Introduction
If you’re an influencer who has signed a brand deal, it can be tempting to cancel it if you get offered something better. Or you might want to cancel because the brand hasn’t done what they promised, or that the terms are unfair. That’s understandable! But before you pull the plug on your contract, make sure that you haven’t signed something that prevents you from doing so. In this post, we’ll go through the various reasons for which canceling a brand deal might be justified—and what steps to take if it’s not a good idea after all.
Determining if you have rights as an influencer
First, you have to look at the terms of the contract to see if there is a clause which addresses termination of the contract. At times, it is laid out in the contract events which can trigger the termination from either party. So look to see if the brand has done something that can trigger the termination. Or if you did.
When a contract has been breached.
Usually, a contract can be terminated if one of the parties has breached the contract. What is a breach? A breached contract happens when one party doesn’t fulfill their responsibilities under the agreement. Here are some examples of what is a classic breach:
- Non payment.
- Not delivering what a party promised. For example, a brand promises to provide you with a product and it never does.
- Or misleading you about what they are going to do in return for your services, for example, they promise to pay you cash, but pay in product instead.
Just cause
As an influencer, you have an obligation to be truthful when promoting products. If it turns out that the products are causing a safety concern, this might be considered “cause” to terminate the contract. Again, you must refer back to the contract to see if there is a clause that includes “cause.”
Safety concerns can include:
- The brand’s products are unsafe.
- The brand is associated with something that is unsafe.
- The brand is unsafe to work with.
- You’ve changed your mind
- If you no longer agree with the brand’s values or feel uncomfortable promoting the brand and their products, then it’s time to cancel.
- If you don’t want to work with a company that has questionable morals.
- If your audience doesn’t align with the brand.
If any of these are true for you, you should definitely cancel your branded content deal. If you don’t align with the brand, it is going to reflect in your work, so it is best to preserve your reputation and cancel the contract.
Communication
Situations may come up that you are no longer interested in working with the brand. Whatever your reason may be, remember to maintain your professionalism and communicate with the brand, if you were hired directly by the brand. You do not want to get the reputation of being a difficult influencer who ghosts, this is especially true if you are getting work from a platform or from an agency.
Conclusion
Be respectful and honest. If you are going to cancel a deal, be professional, you may want to work with the agency or brand again later. If there is something that can be salvaged, the brand might make changes to improve the situation. If not, then it is best you part ways, but at least it will be on good terms! Good luck!
