Is There Such A Thing As An Ethical Influencer?
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Is There Such A Thing As An Ethical Influencer?
And yes, I'm referring to the Tarte fiasco...
Lately, I have been considering leaving the influencer industry. I even deactivated my Instagram account for a day, which was a first for me.
I've noticed a lack of growth on my channels and a decrease in opportunities since my move. It's been getting me down and I feel disheartened and lost in the constantly evolving creator space.
In 2017, I embarked on a journey into the world of influencing while working at a highly-regarded PR agency in New York. From there, I began attending events, networking within the industry, and creating content on a more consistent basis, treating my creative outlet as a business. However, advancing to the next level of working with brands proved to be a challenge due to the prevalence of gatekeeping. It was difficult to obtain contacts and insights as many individuals viewed me as competition or simply another follower to boost their numbers. To navigate this obstacle, I resorted to building artificial relationships. After all, everyone was using everyone to get what they want, right?
As I grow and focus on my passion, I truly feel that this is where I belong. However, I needed to rethink how I presented myself. How can I be true to myself? How do I want to present myself? This self-reflection enabled me to avoid sacrificing any aspects of who I am and what I bring to the table to comply with someone else's expectations. This is my story to tell, and I plan to do so.
I asked myself questions like:
Can I show up and be authentically me?
Can I be honest and transparent about my experiences?
Am I open to continuously learning and improving?
Do I want to use my platform to advocate for the things that I believe in?
In short, the answer was yes.
Perhaps you've pondered the reason for this. I find myself in a phase of my life where I feel very stuck, and witnessing the recent Tarte controversy hit a nerve with me. In case you're not familiar with the incident, allow me to bring you up to speed.
Last week, Tarte invited a group of influencers to enjoy the Formula One races in Miami. One of which was Bria Jones. She decided to hop online and pretty much call them out for mistreating her as she realized her itinerary was vastly different from the other girls attending the brand trip. She voiced that she felt unappreciated and honestly undervalued for the work she can provide.
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Her video, of course, went viral. Tarte’s CEO, Maureen Kelly, later responded in a video stating that it was all a misunderstanding. There was some miscommunication within the ranks as they had a few different groups attending on different days of the event. So everyone’s experience would be the “same” but different.
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The comments… WENT CRAZY! From White and other Black creators saying Bria was wrong for coming out and should just “be grateful” to be invited, to the real ones calling out Tarte for repeatedly showing us exactly who they are.
Like when is enough, enough?
But it didn’t end there…
Tarte then invited creators by the names of Fannita and Nike at the VERY last minute to join the trip. Nike and Fannita decided to throw humbleness out the window and called out Bria for fumbling the bag. The drama continues when Bria posts an APOLOGY video!!!!!
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Chile, you cannot make this stuff up!
The sad thing about this is that Tarte is the only winner here. This entire situation lends to a much deeper issue in the creator industry.
Being a creator is hard enough, but being a Black creator is 10x more taxing. As Black creators, we’re expected to work twice as hard, we’re constantly on social media, we work long hours, and all while consistently producing high-quality content. We face systemic discrimination and so many more challenges when it comes to securing partnerships. We give brands access to our unique experiences, our perspectives, our culture, and our essence but should we DARE to be honest and transparent about those experiences, we’re the ones being confronted with hostility.
How do we win?
As a Black creator, I feel a sense of responsibility to represent my community and take a stand against brands that only see us as a quota they need to fill. So my goal with The BlackGirl Connection is to build REAL, AUTHENTIC relationships where we build each other up and help one another in any way that we can. I want us to connect on a genuine level through conversations about where we are in life, our dreams, our goals, and our aspirations. I hope to find lifelong friends while also helping those of you that are excited about creating. In closing, can influencers be ethical?
You tell me.
If you have any thoughts on this you’d like to share, drop a comment below or jump in the groupchat! Let’s talk <3
Is There Such A Thing As An Ethical Influencer?
I feel the same way as a creator. This has caused me my first social media break/detox.