Given the immense power the biggest influencers can weld, the brands that partner with them should have an escape plan in place should a massive scandal blow up in their face. I spoke with Justin Kline, cofounder and COO of influencer marketing technology partner Markerly, in order to learn more about the way a brand sees an influencer… and what that means about how an influencer should handle them.
When Should a Brand Drop an Influencer?
When a brand drops their partnership, it’s likely due to their customers’ response to a scandal. In the worst examples, brands may decide that positioning themselves against an influencer is their best option: Read more about how social influencers impact a brand at TechCo
The Factors Behind Dropping Influencers? Brand Values
The values and positioning of the brand in question, Justin told me, constitute “the number one thing to consider.” He gave an example: an auto company can not have an influencer or ambassador who has been arrested for a DUI within a certain amount of time, especially with the legal concerns of drinking and driving and company efforts to promote safety behind the wheel. The upshot: Brands may decide to include stipulations in their contracts with influencers in order to outline the brand-specific behaviors which are grounds for termination of the partnership. So how do they decide what stipulations to request?
These Factors Differ Depending on the Brand
I asked Justin for an example of a scandal worth dropping an influencer over. Interestingly, these incidents didn’t all need to be as severe as the most notable examples. In other words, a brand’s particular set of needs can vary, and an influencer will need to be responsible for figuring out what those needs are in each circumstance. For example, a home DIY blogger described the tear-down home she planned on buying to remodel as a ‘crack house’ and the brand demanded that the sponsored post be deleted immediately. What seemed innocent for her was a deal-breaker for the brand. Predicting what is worth dropping an influencer isn’t always as black and white as these larger scandals.”
Influencer Brands Are Under the Radar
Lack of proper disclosure can be a problem in the influencer world. Would you agree that since brands are more likely to fly under the radar than a sports sponsor, they might not feel the need to drop an influencer? Brands need to know what their audience’s needs are, and must know when to take a moral stand. Learn more about dealing with influencers for your brand at TechCo
