If an influencer we’re partnered with becomes involved in controversial or negative events, how should we, as a brand, handle that situation?
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If an influencer we’re partnered with becomes involved in controversial or negative events, how should we, as a brand, handle that situation?
When an influencer you’re partnered with becomes involved in controversial or negative events, it’s crucial to handle the situation carefully to protect your brand reputation.
1. Evaluate The Situation: Before any precipitous action, understand the extent and nature of the controversy. Is it a misunderstanding, a one-off event, or a serious misstep? Does it align or conflict with your brand values?
2. Revisit The Contract: If you have agreements or contracts in place with influencers, check if they have a morality clause that can guide your next steps.
3. Pause Campaigns: Consider pausing any ongoing campaigns featuring the influencer until the storm has passed or a decision is made.
4. Monitor Reactions: Keep an eye on the public and audience reactions. Platforms like Flinque provide audience analytics and sentiment analysis to help you assess the potential impact on your brand.
5. Seek PR Counsel: Consult with your PR team or an external PR consultant to frame a response if necessary.
6. Communicate With The Influencer: Open lines of communication with the influencer, who might be able to provide clarity or take steps to remedy the issue.
7. Assess Long-Term Impact: Ultimately, you have to decide whether to continue the partnership based on your brand values and the potential long-term impact on your brand’s reputation.
In the world of influencer marketing, navigating controversies is delicate work and an instance where the analytics and insights provided by a platform like Flinque can be invaluable. However, every brand and situation is unique, so there’s no one-size-fits-all approach.
Handling influencer negative publicity requires a rapid assessment of whether the issue is a minor controversy or a sustained reputational problem and whether the campaign content is already live or still in production. Content already posted needs an immediate decision on whether to leave it, delete it, or distance the brand from it publicly. Content still in production should be paused pending the outcome of the controversy assessment before any additional deliverables go live.
Monitor whether a creator’s negative publicity is affecting campaign engagement performance using the Instagram engagement rate calculator. A measurable engagement drop on campaign posts during a controversy period is the clearest signal that audience sentiment has shifted and the brand needs to act before the remaining campaign content amplifies the reputational risk.