Using influencers has become the new form of marketing. From pushing hashtags to creating awareness and even brand endorsements, digital marketers are using influencers to achieve it all. The use of celebrity influencers has been on the rise, as it is believed that fans of these celebrities are likely to desire a brand that their “idols” are associated with.
Well, when it comes to pushing a certain brand, it is common practice that said influencer is prohibited from using competitors products lest this waters down the whole campaign. This little fact seems to always get missed by the influencers. In the past, brands have always brushed off instances where their influencers are caught using competitors phones but Samsung seems to have gotten tired of this.
Russian TV personality Ksenia Sobchak, doubles as Samsung’s brand ambassador but that title was snatched from her and a lawsuit placed in its place. Ms Ksenia, was photographed using an iPhone X during a TV interview. Despite her attempts to hide the phone from the cameras using a paper, anyone with an eye was able to pick out that its an iPhone. Sources indicate that this is not the first time she has been caught using the iPhone. Apparently, the iPhone X is her personal phone and she prefers using it over the phone she’s been paid to use and endorse.
Samsung did not take this betrayal sitting down, the company has reportedly sued Sobchak for an equivalent of $1.6 million. There are no details regarding the lawsuit but such a move sets precedence and serves as a warning to celebrity influencers on the kind of products they agree to push.
