CAREERS CORNER: What happens when brands fail their influencers
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Madelain Roscher, crisis communications expert and CEO of PR Worx talks about how It’s been two weeks since fashion brand Balenciaga first launched its holiday horror “Gift Collection” advertising campaign, featuring disturbing images of young children holding handbags in the shape of teddy bears wearing bondage gear.
The outrage that followed still shows no sign of abating despite the company immediately removing the images from its social media and issuing multiple apologies for their grievous errors which hypersexualised young children.
Due to her delayed response and refusal to cut ties with Balenciaga, Kim Kardashian's personal brand has taken a severe knock simply by association.
As a long-time brand ambassador for the company, Kardashian wore a stand-out faceless Balenciaga gown to the 2021 Met Gala and even walked the runway for their July fashion show in Paris. Although she had no input into this particular campaign’s faux pas, it was inevitable that audiences would look to her to condemn the campaign and take a firm stance against the sexualisation of children and child pornography.
Instead, her poor crisis planning, and weak responses have received widespread criticism, enveloping her in the ongoing public backlash.
So, while many have spoken about the potential dangers of influencer marketing, what should you do when it is the other way around, and your personal brand as an influencer is negatively impacted by the actions of others?
The outrage that followed still shows no sign of abating despite the company immediately removing the images from its social media and issuing multiple apologies for their grievous errors which hypersexualised young children.
Due to her delayed response and refusal to cut ties with Balenciaga, Kim Kardashian's personal brand has taken a severe knock simply by association.
As a long-time brand ambassador for the company, Kardashian wore a stand-out faceless Balenciaga gown to the 2021 Met Gala and even walked the runway for their July fashion show in Paris. Although she had no input into this particular campaign’s faux pas, it was inevitable that audiences would look to her to condemn the campaign and take a firm stance against the sexualisation of children and child pornography.
Instead, her poor crisis planning, and weak responses have received widespread criticism, enveloping her in the ongoing public backlash.
So, while many have spoken about the potential dangers of influencer marketing, what should you do when it is the other way around, and your personal brand as an influencer is negatively impacted by the actions of others?
