Nara Smith X Marc Jacobs and The Ethics of Collaboration
Marc Jacobs' recent collaboration with TikTok influencer Nara Smith has sparked both praise and controversy in the marketing world. While the campaign successfully leveraged Smith's massive following with a seemingly perfect collaboration, seamlessly interweaved with Nara’s unique content style, it raises important questions about idea ownership and ethical practices in influencer marketing.
The Campaign
You’ve probably been living under a rock if you haven't heard of Nara Smith. Known for her "from scratch" cooking videos, Nara partnered with Marc Jacobs to create a quirky ad where she "bakes" a Marc Jacobs red tote bag (a beautiful bag btw, but let’s not get distracted 👀). The video, which has already garnered over 6 million views and 1.2 million likes, showcases Smith mixing ingredients to create a dough, moulding it into a bag shape, and "baking" it into a full-sized Marc Jacobs tote. The creativity of this campaign? Chefs kiss.
The campaign was initially well-received, with many praising Marc Jacobs for its innovative approach to influencer marketing and understanding of platform-specific content. However, it emerged that the video ideation was taken from a smaller creator, Mary Korlin-Downs, who has yet to receive any credit or payment.
Nara’s collaboration was posted on @marcjacobs channels, and has amassed over 2.1 million likes alone on TikTok.
The Controversy
Shortly after the video's release, allegations surfaced that Smith had stolen the concept from a smaller creator, Mary Korlin-Downs. Critics pointed out striking similarities between Smith's video and Korlin-Downs' original content, even the frame-by-frame comparisons are virtually the same, raising questions about idea ownership and credit in the influencer space.This situation highlights a growing concern in the digital marketing industry: the fine line between inspiration and plagiarism, especially when larger brands and influencers are involved.
@marykorlindowns, who runs a design and creative agency regularly posts creative direction ideas across her TikTok account. Here is the original video, posted last year, showing her vision for a Marc Jacobs collab
Marc Jacobs has since been called out publicly by creator @marykorlindowns, and many have taken to commenting on the post calling out Marc Jacobs and Nara Smith.
Ethical Considerations
The controversy surrounding this campaign underscores several important ethical considerations for digital marketers:
Credit where credit is due: Brands and influencers should always give proper credit when drawing inspiration from others' work. This not only maintains integrity (which is super important to gen-z audiences and consumers) but also fosters a more collaborative creative environment.
Due diligence: Marketers should thoroughly research campaign concepts to ensure they're not inadvertently using ideas that originated elsewhere (and be honest about when they do!).
Supporting smaller creators: Brands have an opportunity to elevate lesser-known talent by collaborating directly with original content creators or featuring them in campaigns alongside bigger names.
Transparency: When controversies arise, addressing them openly and honestly can help maintain trust with audiences and the creator community. We are yet to see anything from Nara or Marc Jacobs on the hundreds of thousands of comments highlighting their ‘stolen’ idea.
As the line between content creation and advertising continues to blur, it's crucial for brands and influencers to prioritise ethical practices and give credit where it's due. We truly believe that by fostering a culture of respect and collaboration, the industry can continue to innovate while supporting creators of all sizes. This approach not only protects individual creators but also enhances the overall credibility and sustainability of influencer marketing.
SUBSCRIBE TO THE Z GAZETTE 🗞
Subscribe to our newsletter to receive all the relevant social media news as well as 3 FREE TikTok content ideas every Monday. Get your gazette below!
