This case study covers SushiVid's influencer campaign for SHEIN's 8.8 online sale. You will see the KOL mix and results, and the three things SHEIN does well that any brand can learn from: generous products, carousels used as catalogues, and strong global hashtags.
About the campaign
As of October 2020, SHEIN was the world's largest fast fashion company. Working on SHEIN's campaigns was a first for SushiVid with a truly global, influencer-centric brand, and the results were outstanding.
The campaign promoted SHEIN's 8.8 online sale. Each influencer received a 15% promo code to share with their followers. SushiVid runs promo code campaigns often and was never very optimistic about them, but for SHEIN it really worked. It was the first time in SushiVid's (then) 6 years of influencer marketing that it saw results like these.
Campaign results
| Metric | Result |
|---|---|
| Total KOLs | 13 KOLs with 1,500,000 followers combined |
| KOL mix | 2 Alpha (over 300,000 followers); 2 Macro (100,000–300,000 followers); 3 Mid-tier (50,000–100,000 followers); 6 Micro (under 50,000 followers) |
| Engagement rate | 5% average, against an expected 2% |
| Saves and shares | 4,600 |
| Link clicks | 3,000 |
Likes and comments were strong, but the standout was the very high number of saves and shares. Link clicks were also impressive. SushiVid did not receive conversion data, but SHEIN came back for another campaign, which suggests it performed well.
3 things we learned from SHEIN
1. Provide products generously
When influencers receive a wide variety of products, they have plenty of material, and the content becomes visually rich. In this campaign, some KOLs posted up to 10 photos in one Instagram Carousel, the maximum allowed at the time. Some also made extra Stories because they were already dressed up for an outfit. SHEIN got more Stories than it asked for.
This may not suit brands with only a few, very high-end products. But the lesson holds: invest in a good PR kit.
2. Use the Instagram Carousel as a catalogue
SHEIN understands how Instagram works. It had a pool of influencers post many different pieces in catalogue style. Because SHEIN has such a large range, each influencer could show items that suited their own audience.
SHEIN then used the caption space for product information. That led to many saves, because people who wanted to buy the items saved the post. SushiVid usually recommends short, on-point captions, but the lesson here is to write a useful caption. When a caption adds value, people happily save the content.
3. Build global hashtags and your own account
At the time, #SHEIN had over 5.9 million posts and #SHEINGALS had over 1.3 million posts. SHEIN's official account, @sheinofficial, had over 25.3 million followers.
Using these hashtags and tagging the brand let the influencers' content tap into SHEIN's account and hashtag audiences. That also made the collaboration much more appealing to influencers. The takeaway: keep a consistent hashtag and invest in your own social media.
Key takeaways for your next campaign
- Promo code campaigns can work when the products and content are strong.
- Measure saves, shares and link clicks, not only likes and comments.
- Give creators enough product variety to make rich, multi-image content.
- Treat captions as useful shopping information, not just a slogan.
- A consistent brand hashtag and a strong brand account make every influencer post work harder.
Run a fashion or e-commerce influencer campaign
SushiVid plans and manages influencer campaigns for e-commerce and fashion brands in Malaysia, from KOL selection to promo code tracking. See influencer marketing for brands or read more SushiVid case studies.
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Frequently asked questions
How did SHEIN's 8.8 influencer campaign in Malaysia perform?
13 KOLs with 1.5 million followers combined delivered a 5% average engagement rate (against an expected 2%), 4,600 saves and shares, and 3,000 link clicks. SHEIN came back for another campaign.
Why do SHEIN's influencer posts get so many saves?
Influencers post several items catalogue-style in Instagram Carousels, and the captions carry product information. People who want to buy the items save the post to find them later.
What can other brands learn from SHEIN's influencer marketing?
Provide products generously, use the carousel as a catalogue with useful captions, and keep a consistent brand hashtag while investing in your own social media account.