Social media influencers have become the darlings of the branding world and PR companies are in heated competition to woo them for their clients.
With declining print numbers, decreasing broadcast reach and the slow death of traditional advertising, brands are turning more and more to social media to win fans and influence consumers. But, just as social media can make influencers, it can also be the instrument of their destruction.
SA celeb Shashi Naidoo recently found herself in the social media spotlight for all the wrong reasons. After writing a lengthy post on Instagram about the Israel-Palestine conflict, which included referring to Gaza as a ‘sh*thole’, she received multiple death threats and lost many endorsement deals, including those with GlamPalm Africa and horse racing company, Gold Circle. Shashi even held a press conference to explain her post, and talk about how she was going to make amends, but the damage to her brand had been done. Just last week Shashi went to Palestine as part of her attempts at reparation but was refused entry into the region.
“In my work as an Influencer Relations Specialist for Hill+Knowlton Strategies, I’ve been able to see the brand relationship from the perspectives of both the influencer and the brand, and witnessed how this relationship can go wrong.” – Phindile Sihlangu said.
Here are a few guidelines for budding influencers to bear in mind to ensure they can remain authentic but still stay on the right side of the public.
