The influencer marketing industry was worth nearly €19 million in 2024 —a 30% increase over the previous year according to the KREAB.
It’s no surprise then that influencers have become a key part of most companies’ comms strategies. The promise is huge: connect authentically with your audiences, boost brand visibility, and drive conversions. But not every influencer collab delivers on that promise, and some can even trigger collateral damage, including full-blown reputational crises.
With millions of euros on the line, brands must take precautions to ensure their investments in influencer collabs pay off—and don’t end up jeopardising their reputation. One single controversial piece of content can trigger a social media storm and seriously damage a brand. And the threat is real: according to the Influencer Marketing Hub, 47% of influencers have been flagged for misconduct or inappropriate behaviour on social platforms. So, the question is no longer whether this could happen, but rather, how to prevent it.
When an influencer’s turbulent past puts your brand reputation at stake
Until now, influencers have largely been chosen for their vanity metrics like follower count, while overlooking their digital footprint. But a single photo or video showing an influence engaging in behaviour that doesn’t align with your audience—whether they be hate speech, racist remarks, expressing certain political views, or worse, engaging in illegal activities—can spark controversy and backfire on the brand.
Social media has made one thing clear: in the digital world, brand reputation is fragile. Even global companies have had to cut ties with influencers and brand ambassadors after scandals from their past resurfaced.
One recent example is Karla Sofía Gascón, lead actress in the hit Netflix show, Emilia Pérez. Karla saw her awards season success fall apart after old offensive social media posts resurfaced; Netflix decided to withdraw support and distance itself from the actress.
Not an isolated case
Other brands have learned the hard way after failing to vet their collaborators thoroughly:
Doritos & Samantha Hudson: In March 2024, Doritos appointed Samantha Hudson brand ambassador in Spain but cancelled the contract two days later after old controversial tweets resurfaced. The backlash led to criticism online and calls for a boycott, forcing Doritos to drop the campaign.
Pandoro Gate, Coca-Cola & Chiara Ferragni: The Italian influencer went from digital marketing icon to being embroiled in scandal as accusations surfaced of charity campaign fraud. Brands that had worked with her for years pulled the plug and her credibility took a major hit. Coca-Cola, for one, cancelled a campaign featuring Ferragni, scheduled to air during the Sanremo Festival.
Adidas & Kanye West: In 2022, Adidas cut ties with the rapper after he made a series of antisemitic statements—costing the brand over $1.3 billion and triggering an internal crisis. Beyond financial loss, the scandal also dealt a serious blow to its brand reputation and positioning.
These are just a handful of examples, but the message is clear: no brand is immune to the reputational risks that come with influencer collaborations.
An analysis that could save your brand thousands
If the internet has taught us anything, it’s that its memory is endless—especially when it comes to social media. Deleting content is no guarantee it’ll disappear. Someone may have taken a screenshot, or a tool may exist to recover that information.
To avoid your brand being dragged into a scandal over an influencer’s past behaviour, their digital presence needs to be reviewed from two angles: what they’ve said and what others have said about them.
And a quick scroll isn’t enough. You need a deep scan that reviews their public content going back several years.
Don’t let your brand be the next headline
At Nethodology, we know that building your brand reputation has taken years. We also know that losing it can take a matter of minutes
That’s why we created the Influencer Background Check: a solution that detects potential risks through a process of reputation value mapping.
We analyse influencers’ digital footprints to identify:
Ideological positions or extreme activism that could polarise audiences.
Questionable behaviour, including hate speech, discrimination or unethical conduct.
Legal or regulatory red flags, including past financial or legal issues.
Contextual risk assessments that give you a full picture before you commit.
Our analysis is neatly packaged into a risk report, featuring a visual traffic-light system that clearly indicates whether an influencer is a safe choice—or not.
You’re just one click away from protecting your brand and ensuring your next influencer is truly aligned with your values.
FInd out more about our solution and take your influencer marketing to the next level.