Crisis management in influencer marketing: what to do when a campaign goes wrong?

Case study: Pink Honey, poor diversity causes backlash

Back in 2023, beauty brand Pink Honey ran an influencer event to capitalise on growing momentum. The brand got some things right: the “staycation” lowered the event’s carbon footprint, and it invited 17 influencers to create significant buzz. 

However, all of the influencers were caucasian women, and the absence of diversity caused immediate backlash. Audiences were disappointed, with one commenter saying, “This entire fiasco has really opened my eyes to how much unconscious bias white people still have.” Other influencers also chipped in, posting critiques of the brand. 

The brand’s owner, Olivia Taylor, responded with a tearful apology video. Taylor answered critics by sharing, “It's just that these people who we asked had a real tie to the brand, and that is why they were asked. [...] There were things being said that I wouldn't have had somebody on this trip because of their gender, because of their skin colour, and these things are just simply not true." 

The video was poorly received. Many viewers felt that Taylor was avoiding responsibility. One Redditor shared, “The response video was poorly done. Very repetitive. The whole 'I'm not like that' narrative really needs to stop. It shows a huge lack of self awareness and willingness to reflect and learn. She was 'like that'!” in a comment that generated 49 likes. 

Due to the controversy, influencer Alana Thomas (@alanajasminethomas, 305K followers, TikTok), who attended the event, refused to share any promotional content for Pink Honey. Thomas shared a video about the gifts she’d received at the event from smaller brands, which hadn’t generated the expected content due to the controversy. 

The weight of context: GymShark drops pro-Israel influencer 

More recently, in March 2025, American influencer Alix Earle (@alix_earle, 4.4M followers, Instagram) found herself at the centre of a controversy after British sportswear brand Gymshark ended her contract due to pro-Israel comments. 

Against a backdrop of extreme tensions surrounding the Israel-Palestine conflict, Gymshark received negative comments about its collaboration with Earle. 

However, Earle fought back, seeking $1 million in damages, claiming that she had already created the content and signed a contract. 

Gymshark has not commented on the lawsuit, but it has been settled. Ending the contract early protected the brand's image, but it came at a cost. 

What lessons can be learned?

These two case studies show how brands can no longer be satisfied with simply analysing the reach or aesthetics of a KOL. Brands must be aware of how their collaborations are perceived publicly, including diversity and inclusivity. 

They must catch negative indicators, assess reputational risks and plan for crisis management scenarios. Collaborating with an influencer also means taking responsibility for part of their public image—potentially even the negatives. 

Partnerships require shared responsibility; what a KOL says or does directly reflects on the brand, and vice versa. It is no longer simply a matter of renting an audience, but of strategically combining two identities.

Controlling every aspect of a campaign is unrealistic, but the brands that fare best are those that have crisis plans, clear red lines and the agility to react quickly and effectively. The key isn’t to aim for zero risk, but for fast, transparent, and consistent reactions. 

Five reflexes to adopt in the event of an influencer crisis

When an influencer campaign goes wrong, the first few hours are crucial. Between the viral acceleration of online reactions and public pressure, the way the brand responds can either contain the crisis or amplify it.

 Here are five reflexes to adopt to stay in control.

1. Pause ongoing campaigns if necessary

When controversy erupts, it is sometimes essential to temporarily suspend ongoing activations, especially if they directly involve the KOL concerned. Continuing to distribute promotional content in a tense climate can be perceived as indifference or denial and further damage the brand's credibility.

This pause should be well thought out, proportionate and, if possible, accompanied by a clear internal statement. The aim is not to react hastily, but to avoid any knock-on effect on other ongoing campaigns.

2. Coordinate a quick and transparent response

In a crisis situation, prolonged silence is rarely a good strategy. Internet users do not expect a perfect response, but a clear, human and consistent stance. This means quickly coordinating messages between the communications, marketing, legal and social media teams.

All public brand messages should do the following:

• Acknowledge the facts if they are proven
• Take responsibility when the brand has failed
• Outline the initial measures taken

The aim is to establish a form of controlled transparency: say what you know, what you are doing and what you are going to do, without overpromising or shifting the blame.

3. Assess the risks and adapt your communication

Not all crises require the same intensity of response. An analysis of the scale, source and level of virality of the crisis will help you choose the best approach:

• Proactive communication (via a post, press release or video)
• Targeted response to critical comments or posts
• Strategic silence, in some cases, when the issues are minor or dying down

Discernment is crucial. An overly aggressive or poorly calibrated response can fuel controversy. Conversely, a lack of response to a sensitive issue can be interpreted as contempt.

4. Engage with the communities concerned

Crisis management does not only take place in the media or internal meetings: it takes place where the crisis broke out, most often on social media. It is therefore essential to listen, respond and engage in dialogue with the communities concerned, without resorting to quick justifications.

