As a model and social media influencer, every contributor has to cultivate a niche. There are so many lanes to choose from in order to grab people’s attention, and the people who are able to drive momentum in things like fitness, fashion, food, and entrepreneurship have to position themselves front and center. Even four or five years ago it was still normal to be “just a model,” but now the field is so competitive that a person has to be multi-faceted. This new profession as an influencer has opened up the flood gates to let individuals pursue and share their true passions with a widespread audience.
The conventional idea of a model as we knew it is dead and gone. The concept is still floating around out there, but the birth of the influencer is king in today’s world. Donny Savage understands this first hand, as he has been at the forefront of the rapid transition in the modeling world. “I knew I was too short to be a runway model,” he said, “plus it just never interested me at all. I wanted to take a different approach and create a brand for myself.” The chocolate teaser videos worked as launchpad for Donny to tackle other passions like food and fashion. He was able to create his own lane and push his own interests as an influencer.
It All Began With Chocolate
Back in 2015, Donnell Blaylock Jr., aka Donny Savage, made his mark on the internet when he seductively ate a Hershey’s Chocolate candy bar in slow motion. The 17-second video went viral in 24 hours with over 2.5 million views. He produced a series of other viral “teaser videos” to melt women’s hearts on social media, and the demand for his unique brand continued to escalate. His catalog of quick teaser videos always incorporated food paired with his one-of-a-kind flirtatious antics.
It’s typical for a model to want to be signed by a major modeling or talent agency at some point, but the shift over the last couple of years has given the influencer the ability to be his or her own powerhouse. At one point, Donny thought being a model and getting cast for a leading role in a music video for a major artist was his ticket. He said, “That was huge for me three years ago, because it was the birth of my career—and it literally all started with eating chocolate. My influence didn’t really hit me until I saw a bunch of women purchasing chocolate bars because of me; and guys inquiring about my wardrobe. It sparked a drive in me.”
The Perfect Transition
Fashion really exemplifies how a person feels on the outside. It also makes a person feel good on the inside. They go together in perfect harmony. Donny has always as had a good sense of fashion—as his social media platforms demonstrate—but fashion alone was not fulfilling. “It’s cool when you’re known for something, but it’s even better when you cross-market and merge it with another interest of yours. For me, that just so happened to be another passion of mine: food.”
“My trip to London in the spring of 2018 is what really generated this whole idea of combining food and fashion in a creative way,” he explains. “These are two industries that will never disappear, so I’m like, let me go on adventures for the best food while pushing the limits of fashion. How cool is it to experience some the best food in the world and be able to provide recommendations to a community? How cool is it to be able to influence your followers with your own fashion sense and where to shop for it? I just enjoy doing both simultaneously. I just needed a name for the concept: Big Savage Eatz.”
Position Yourself in the Game
In order to play the game, you have to position yourself as a player in the game. The fashion niche and the foodie niche both have their own communities, so it’s up to the influencer to get into the mix to make the right connections and contribute. Jonathan Cheban or “FoodGod” has positioned himself as the top food influencer in the world, and he draws heavily on his marketing background his experience in reality TV. It’s the perfect example of being a key player in your niche. Sticking to your guns but being authentic is the way to go.Big Savage Eatz is Donny Savage, and vice versa.
His goal is to push awareness of the best food and latest fashion trends as one. He’s linked his 21 Buttons account to his Instagram account so that his followers will know exactly where to shop for his looks. It’s a selfless gesture to share as much free, informative content with an audience to build rapport. He’s also working on a website to keep his supporters up to date as a one-stop-shop for his food and fashion shenanigans. Coming soon!