For a long time, celebrity-endorsed advertisements have been the primary medium of marketing campaigns. However, influencer marketing has picked up over the years. Unlike conventional celebrity-endorsed advertisements, influencer marketing allows for the generation of genuine and authentic content that will resonate with your targeted audience.
With that being said, whether you are a global brand looking to enter the Southeast Asia (SEA) market or an individual looking to expand your social media following, we have compiled an diverse range of SEA influencers that you should keep your eyes on.
Top SEA influencer #1: Joe Putra
Hailing from Thailand is Joe Putra, a fashion influencer and brand owner with more than 22 thousand followers on Instagram. With a mixed heritage of Malaysian, Indonesian, and Thai, Joe fills his social media with feeds relating to fashion and lifestyle. His female and LGBTQ+ fans are often blessed with posts of him baring his muscular physique. Besides sharing snippets of his lifestyle, Joe owns a fashion brand called IOSEF that specialises in premium Pima cotton tee for men, which his followers often see him wearing in his posts.
Top SEA influencer #2: Thanis Lim
Thanis Lim is one of Brunei’s top lifestyle, travel, and food influencers, with over 102 thousand followers on Instagram. His social media feed is typically filled with various eateries and restaurant openings in Brunei, as well as travel recommendations in countries that he has visited. If you are wondering how credible his recommendations are, you will be surprised to know that Thanis has won several food-related accolades, such as winning the Gourmand Award in 2021, as well as four cooking contests over the years. Thanis has also been featured in various radio broadcasts, newspapers, and magazines. Following his guide and recommendations will definitely not go wrong.
Top SEA influencer #3: Nicole Chen
Nicole Chen is a beauty, fashion, and dance content creator from Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. Despite being an active content creator, Nicole works full-time at Fella Urban, a furniture retailer, as an online marketer and social media strategist during the day and a dance instructor during the night. With over 28 thousand followers on Instagram, she is one of Malaysia’s rising micro-influencers, building a pool of loyal audiences with her well-curated feed. She typically shares posts related to her latest travels, fashion styling, and beauty tips.
Top SEA influencer #4: Christabel Chua
Known by her online moniker, bellywellyjelly, Christabel is one of Singapore’s most well-known influencers and content creators. With over 293 thousand followers on Instagram, her feed is mostly filled with various fashion and travel-related posts, as well as sponsored ones with various makeup and beauty brands. In fact, her sponsored posts are known to have high saturation rates, making her one of the highly sought-after influencers to work with. Apart from being a content creator and influencer, Christabel is also an entrepreneur, running three online businesses: Kai, which is a novelty lifestyle accessories retail store, Keepsake & Company, which is a personal and corporate gifting business, and CW House, which is an integrated marketing consultancy.
Top SEA influencer #5: Barbie Piyamarth
Actress, model, singer, and beauty influencer. Barbie Piyamarth certainly is a social influencer with many talents. Not only that, but she also won Miss International Laos in 2018. With over 131 thousand followers on Instagram, it is easy to see why she is so popular. She certainly is a living Barbie doll with her sharp and porcelain-like features. Her feed is filled with various OOTDs and partnered posts, from small businesses to big brands.
Conclusion
These five influencers are certainly the future of marketing in Southeast Asia. With their quality and engaging content, whether you are a global brand looking to enter the SEA market or an individual looking to expand your social media following, following them will not go wrong.
