year's PR Net 100 list," says our Founder and Principal Bilal Kaiser. "It has been a phenomenal year after our fifth anniversary last year and our biggest B.L.N.D. event ever just last month–but this is truly the icing on the cake. What makes this PR Net 100 nod extra special is that we're surrounded by some of the coolest communications firms around–including agencies we partner with and leaders we admire."

As this was the second year for the PR Net 100, the outlet received a large number of nominations from top-tier companies. Winners were selected based on a variety of criteria, including notable long-term clients, recent client wins and company updates such as expansion to new locations, key new hires and new services.

You can check out Agency Guacamole’s listing, along with the full list of honorees here!

As Quoted in: Glossy

The NFL season rolls around in the fall, and with the football season comes one of the biggest musical events of the year: the Super Bowl Halftime Show. In September 2022, it was announced that Rihanna would be the Super Bowl Halftime performer, sending football, music and beauty fans alike into a frenzy. 

Combining one of the most popular sporting events with a globally known superstar into one event has ignited a million hot topics; what will Rihanna wear, what might she play—and the list goes on. But on the brand side, one query keeps popping up: what is Fenty Beauty’s game plan?

Our Principal and Founder Bilal Kaiser spoke with Glossy to share his thoughts on Rihanna’s upcoming Super Bowl performance—and what her Fenty empire might gain from the 2023 show. 

“Done the right way, an organic product-led perspective and music perspective can be tastefully combined as one big pop culture Zeitgeist moment around the Super Bowl.” – Bilal Kaiser

Read the rest of Bilal’s take and Glossy’s story here!

Agency Guacamole Celebrates 5 Years with Company and Capabilities Expansion, 3-City Tour for B.L.N.D. and Limited-Edition Candle Launch

We're turning 5! Check out the press release below to find out what we’ve been up to:

Agency Guacamole, a Los Angeles-based communications agency supporting leading beauty and lifestyle brands, celebrates its fifth year of business and announces the expansion of its company and capabilities; the growth of its Beauty, Lifestyle and Nurturing Diversity (B.L.N.D.) initiative with a national three-city tour; and the introduction of a limited-edition candle scent created as part of the five-year celebration.

“I cannot believe it has been five years of growing brands, producing award-winning events and partnering with influencers and content creators,” said Bilal Kaiser, founder and principal at Agency Guacamole.

“When I started the company in 2016, I wanted to take a new approach to building brands. The vision was to tell a story wherever the consumer was—whatever platform, whatever medium—to build a loyal following. I’m thrilled and honored that we’ve been able to do what we love for five years—and learned so much, especially in 2020—and that we’re able to grow our platform on diversity, inclusivity and representation as a key pillar of who we are as an agency,” he added.

Unlike a traditional PR agency, where creative and strategy lives with the firm and all campaign fulfillment gets outsourced, Agency Guacamole has its own warehouse to handle influencer program execution, sampler box send-outs and mailer fulfillment under one roof. In 2021, the company doubled its office and warehouse footprint at its Los Angeles hub, which in addition to a larger warehouse includes a content studio and additional seating for the growing team.

“The expanded warehouse will allow us to not only grow our partnerships with brands to create fun and engaging influencer campaigns, but our in-house pack-and-ship team can continue closing the loop to actually get our clients’ products to each content partner at scale,” said Kaiser.

“Additionally, with the continued uncertainty around the pandemic, our team can produce turnkey ‘event-in-a-box’ concepts for our retail partners, allowing them to execute small-to-medium scale activations across the country.”

Agency Guacamole’s Beauty, Lifestyle and Nurturing Diversity (B.L.N.D.) initiative, which started in 2018 and has taken place in New York City, Los Angeles and virtually, will go to three cities this year: Atlanta, New York and Los Angeles. The goal is to bring together key opinion leaders, industry execs, content creators/influencers and editors to talk about inclusivity within the beauty industry.

The first event in Atlanta took place on Aug. 31 with the theme of “One Year After 2020, Where Are We Now and Where Do We Need to Go to Make Our Industry More Inclusive?” Moderated by Atlanta-based TV and radio personality Ms. Juicy, the panel was well-rounded with insights from Jayria Woods; Atlanta-based beauty content creator; Olivia Hancock, Byrdie beauty editor and founder of the POC-focused beauty podcast “The Hue Report”; and Cora Miller, founder of the multicutural-focused haircare brand Young King Hair Care

“I’m still on cloud nine after such an amazing event with some of the most hardworking and talented people in the industry,” said Cora Miller, founder of Young King Hair Care, a grooming brand intentionally crafted for young men of color. “Thank you to Agency Guacamole and Bilal Kaiser for bringing us together and putting on an event to highlight and amplify underrepresented voices in the beauty and lifestyle space.”

Over the past five years, Agency Guacamole has been a key partner to top beauty and lifestyle brands, concepting and executing countless successful social media, event, influencer and public relations activations across the country. The LA-based agency’s work has won numerous industry awards including the 2021 #BizBash500 List, Muse Creative Awards, AVA Awards, Hermes Awards and Bulldog PR Awards. Founder Bilal Kaiser received the prestigious Joseph Roos Community Service Award from the Los Angeles Chapter of Public Relations Society of America (PRSA-LA) in 2019.

And in true #TeamAG fashion, which entails expanding the bounds of what a traditional agency is, Agency Guacamole is introducing a limited-edition 5-Year Anniversary Candle created in partnership with LAIT Candles, an LA-based, female-owned artisanal candle company.

“I’ve been collaborating with Agency Guacamole for several years and to say I’m proud of their accomplishments is an understatement,” said Jennifer Rhee, founder and creator of LAIT Candles.

“I’m so grateful that I get to play a part in creating a special, custom candle scent for their five year anniversary. It not only stands out on its own as a delicious fragrance that Bilal and I developed together, but the whole concept underscores how Agency Guacamole is different from other firms—they’re constantly coming with creative concepts to inspire and engage their community.”

The exclusive 5-Year Anniversary Candle was inspired by California, nature and travel, among other things, and has notes of sea salt, damask rose and driftwood. It will be rolled out as part of an exclusive VIP gifting initiative launching in Q4.

With a five-year recap of wins comes a new vision and new goals for the next five years. Coming off the heels of the first of three B.L.N.D. events, a fifth-year celebration and exciting activations and initiatives for our clients underway, Team AG is thrilled to see what the next five years hold.

“We’re incredibly grateful that amidst unprecedented times we’re able to share some good news with our peers, clients and supporters,” Kaiser noted. “The last five years have been quite the journey of growth, and I’m excited to continue the momentum with our community in the years to come.”