Nhu nguyen

Working with influencers is energizing — full of ideas, inspiration, and constant movement. But it also brings surprises, and not always the pleasant kind. Sometimes, the story takes an unexpected turn — a plot twist that demands swift action, sharp instincts, and a foundation of trust.

Values alignment is non-negotiable

Since diving into influencer marketing in 2018, I’ve been on a dynamic and joyful journey, one filled with creativity, connection, and constant learning. Influencers are more than content creators, they are inspiring storytellers who bring fresh energy and new angle to every brand story. Collaborating with them often feels like joining a daily creative bootcamp where ideas bounce, evolve, and come to life. With their unique voices, cultural insights, and direct connections to communities, influencers layer authenticity into a brand’s story, making it resonate more deeply.

Why is influencer collaboration important to the brand? Because this co-creating content sparks real conversations on social media and bridges the gap between brands and audiences in many scenarios. Sometimes it goes more viral than we expected, or connects to a new customer segment in their community that is not yet our target, or the content direction hits a different layer that we cannot foresee, which requires much flexibility to manage and drive it in the right way.

Influencer crises can range from misaligned values and controversial opinions, tone-deaf content during sensitive moments, to influencers’ actions that undermine the trust in this collaboration, or their personal life story also disrupts the narrative we convey through these partnerships. However, crisis prevention even begins before we seal the collaboration deal. The easiest yet riskiest way to choose an influencer is based on their follower count, past engagement metrics, popularity, or the aesthetic of their Instagram front page. Like you are the cosmetic brand and you simply search “Top 10 makeup artists/ beauty bloggers” in your country and send them the PR package you prepared for the pool. No research, no character analysis, no induction, or brand brief to influencers, and you will push your campaign into either the safest, most general, or riskiest pull in the market.

When I worked in the PR team, I kept a note on my desk that said: “I will make people love the brand as I do.” And that journey starts with the people I work with. Just like with journalists and partners, when it comes to choosing influencers, I never see them as a one-off transactional deal. They become brand friends, our ambassadors who live and breathe the brand vibe with us. They’re kept in the loop about every movement, from upcoming events to product launches. That’s why I make sure they truly know the brand story and share the same vision.

Influencers are public figures with their own identities, histories, and communities. So first, the brand team should always review their past posts, interviews, cultural or political statements, and their previous and ongoing collaborations. This helps us understand their content direction and the inspiration they offer to their followers. Second, we should interact with them, ideally through an induction meeting or even an informal gathering to learn their tone, beliefs, and whether their community values align with our brand ethics. It’s also the moment to understand their working style, expectations, and how they envision collaboration. Influencers understand their audience better than anyone else, then we can even be advised on the type of content their audience wants to hear from the brand and how the brand can genuinely contribute to their personal growth.

In the end, I believe it’s better to invest time upfront to find the right partners than to stay in a relationship where we live in fog and uncertainty later.

Always scenario planning

Even when we feel confident about the influencer and PR plan, it’s always better to reserve 10% of the budget and plan for crisis management. What happens if the influencer is criticized for an unrelated personal issue during our campaign? What if their content is interpreted in an unexpected way? How will we handle it if they post something inconsistent with our values? In case they argue negatively with people who comment on their post, how should we respond and manage communication with them immediately? If they can’t deliver the content on the agreed timeline and simply disappear, who will step in to handle their part?
(Yes — I’ve been in a situation where a celebrity cut off communication for three days and only texted us after the campaign air date had passed to say he was too tired from collaboration work…)

These questions may seem hypothetical, until they’re not. I’ve seen many recent cases where influencers’ actions outside of a partnership sparked public backlash that quickly spilled over onto the brand.

A proactive influencer management strategy also includes setting clear expectations. Influencers should be briefed not only on the campaign content but also on brand voice, sensitivities, and social listening processes. All posted content should be reviewed by the brand at least three days before the air date, in case we need to make any adjustments. We must know exactly who the key and secondary contacts are from the influencer’s side to keep updated during the campaign. Brand can add a “values contract” outlining mutual responsibilities and boundaries, especially when working on campaigns. When layering influencer strategy, the PR strategist should mix different influencer pools, macro with micro influencers, and prepare an extended list in case any influencer cannot fulfill their roles. We can change our approach and strategy in the next step, combine macro voices with micro communities for keeping the brand alive, for example.

Clarity is courage

But sometimes, even we prepare for 99 scenarios, one thing just happen that change everything. People can make mistake, become the target of cancel culture or we cannot forecast every scene in this past-paced social era. Then we must remember, in crisis communication, clarity and timely response are courage.

Don’t go silent – people already know what they need/ want to know in the blink of an eye. In a digital culture where audiences expect accountability and speed, even a brief silence can be perceived as indifference. Before making a statement, (1) make sure you collect information from the influencer side and the response from the audience. Which side of the story hits hardest, which part has the influencer already done or needs to do themselves, and which part should be handled by the brand side? (2) Involve communications, legal, and marketing teams to prepare a rapid-response process. (3) Draft statement templates with pre-approval from leaders, which can be quickly adapted to new updates of the issue.

Whether the brand decides to stand by the influencer or cut ties, the message must be clear, honest, and rooted in your values. If action is required, explain it. If you’re taking the time to gather facts, state so and provide a follow-up with an expected timeline. Provide all receipts related to the product and brand if the issue results in the product image being misleading. Let customers know that you are aware of the issue, and also stay with them to find out the solution or make it clear without hiding or making it less important, and expect people to forget about it. The brand is not against its customers, but is on their side to help change the situation.

One often-overlooked part of crisis management is internal communication. When things happen that do not follow the plan we make, we must ensure the teams are aligned with the official stance and actions. Especially in sales and marketing, in-store teams or admins should not make any personal statements or prompt responses on an official page without approval. No “internal information” or “I hear it discussed in the store” can happen that worsens the situation. Mixed signals can exacerbate the problem, eroding public trust and creating opportunities for speculation.

CRISE, WE ARE NOT END HERE

Crisis does not mean it ends the brand era. With on-time and on-point actions, the post-crisis period is an opportunity to rebuild stronger. Internally, let’s share lessons learned, update the team about how we manage, and how we should continue to do so in the upcoming weeks. Meet influencers and discuss the consequences and guidelines, what we should do next, or how we would end the collaboration. When appropriate, let the audience know how your processes have evolved. Showing the audience that you stand for something more than likes and visibility, but we care about the values we commit to bringing to them. We do not avoid, but handle with authenticity and respect for the value we have built up over the years.

Influencer marketing operates at the intersection of storytelling and public perception, which makes it powerful but also fragile. In this fast-paced social era, effective crisis management isn’t just about putting out fires, but also about being ready to rescue and rise whenever needed. In this process, we are about building relationships, setting expectations, and communicating with clarity and empathy even when things go as planned or go wrong. At the end of the day, the way a brand navigates difficulty says more than any campaign ever could.