The Most Marketable Contestants on Love Island
... and who they should partner with!
Like any hot blooded woman with a TikTok addiction and a dog that she treats as if it came from her own womb, I succumbed to Love Island US this season. I got in late, binged 17 episodes in 2.5 days, and now spend any time I have making content about it. Last week, I went to a bar to watch an episode, it was incredible. It’s singularly the biggest show of the summer, despite rumblings that this cast doesn’t hold a candle to last season. (I disagree but again, this is my first voyage to Love Island.) 🏝
Regardless of people’s thoughts, the show is a launchpad for influencers. Many of the cast are models or have some internet fame, with some accruing over a million followers during their time in the villa. (Go Amaya Papaya, Huda and Jeremiah!) The show’s impact on pop culture cannot be dismissed — they even secured an integration with the new Superman movie as James Gunn himself is a Love Island fan. (I desperately need to interview this man. We have too much in common.)
I’m always envisioning how brands can get in the mix — it’s against my will at this point, engrained in my DNA. Off the top of the dome, I predict SKIMS is gonna round up the cast for a campaign as soon as they leave Fiji. (If they aren’t already working on this, here’s your sign.) And if not the cast, Ariana Madix, who has looked smokin’ this entire season. It’s applause-worthy. I’d love to see more crossover with other NBCU shows — Ace + a Niclandria reunion on season 5 of Traitors sounds like music to my ears. Get tall drinks of water Brian or Chris over to Summer House for a party. (I’d love to see them court my Capricorn queen Cierra.)
CeraVe and Maybelline are current brand sponsors (we see product all over the Glam Suite and Maybelline was just featured in the “Bubble Challenge,” promoting their new mascara), as are InstaCart, Coffee-mate and Cuervo.
There’s a huge opportunity for sunscreen, bodycare and breakfast brands to get involved. (PANCAKES!!!) I personally need to see Starface and CosRX incorporated because the men always get juicy pimples in the Fiji heat and it’s driving me nuts that none of them are doing anything about it!!! I cannot see a whitehead on HD television and not have a deep despire to pop it. Now I’m wondering if they have a groomer on set…
I think Ace1, Chelley, Iris, Pepe, Clarke, Taylor, and Hannah will score all kinds of brand deals once the season is over, but here are the brands I think have the most natural alignment with the most marketable cast members.
Brands mentioned: Glow Recipe, Tower 28, Youth to the People, Raid, Gilette, Kodiak Cakes, Kayali, Duo Lingo, Calm, Falscara, Mother Denim, Timbaland Boots, Instacart, Fenty, One/Size, Kohl’s, American Heart Association
Amaya
Where you’ve seen her before: A Danessa Myricks makeup campaign. In February of this year, Ms. Papaya posted a video BTS from set.
Who Should Partner With Her?
Honestly, everyone. She is the hot commodity this season. And judging by the comments on her last post before she joined the show (she doesn’t have anyone running her account like some of the other contestants), brands like tarte, Benefit, Mejuri, NYX, Juicy Couture, Laser Away, 7Eleven, IT Cosmetics, LiquidIV, Florence by Mills, Jouer, Poppi, Rare Beauty, and Jimmy John’s have all commented their support. Do these brands have the budget? Because it’s going to be a bidding war.
Here’s who I think she should partner with:
Amerian Heart Association. As a nurse and her viral “tackycardic” moment, seems like a match made in cardiac heaven. And bonus, it’s a good cause!
Youth to the People, Glow Recipe. Both have products with papaya in them.
Tower 28. Our “sensitive gangster” is the perfect fit for the brand known for sensitivity.
Duo Lingo. Duo is a staple on social and Amaya has been popular due to her fun personality, which makes them ripe for a coupling. Amaya’s got a penchant for creating her own language with words like “opportunilly” and “gratituilly”; Duo could come up with a fan-favorite course on “how to speak Amaya.”
Huda
Where you’ve seen her before: Online, with 100,000 followers prior to the show airing. She’s now broke a million.
Who Should Partner With Her?
Our Virgo “Crash-Out” Queen has grown a lot this season and I cannot help but root for her. She’s got the “it” factor that has people contiuing to support her week after week, but in and out of the house; it’s why she and Amaya continue to surge in their folllowings.
Kodiak Cakes. Her vocation on the show is “fitness instructor” (although many love to debate this based on her iconic…performances…) and there was the whole pancake drama with Chris. I’d like to see her making some Kodiak Cakes in a bikini. She deserves.
Kayali. She’s already been used in an AI ad! There’s one video going viral on TikTok claiming she wears their brand, however they used AI of her voice to make the claim. (Something similar is happening with a jewelry brand and Jeremiah.) Kayali is the sister brand to Huda Beauty and there could be a fun tongue-in-cheek moment with her and founder Mona Kattan to promote Lovefest Burning Cherry or one of the new vacation fragrances the brand just launched.
Calm app. IYKYK.
Falscara. She’s nothing if not committed to her lashes.
Mother Denim. Huda has one of the most viral moments on the show, when she tells Nic she’s a “mommy.” (“Mamacita?”)
Nic
Where you’ve seen him before: As a model for brands like Kulani Kinis.
Who Should Partner With Him?
Timberland boots. When he and Olandria explored their connection, he was definitely feelings his Timbs, his baggy jeans, his thug appeal.
Instacart. He is well-known for being quick in the… house.
Olandria
Who Should Partner With Her?
One/Size. Her beat is flawless but every makeout results in the other person being marked with her foundation, as evidenced by Nic and Andreina. She needs a good setting powder and setting spray!
The Fenty-verse. IDK, something tells me Rih f*cks with Olandria. Personally, I just want to see her get her bag with Fenty being the distributor of the funds. Get her in a Fenty Beauty, Skin or Hair campaign! Even Savage Fenty would be a hit — she’s got a beautiful body, too.
Gillette. Olandria deserved better this season and I think we can all agree we wish she saw her true value versus hanging around for a man who clearly did not want what she had to offer. In a partnership with Gillette, she’s shaving her legs and ruminating on how she really is the prize, incorporating the brand’s tagline, “The Best a Man Can Get.” Or the brand could pair her with their Venus offering and bring back the iconic “I’m Your Venus” marketing from the early millennium… she’s certainly the desire an entire internet fanbase.
Jeremiah
Where you’ve seen him before: Model for brands like New Balance, True Religion, even Kohl’s. (Kohl’s was so quick with it. A+ to their social team.)
Who Should Partner With Him?
First of all, swoon. This is a beautiful man who has a great personality and seems to have a good head on his shoulders too. What I really like is that apparently he’s a big reader!
A pest brand. Jeremiah was fighting off pests right and left on the show and they ultimately got him dumped from the island. This is a chance for some pest brand like Raid to have their social moment.
Which brands do you think should partner with which islanders?
It should be noted that while I considered Ace public enemy #1 on the show for a long period of time, one of his Instagram Lives popped up for me and I fully get him now. He’s hilarious and I hope he thrives — he definitely needs to be on a season of Traitors soon. Get on it, NBCU!
This is brilliant.
Love it! I just wrote a piece on love island too. Yall check it out if you love a little psych debrief and id love to dish on your thoughts 😍❣️🏝