YouTube fashion and beauty vlogger Bethany Mota, who has 8.4 million followers on the Google video site, has invested an undisclosed stake in BeautyCon, which is looking to grow beyond its roots as a live conference into a media brand.
Mota, who was one of the YouTubers who recently interviewed President Obama after his State of the Union address, was a big draw at the 2014 BeautyCon in Los Angeles. She’s also been featured in ad campaigns from YouTube, and has a deal with Aeropostale for her own branded line of clothing, accessories and perfumes.
“I’ve seen up close that the BeautyCon team puts the fans first and creates the sense of home for me, a place where I can feel comfortable to be myself and talk to the fans in a truly authentic way,” Mota said in a statement.
Other investors in BeautyCon include Hearst Corp.; Queensbridge Venture Partners; Rachel Zoe Ventures; Jay Brown, CEO of Jay Z’s Roc Nation; Kevin Hertz; and CAA.
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BeautyCon, launched in 2012, is aimed at 16- to 24-year-old females, concentrating on digital creators and communities focused on that audience.
L.A.-based BeautyCon is launching an online content destination with content curated from YouTube, Instagram and other services. The company’s upcoming live events are set for London, May 23; Los Angeles, July 11; New York, Oct. 17; and Dubai in November.
In addition, the company has launched the BFF Fan Club, a membership-based subscription service priced at $99 per year, offering members exclusive gift packs with curated BeautyCon items distributed four times per year, as well as other perks such as social-media shout-outs from content creators and contests and giveaways for meet-ups, concerts and movie premieres.
“We are thrilled to be able to give content creators the unique opportunity to connect with their fans in an authentic way and continue to bring this culturally integrated content experience to fans at our global events and now through our new website and membership program,” said Moj Mahdara, CEO of BeautyCon. “We understand this target and these content creators, and we know they are a powerful new force in the consumer culture.”
