You've partnered with an influencer who broke FTC guidelines. How can you navigate this tricky situation?

Address the issue directly with the influencer, ensure compliance moving forward, and review internal processes to prevent future guideline breaches.

If an influencer partner breaks FTC guidelines, the first step is to hit pause on any ongoing campaigns and assess the situation. Have a candid conversation with the influencer to make sure they're on the same page about the importance of these guidelines. Putting out a public statement to acknowledge the mistake and share what we're doing to fix it can help maintain trust. Fixing the issue, like updating disclosures, should be top priority. Moving forward, it's smart to tighten up partnership agreements to include clear FTC compliance guidelines and maybe even offer some training sessions. Keeping a close eye on influencer activities will also help ensure we're staying on the right side of the rules and protecting our brand's reputation.

1. Review the content created by the influencer and identify where the guidelines were not followed. 2. Reach out to the influencer privately and discuss the issue. Be diplomatic and avoid accusations. actions. 3. If the influencer is cooperative, educate them on FTC guidelines. Clarify what actions or statements are problematic and what changes are needed. 4. Determine what corrective actions are necessary. This may include: 5. If you have a contract with the influencer, review its terms regarding compliance with laws and regulations. 6. If the violation was significant and could have misled consumers, consider making a public statement to clarify the situation. Transparency can help maintain trust with your audience.

Own the mistake in public TOGETHER. Be transparent and open about what happened, why this broke the guidelines and what you will do a) now in order to fix the current situation with the current partnership and b) in the future to prevent this happening again. Depending on the scale of the mistake, the brand awareness of the public and the influence of the influencer, you will have to choose the communication channels: social media, press release, interview, etc. Again, do this TOGETHER. Their channels and yours.

One thing I found helpful in these crisis management situations, especially if an influencer has overstepped regulatory boundaries, is be accountable, be transparent, and be timely in your response. Note I did not say hurry in your response. Be sure that you properly assess the situation, understand what happened and then, work to fix the situation. Often times brands get wrapped up and reacting versus being thoughtful and responding. Remember between stimulus and response as your opportunity to shine. Especially when it comes to regulators it is not a time to be hasty. Also bring in outside advisors who aren’t vested the same way as they may have clearer heads.