Influencers under fire

It’s commonplace today to find celebrities and social media stars flaunting exorbitantly priced accoutrements. In almost all times, they haven’t paid for anything. It’s given free by the designers and the influencer/celeb is expected to publicise the designs to her million plus followers on social media. If they don’t, they get called out and there is a backlash.

Actor and social media influencer Avneet Kaur is a case in point — she was accused of fraud by a homegrown jewellery label, Rang. The firm released screenshots of conversations with the actress, alleging breach of contract. According to the brand, Avneet wore their pieces during her recent tour but failed to tag the label in any of her posts, contrary to the terms of the agreement. They claimed that while Avneet ‘wore their jewellery seven times, she tagged only “high-end brands such as Dior and Vivienne Westwood” in her posts.’

As per credible sources, an amicable settlement was initially arrived at, but the brand later accused the actress of not honouring her commitment, saying this had compelled them to go public. So, how does one achieve clarity on expectations? How does one crack the code for successful collaborations in today’s world? We asked brand owners and entrepreneurs for answers.

‘Set down expectations on paper’

“Sourcing, a crucial practice in PR, benefits both brands and celebrity/influencer partners. Brands seek to showcase their products on influential individuals, while celebrities desire a new look daily.

Although mostly unwritten, trust and respect govern this relationship,” says Anindita Kannan, founder of ECRU, a communications agency. To maintain a harmonious partnership, brands should establish guidelines for wearers to follow and formal contracts with legal implications need to be drawn up right from the start, she feels. “In the world of business, casual conversations can be dangerous. Since it’s a mutually beneficial collaboration, communicate to your influencer that gifting is not the intention. Regardless of whether it is barter or paid for, it is important to set expectations clearly on paper, no matter how awkward it feels — this minimises risk of exploitation,” she adds.  

Stressing that Indian brands need to frame stricter rules and do formal paperwork, Ridhi Asrani, a jewellery designer and owner of her eponymous label, suggests that brands should build a network after deep analysis. “I only work with people I’ve built a trustworthy relationship with. I send my terms and conditions and some of them don’t bother signing it; if it’s a first time collaboration, I see that as a red flag,” she shares.

Build a rapport first

Echoing the view, independent publicist and brand consultant Mrinalini Mali asserts that while analytics and statistics might help, nothing compares to building a bond with the influencer you wish to work with. “While it’s imperative to document everything, I think a whole chunk of animosity can be avoided if one invests in getting to know the person they work with. Brands need to invite and regularly interact with potential bloggers and clients in real time before giving them work. As far as the usual T&C goes, no payment is cleared until all deliverables are met, or products are returned (in cases of sourcing). With barter, it gets a little tricky so it’s important to strike a rapport. No collaboration can be purely transactional so both brands and influencers need to be mindful and use their discretion before going ahead with any association,” she emphasises.

Actor and social media influencer Avneet Kaur was accused of fraud by a homegrown jewellery label, Rang. The firm released screenshots of conversations with the actress, alleging breach of contract. According to the brand, Avneet wore their pieces during her recent tour but failed to tag the label in any of her posts, contrary to the terms of the agreement. They claimed while Avneet ‘wore their jewellery seven times, she tagged only “high-end brands such as Dior and Vivienne Westwood” in her posts.’

Sourcing, a crucial practice in PR, benefits both brands and celebrity/influencer partners. Brands seek to showcase their products on influential individuals, while celebrities desire a new look daily. To maintain a harmonious partnership, brands should establish guidelines for wearers to follow and formal contracts with legal implications need to be drawn up right from the start, says Anindita Kannan, founder of ECRU, a communications agency.

As a content creator, if you are borrowing jewellery or being paid by a brand to wear their pieces, the ethical and fair approach is to not only feature the brand but also talk about them on your social platforms. Designers work tirelessly to create their pieces, so failing to give them proper credit is not only unfair but also disrespectful.” — Ridhii Paul, influencer and content creator.

Independent publicist and brand consultant Mrinalini Mali asserts that while analytics and statistics might help, nothing compares to building a bond with the influencer you wish to work with. “It’s imperative to document everything, a whole chunk of animosity can be avoided if one invests in getting to know the person they work with. Brands need to interact with potential bloggers and clients in real time before giving them work. As far as the usual T&C goes, no payment is cleared until all deliverables are met, or products are returned (in cases of sourcing),” she says.