Influencers Who Are Rebranding Correctly in 2026

Cover Design by Claire Abbo

Influencers Who Are Rebranding Correctly in 2026

By: Tess Tillman

It’s no secret that the best part of starting a new year is the self-rebranding process: new goals, creating vision boards, and receiving a clean slate. Though we have only just started the second chapter of 2026, influencers across all social platforms have brought their A-game for their new-year rebrands. Popular faces across a range of departments – marketing, television, social media, and more – have announced what they have up their sleeves to elevate their personal brands. From Alix Earle to Kim Kardashian, consumers have a lot to be ready for in the world of creative campaigns and never-before-seen products.

On January 21st of this year, social media star Alix Earle released news of her family’s new reality TV-style show on Netflix. Suspicions of an Earle family production have been circulating for what feels like years, and now it is finally happening. Further details have yet to be posted, but her “day in my life” TikTok videos provide bits and pieces of exciting upcoming projects. After her big break on Dancing With the Stars, Earle was able to expand her audience and gain a lot more attention across a wider range of demographics. Another big addition to the Netflix roster is fan favorite Jake Shane’s Therapuss podcast, one of 50 new podcasts joining the streaming platform. According to Deadline Hollywood, a digital magazine focused on the entertainment industry, Shane is collaborating with Netflix in hopes to “push into [video] podcasts” and shine more light on the talk-show filming style (deadline.com).

With the rise of TikTok stars being categorized as celebrities and taken more seriously, brands have picked up what Gen Z consumers respond to and have transitioned into the realm of unserious marketing. As a young consumer of all things media, I can say that it’s working. Last year’s Super Bowl ads featured dozens of familiar Gen Z faces, such as Noah Beck, Jake Shane, Alix Earle, and Love Island’s Rob Rausch. This time of year is huge for brands that want to stand out through their commercial marketing, make a statement about their new products, and have fun doing it. Clips of this year’s Super Bowl commercials have already started circulating social media platforms; Fanatics Sportsbook centered on Kendall Jenner and the internet-coined “Kardashian Kurse,” PepsiCo has started a friendly feud by stealing Coca-Cola’s polar bear mascot, and Sabrina Carpenter has joined with Pringles in a witty way that complements her personal aesthetic. Hell, even Harry Styles has come back!

Now for the big question on everyone’s lips: what are the fashion predictions for 2026? In 2025, we had the comeback of capris, ballet flats, and lots of polka dots. Brands like Paige Lorenze’s Dairy Boy, Lucky Brand, NikeSKIMS, and even Ralph Lauren have made bold marketing statements reflecting how they want to perform in the new year. Since COVID, loungewear and athleisure industries have stepped up their game – companies like Set Active, Beyond Yoga, and Alo consistently drop unique styles and patterns for every type of consumer. Kim Kardashian’s new expansion company with Nike, NikeSKIMS, is releasing chic performance silhouette pieces and tapped Thai popstar LISA for their ballerina-themed campaign (youtube.com). It’s been known that Kardashian knows how to execute a fabulous marketing campaign, and this one is no exception. This is the company’s second major activewear launch since its debut collection in September of 2025, so marketing to their intended audience is a crucial goal. By using LISA, NikeSKIMS is communicating to both consumers and LISA's fans that she approves of the merchandise and is subconsciously pushing her fanbase to support her interests.

Newer brands to the market, like Paige Lorenze’s Dairy Boy and NYC influencer twin duo Brigette and Danielle Pheloung’s Phe Phe, are making a splash with their consistent social media content and unique graphics. Dairy Boy is primarily recognized for their camo print sweat sets, and Lorenze’s newest collection, inspired by lush greens and wetlands, presents the Dairy Boy camo in a chocolate brown colorway. Social media has already gone crazy for the newcampaign videos posted on the brand’s Instagram page, and the collection has almost sold out. When it comes to newer brands with limited, unique collections, the announcement is everything.

What these two brands have done incredibly well at the start of this year is organizing their content calendars so as to stir excitement and suspense from their audiences before the actual collection drops. Phe Phe, created in November of 2025, is an up-and-coming influencer-owned loungewear brand founded by identical twins Brigette and Danielle. Between the girls, they have a steady following of fashion-focused viewers ready to support their endeavors. Shortly before announcing their brand, the sisters started a joint YouTube channel to provide followers with a more detailed insight into their daily lives. Gaining cross-platform popularity was the first step to their personal rebrands, with the subtle clues of their brand announcement being the second. Secretly wearing pieces in TikToks and dropping hints in YouTube videos sparked online conversations about what the twins might be up to. Their newest Valentine’s Day campaign, including waffle-knit sweats and promoted with breakfast food imagery, encapsulates the idea of waking up on a cold, February morning to a cozy yet chic loungeset.

With the rise of TikTok stars being categorized as celebrities and taken more seriously, brands have picked up what Gen Z consumers respond to and have transitioned into the realm of unserious marketing. As a young consumer of all things media, I can say that it’s working. Last year’s Super Bowl ads featured dozens of familiar Gen Z faces, such as Noah Beck, Jake Shane, Alix Earle, and Love Island’s Rob Rausch. This time of year is huge for brands that want to stand out through their commercial marketing, make a statement about their new products, and have fun doing it. Clips of this year’s Super Bowl commercials have already started circulating social media platforms; Fanatics Sportsbook centered on Kendall Jenner and the internet-coined “Kardashian Kurse,” PepsiCo has started a friendly feud by stealing Coca-Cola’s polar bear mascot, and Sabrina Carpenter has joined with Pringles in a witty way that complements her personal aesthetic. Hell, even Harry Styles has come back!

After the seemingly constant online whiplash throughout 2025, this new year is appearing much more promising. Influencers are showing up for their followers in extreme ways, creating endless dates to mark our calendars for and look forward to. As both viewers and consumers, it’s exciting to see how different teams create media projects and pieces that will shape our generation’s defining popular culture moments. The new year rebrand is a serious science, and – knock on wood – influencers and their brands appear to have studied the material to ace the 2026 test.

https://deadline.com/2026/01/therapuss-with-jake-shane-48-hours-podcast-netflix-1236690355/

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=65B_GoV-qoE

https://www.newsweek.com/super-bowl-2026-commercials-full-list-11457845