Influencers have greatly changed the way we consume and the way brands reach out to connect with consumers. The boom of social media celebrities began about 5 years ago and has completely taken control of the way brands market to consumers now.
However, what happens when influencing goes wrong? Amid the pandemic, influencers are facing harsh criticism and backlash for flaunting the wealth that followers once loved and idolized these influencers for the last few years.
A perfect example is social media influencer, Arielle Charnas of Something Navy.
Charnas used her platform to open up about her experience with Covid-19. She told her followers that she had begun to be worried because she was experiencing symptoms of Covid-19 and that she had been denied a test because she didn’t meet all the symptoms. So far, we feel bad for her right? She’s like the rest of us who can’t get our hands on tests even when we feel sick.
Wrong. Charnas went further to document how she called a doctor friend and was administered a test that said she tested positive for Covid-19. Backlash quickly followed about flaunting her wealth when people who truly needed it and met all the symptoms still couldn’t get tested. Then it got worse. Charnas returned to her penthouse suite and created social media content of unboxing a Louis Vuitton bag, bubble baths with her children (while she’s sick), and creating Tik Tok videos with her husband, who later claimed he was sick too.
A few days later, Charnas defended her right to see a doctor and get tested. She also assured her followers that she was taking every precaution with her two daughters and the nanny. Then, it continues to get worse.
Charnas revealed through Instagram that she moved her family to the Hamptons, during a time that the CDC has said do not travel unless essential.
Charnas came under more fire as people began to doubt that she had Covid-19 in the first place and that she was selfishly thinking about herself. She was accused of endangering the community and all the people she interacted with while making the move from NYC to the Hamptons.
At first, Charnas was defiant and her husband mocked the people who were furious- which added fuel to the fire. However, her followers and people who caught on to the story began demanding the removal of her from brand sponsorships. Even her collaboration with retail giant, Nordstrom, came under fire; Nordstrom actually responded to say that their contract ended in 2019 and that there were no ‘foreseeable future plans’ with the influencer. The New York Post caught onto the story and dubbed her “covidiot.”
Shortly after the multiple media posts and overwhelming criticism, Charnas took to Instagram stories to post a tearful reply. She said, “”I just wanted to come on here and say I’m sorry. I never in a million years wanted to hurt anyone and we’re not bad people. I’m sorry for anyone that I’ve offended or hurt over the last couples of weeks, we’re just trying to navigate through this difficult time.”
I think that she was probably caught up in the influencing/social media aspect of it all, but she should have been aware of her actions after the first wave of criticism when they faulted her for flaunting her wealth. Moving to the Hamptons and sheltering there is the definition of flaunting wealth because not a lot of people can do that, especially at a time where people are struggling to pay their rent and mortgage. However, I don’t think she’s fully to blame because as a society, we created the need to see the high life of these social media bloggers.
What do you guys think?
Sources:
https://www.vanityfair.com/style/2020/04/influencers-coronavirus-arielle-charnas-escape-new-york
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