Prior to partnering with an influencer it's critical to conduct thorough research - have they presented messaging that is aligned to your organisation's values, do they hold any extreme views, are they 'on brand'. Use influencer tools but also conduct a google search and look for any news articles. Assuming you've done this, and agreed a clear contract and things have started to go wrong, you need to address the issue quickly. Review the contract first and check if there are legal routes, if they have posted content that goes against your brand guidelines can you ask them to remove it? If things have spread and your brand is linked you should develop a statement to distance yourself from them, or if you're wrong, apologise and be open.

I'm not a legal expert but the foundations of this should lie in the contract you have with the influencer. This will allow you to assess the best course of action in such a situation and whether or not to distance yourself. There are plenty of examples when companies have stood by an ambassador or endorser – take Nike and Tiger Woods in 2009 – but the decision should come down to whether the influencer's actions conflict with the values of the company. If so, issue a statement that thanks the influencer for his/her work but states the reasons for terminating the relationship. Avoid being in anyway insulting or derogatory and reaffirm your values. Moving forward, make sure your values are central to any future partnerships.

Start out by asking if the partnership represents the values of your customer. I'm guessing that this question comes from the fall out in recent history by brands that got their hands slapped by doing collaborations that felt like they were preaching political ideology. My question is? "Do I want to be lectured by my light beer or do I just want to drink it and have fun, especially if my target audience is frat boys. I think we all know how that went. On the other hand brands like Ben and Jerry's ice cream have done an incredible job using their platform for advocacy and the selection of their influencer partners speaks to this same cultural DNA. We expect this from them. Its on brand and doesn't seem out of left field.

To handle PR fallout from an influencer partnership: 1- We asses the situation by understanding the backlash’s nature and impact. 2- We communicate internally and keep the team informed. 3- We develop a responce plan by drafting a public statement. 4- We Engage with the sudiance by addressing their concerns on social media and keep them updated. 5- We reinforce the brand values by highlighting our commitment to social responsibility. 6- We learn and adapt by using this experience to improve our future partnerships. 7- Lastly, we monitor the public’s reactions and stay responsive to their sentiment.

Ok, so, first off, you're knee jerk reaction is to throw the influencer under the bus - this can backfire just as badly. Get the facts, not assumptions, quickly. Then if you are involved, fall on your sword fast. Apologise, accept the error quickly. If the this is a separate issue, check your agreement, you need to issue the statement and if possible withdraw from the agreement. Now if you knew of the issue before you engaged them, erm... you need a crisis PR expert, as if that comes out, your brand is facing major damage.