Follow this guide for engaging with communities on social media:

• identifying the profiles affected (customers, subscribers, targeted minorities, activists, etc.)
• distinguishing constructive criticism from malicious comments,
• showing that you are listening, even if you cannot respond to everything

This active listening helps reduce tension, rebuild trust and sometimes even reverse some negative opinions.

5. Learn lessons for the future

Finally, every crisis should serve as a wake-up call to strengthen processes. It is essential to conduct a structured review with both internal teams and external partners. 

Best practices for learning from crises include:

• Review the criteria for selecting KOLs, incorporating a more qualitative analysis of their values, history, and level of controversy.
• Include specific contractual clauses, including mechanisms for disassociation in the event of problematic behaviour.
• Document reactions to the crisis to create a baseline for future incidents.
• Equip yourself with monitoring and analysis tools to detect weak signals earlier (alerts, reputation monitoring, affinity scoring).

By transforming a crisis into an opportunity for growth, the brand proves its ability to evolve and reaffirm its commitments credibly.

How can crises be prevented in influencer marketing?

Managing a crisis is positive. But anticipating it is better. Today, brands can no longer afford to collaborate with KOLs without strategic preparation. Prevention requires a clear framework, appropriate tools and a culture of risk management applied to influence.

Conduct thorough due diligence on KOLs

Choosing a KOL should never be based solely on the size of their community or the aesthetics of their content. Proper due diligence involves a thorough analysis of their positioning, reputation and past statements. 

Ask the following questions when choosing influencers:

• What topics do they regularly cover, and how?
• Have they ever sparked controversy or polarising reactions?
• How does their audience interact with them (tone, expectations, level of loyalty or criticism)?
• Are their values and worldview truly compatible with those of the brand?

This analysis is not limited to a one-off audit: it must be part of a continuous and structured approach to sourcing and collaboration.

Include withdrawal and disassociation clauses

The most damaging crises are often those in which the brand finds itself contractually bound to a KOL with no possibility of quick withdrawal. 

To avoid this, it is essential to include the following clauses in contracts:

• Withdrawal clauses in the event of harmful behaviour or damage to the brand's image
• Public disassociation clauses, which allow the brand to communicate clearly in the event of a crisis without being constrained by a confidentiality agreement.
• Editorial control conditions, particularly regarding the message, tone and platforms used.

Working with specialist influencer marketing lawyers or agencies will help you ensure that clauses are clear and legally binding. 

Maintain active post-campaign monitoring

Even after the campaign is launched, the work is not over. Post-publication monitoring is often overlooked, yet it is key to anticipating impact. 

Follow these steps to monitor campaigns:

• Analyse comments, mentions and shares associated with the campaign.
• Identify weak signals (rejections, criticism, irony, misappropriation),
• Keep an eye on changes in the KOL's image, even after the collaboration has ended.

This vigilance allows you to quickly adjust your communication in the event of a latent slip-up, before it goes viral.

Equip yourself with the right analysis tools

Prevention also requires technology. Specialised influencer marketing platforms, such as Kolsquare, go beyond simple KOL-brand matching.

Kolsquare offers the following benefits that help brands prevent controversial collaborations:

• Detailed analysis of audience quality and demographics (fake followers, geography, age, interests)
• Digital reputation or controversy level indicators
• A consolidated history of previous collaborations to anticipate image risks through association

Using these tools, brands can structure influencer marketing strategies to be more rigorous, sustainable, and safe.

Preventing influencer crises and potential bad buzz does not mean eliminating all risk. It means learning to anticipate, manage and respond to risks with agility. This involves professionalising the selection of KOLs, establishing solid contractual foundations, maintaining rigorous monitoring and relying on appropriate analysis tools. 

By integrating these practices into their influence strategy, brands give themselves valuable leeway in the face of the unexpected. Because in an ecosystem as fast-paced and exposed as that of influence, the best crisis management is crisis prevention.

The final word on running controversy-free influencer campaigns

As influencer marketing matures, the expectations of the public and internet users also mature: transparency, alignment of values, and authenticity are essentials. 

Brands must view each campaign as a two-way partnership, exposed, potentially risky, but also capable of generating long-term value.

And in the face of crises and bad buzz, responsiveness and consistency are essential. But the real strength lies in the ability to integrate prevention into every step of the process: choosing KOLs, contractual framework, post-campaign monitoring and reputation management.

Choosing the right tools is now a strategic lever. Solutions such as Kolsquare enable you to professionalise this approach by combining performance, shared values and risk management.

In a landscape where every post can go viral in a matter of minutes, well-managed influence is not just a marketing asset; it's a matter of credibility.