In the world of social media, a person’s power is often measured in terms of followers. Because more followers generally means more reach, companies who engage influencers often base their compensation on this metric. But follower counts may not always be what they seem. According to a New York Times report last year, influencers can
Dumpster Fyre of Advertising Issues
The recent Netflix and Hulu documentaries about the Fyre Festival have thrust the failed event back into the spotlight. That was a few scandals ago, so for those of you who don’t remember it, here’s a short recap.
Billy MacFarland and Ja Rule wanted to host a luxury festival on a deserted island. They found
FTC Asked to Investigate Use of Influencers to Market Vodka
Earlier this week, Truth in Advertising (or “TINA.org”) sent a letter to the FTC urging the Commission to investigate Diageo’s use of influencers to market Ciroc vodka on Instagram. According to the letter, TINA.org collected more than 1,700 Instagram posts across 50 different influencers — including Ciroc brand manager and CMO Sean “Diddy” Combs —
FTC Settlement Addresses Influencers and Native Ads
Two companies and their principals have agreed to settle FTC allegations that they misled consumers by presenting paid endorsements as independent consumer reviews and ads as independent news stories.
Creaxion, a PR agency, was tasked with creating a campaign to promote a client’s new mosquito repellent product around the time the press was reporting about
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
Photoshop Can’t Hide Rimmel’s Influencer Woes
The Advertising Standards Authority of Ireland – similar to the NAD in the US – recently issued a decision regarding a social media influencer that companies on this side of the Atlantic should note.
The case involves social media posts by Rosie Connolly, a fashion, beauty, and lifestyle blogger. Connolly posted pictures with flawless makeup,
Battling Bots on Social Media
In the world of social media, a person’s power is often measured in terms of followers. More followers means the ability to influence more people. Companies who work with influencers understand this and often base compensation on this metric. For example, according to data collected by Captiv8, an influencer with a thousand followers might earn
Instagram Expands its Influencer Tool, but is it Enough?
In June, we posted that Instagram users would start seeing a new “Paid partnership with” tag on certain posts. The company explained that this was part of a tool designed to “help creators more clearly communicate to their followers when they are working in partnership with a business.” (It also allows users to better track
Time to Revisit Morals Clauses
Over the past few months, we’ve witnessed a steady stream of sexual harassment scandals in Hollywood. Many companies are taking proactive approaches and 
cutting ties with the men who have been accused of wrongdoing. Our colleagues at Labor Days recently discussed that issue from an employment law perspective. But it’s also worth considering how this
FTC Takes Action Against Social Media Influencers
This morning, the FTC announced that it had reached a settlement in its first-ever complaint against individual social media influencers and that it had sent warning letters to other prominent influencers. In addition, the FTC announced that it had updated previous guidance on influencer campaigns.
Settlement
The settlement involves Trevor Martin and Thomas Cassell, owners