Company Sues Influencer for Failing to Influence

Snapchat’s public relations firm recently filed a lawsuit against an influencer who allegedly failed to comply with the terms of his agreement.

After Luka Sabbat was photographed with Kourtney Kardashian in September, PR Consulting engaged Sabbat to help promote Snap Spectacles on his Instagram account. According to the agreement, Sabbat was required to make four unique posts (each subject to its own requirements), get those posts approved beforehand, send analytics to PR Consulting, and be photographed wearing the Spectacles in public at Paris and Milan Fashion Weeks. In exchange for all of this, PR Consulting agreed to pay $45,000 up front, plus another $15,000 at a later date.

According to the complaint filed in New York earlier this week, Sabbat did not comply with all of these requirements. He didn’t make all of the required posts, didn’t submit them for pre-approval, didn’t send all of the analytics, and wasn’t photographed in either city. Although Sabbat allegedly admitted default, he did not return the up-front payment. The lawsuit seeks the $45,000, plus interest, attorney’s fees, and other damages.

Payment terms are often negotiated in influencer agreements. Influencers obviously want more up-front, while companies prefer the opposite. While the parties usually end up somewhere in the middle, this case illustrates the risks companies face by paying too much before key milestones have been reached. If the influencer breaches the agreement, it can become difficult to get the money back.