Failed influencer campaigns: 8 examples and how brands can avoid common mistakes

Working with influencers offers brands a chance to make marketing campaigns feel more authentic and reach new audiences. But, not all campaigns go according to plan! Failed influencer campaigns are something we need to learn from!

1. Pepsi x Kendall Jenner: A lesson in sensitivity

When Pepsi collaborated with model and reality TV star, Kendall Jenner, they intended to tap into social movements to make their ad resonate with a contemporary audience. Instead, the campaign sparked outrage for trivialising serious issues.

The ad referenced the Black Lives Matter protests, showing Jenner handing a Pepsi to a police officer as a symbol of peace. This portrayal of a white supermodel as a peacemaker was seen as tone-deaf and dismissive of the real struggles behind the movement, making Pepsi appear insensitive.

Lesson learned

Brands need to approach any social issues carefully. If you’re addressing serious topics, you need to make sure that your campaign is well-researched, genuine and sensitive to the cause.

2. Rodan + Fields x Ramona Singer: Check your captions

Reality TV star Ramona Singer left brand directions in her social media caption while promoting a product from skincare brand Rodan + Fields. This mishap made her look unprofessional and showed that there was little connection between her and the brand.

Caption mistakes like these suggest a lack of personal investment, reducing the authenticity of the endorsement.

Lesson learned

Always review captions before posting. Influencers need to understand the importance of adding their personal touch rather than just copying and pasting brand messages. Authenticity always needs to be top of mind.

Influencers need to feel a connection with your brand! Before approaching an influencer, make sure that your product aligns with their interests, preferences and personal brand.

3. EA x Benjamin Burnley: Misaligned brand and influencer

Electronic Arts (EA) made a massive misstep when they approached Breaking Benjamin’s frontman, Benjamin Burnley, to promote their Star Wars: Battlefront game. Burnley wasn’t a fan of the game and took to Instagram to share his unfiltered negative opinion resulting in an absolute PR nightmare.

Lesson learned

Influencers need to feel a connection with your brand! Before approaching an influencer, make sure that your product aligns with their interests, preferences and personal brand.

4. Duchesnay x Kim Kardashian: FDA compliance is key

Pharmaceutical brand Duchesnay worked with Kim Kardashian to promote its morning sickness drug, Diclegis. However, the post only highlighted the benefits without mentioning any potential side effects, a requirement for pharmaceutical promotions. The FDA stepped in, warning Kardashian to remove or amend her post to avoid facing regulatory action.

Lesson learned

Research into industry regulations, especially in fields like pharmaceuticals, is essential. Influencers need to be informed of legal requirements, particularly regarding transparency and health risks.

5. Adidas x Naomi Campbell: The copy-and-paste fail

Adidas faced an embarrassing moment when supermodel Naomi Campbell copied and pasted a promotional message without removing the brand’s instructions. Fans quickly noticed, leading to a wave of ridicule and diminishing trust in both Campbell and Adidas.

Lesson learned

To avoid copy-and-paste mishaps, provide influencers with clear guidelines and emphasise the importance of personalising their posts. Encourage them to review messages before sharing to avoid embarrassing copy-and-paste mistakes.

6. Snickers x Katie Price and Ian Botham: Hidden sponsorship dangers

Snickers ran a Twitter campaign with celebrities Katie Price and Ian Botham, using their “You’re Not You When You’re Hungry” slogan. Initially, Price and Botham posted out-of-character tweets to generate buzz, followed by a sponsored reveal from Snickers.

While it gained attention, the Advertising Standards Agency (ASA) reviewed the campaign due to concerns that the sponsorship was unclear in the initial tweets.

Lesson learned

Sponsored posts can’t be ambiguous. Use clear indicators like #ad or #sponsored so that audiences understand the nature of the post and to avoid regulatory issues.

7. Tower Jewellers x Terrie McEvoy: The rigged giveaway

Influencer Terrie McEvoy partnered with Tower Jewellers to run an Instagram competition, but it backfired when followers discovered that two of her friends won the prizes. This led to accusations of dishonesty, causing damage to both McEvoy and Tower Jewellers’ reputations.

Lesson learned

Contests and giveaways need to be completely transparent to maintain trust and fairness. Only use verified systems to select winners.

8. Bootea x Scott Disick: Copy-and-paste gone wrong

Reality TV personality, Scott Disick, made a mistake that made both him and Bootea look unprofessional. He copied and pasted Bootea’s entire promotional message, including the brand’s instructions. This blunder highlighted a lack of connection between Disick and the brand, diminishing the authenticity of the endorsement.

Lesson learned

To avoid these mistakes, provide influencers with clear, personalised talking points instead of scripted messages. And again, emphasise the importance of double-checking content before it goes live.

How to avoid these common influencer marketing mistakes

Choose the right influencers

Carefully select influencers who align with your brand values, products and target audience. Conduct research to understand their interests, reputation and audience engagement before reaching out.

Clear communication and guidance

Provide influencers with comprehensive guidelines that encourage creativity while maintaining brand messaging. Make sure they know the importance of personalising captions and adding a genuine touch to posts for more authentic content.

Transparency and compliance

Be upfront about paid partnerships by including clear disclosure tags like #ad or #sponsored. For industries with strict advertising regulations, such as pharmaceuticals, ensure all necessary disclosures and disclaimers are included.

Encourage authenticity

Influencers should have the freedom to express their genuine opinions and experiences with your product. Avoid heavily scripted messages, as they often feel less genuine and can lead to copy-paste mistakes.

Regular monitoring and evaluation

Continuously monitor influencer posts for accuracy, compliance and engagement. If a mistake happens, address it promptly and work with the influencer to correct it.

By implementing these strategies, you can avoid the pitfalls of failed influencer campaigns and build more effective, impactful partnerships that resonate with your audience.

Final word

Take note of these cautionary influencer marketing tales! From the importance of selecting influencers aligned with your values to ensuring regulatory compliance and encouraging genuine, personalised content, these campaigns highlight critical factors that can make or break a partnership.

Learn more about Club’s solution for managing influencer marketing campaigns to help you avoid these embarrassing mishaps!

Failed influencer campaigns: 8 examples and how brands can avoid common mistakes

1. Pepsi x Kendall Jenner: A lesson in sensitivity

2. Rodan + Fields x Ramona Singer: Check your captions

3. EA x Benjamin Burnley: Misaligned brand and influencer

4. Duchesnay x Kim Kardashian: FDA compliance is key

5. Adidas x Naomi Campbell: The copy-and-paste fail

6. Snickers x Katie Price and Ian Botham: Hidden sponsorship dangers

7. Tower Jewellers x Terrie McEvoy: The rigged giveaway

8. Bootea x Scott Disick: Copy-and-paste gone wrong

How to avoid these common influencer marketing mistakes

Final word

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