These influencer trips are the hottest ticket — luxurious, all expenses paid, and exclusive for the internet's most popular faces.
But they come with controversies ...
But they come with controversies ...
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NewsTranscript
00:00We made it to the island, yeah!
00:04They're luxurious and all expenses paid.
00:07This used to be Prince's room, like, Purple Rain Prince.
00:10And packed with the most exclusive activities.
00:13Let's go have a good ass day.
00:15But these influencer trips, where brands fly out some of the internet's most popular faces
00:19to exotic locations for photo shoots and content creation,
00:23haven't been without controversy.
00:25I would love to go on a Tart trip, and trust me, I'm so grateful.
00:29But I have more integrity than to get all the way to Miami
00:33and realize that I'm being treated like a second tier person.
00:38Tart Cosmetics, often credited with popularizing the influencer trip,
00:41is the latest brand under fire for what many see as discriminatory
00:46and exclusionary practices on these getaways.
00:48Tart's lack of inclusivity has been a topic of discussion since 2015,
00:53and we really haven't seen much change.
00:55Makeup influencer Bria Jones says she decided against attending Tart's latest trip to Miami
01:00during Formula 1 weekend because she realized that her schedule
01:04differed from those of other attendees.
01:06They all said they were leaving Monday, and I was the only one leaving Saturday.
01:11So I just feel a little stupid.
01:13And I understand that my numbers are not like some of these other creators,
01:19but I just wish that there was more transparency up front.
01:22Jones wasn't the only influencer speaking up about how they thought Tart treated creators of color
01:27differently from their white counterparts.
01:29Beauty influencer Shadi Sin published a video after realizing that her room,
01:34which she was ecstatic about, was significantly smaller than those of other influencers on the same trip.
01:39I'm a brown minority creator in this influencer, content creator, TikTok era,
01:44and a lot of the times I get the short end of the stick,
01:47whether it's getting paid less for the same advertisement or not getting paid at all.
01:52I 100% agree that that room is more than enough.
01:56However, I do believe I am worth what I am worth.
02:00In the aftermath, Tart CEO Maureen Kelly released a video addressing the backlash
02:05while applying her makeup.
02:07I just want to clear the air on a couple of things.
02:09I wasn't thinking about what's going on at the track.
02:11I'm all about lifting up others and making people feel good.
02:15So I couldn't imagine making someone feel sad or, you know, just like hurting someone's feelings.
02:20It's going to be a great weekend.
02:22No hard feelings to anyone.
02:24The video was immediately met with criticism.
02:26It looks like any run of the mill, get ready with me video
02:29and not a statement from a CEO addressing accusations of systemic racism.
02:33Kelly deleted it before posting a more formal apology.
02:37I should have used this as an opportunity to address the unequal treatment of black creators
02:41within beauty creator programs.
02:43My post came across as me not taking the issue seriously, and I'm really sorry for that.
02:47I want to ensure everyone that I have heard you.
02:50Soon after, the company posted a job offer for a director of diversity, equity and inclusion.
02:55Though Jones later deleted the video and released one saying that there was,
02:59quote, a miscommunication on both ends.
03:02Her story reignited the question about the mistreatment of creators of color,
03:07especially with people pointing to the fact that Tart had already faced allegations of racism in the past.
03:12In 2017, the brand had come under fire for posting a meme featuring racial slurs.
03:17The next year, Tart was back in the headlines,
03:20facing backlash for failing to include a wide range of colors in one of its products.
03:24Fair sand.
03:26Fair neutral.
03:27Fair light neutral.
03:28Light medium neutral.
03:30Light medium honey.
03:31Tan honey.
03:32Deep honey.
03:33Rich sand.
03:34Mahogany.
03:37It's at a point now where I kind of feel like y'all are just trolling now,
03:40like you guys are doing this on purpose.
03:42To be clear, the controversy isn't just with Tart.
03:45In the past, creators of color have expressed that a desire to keep working
03:49or fear of being labeled as ungrateful has kept them silent.
03:53But some are speaking out.
03:54I literally hate it so much. I don't want to be here.
03:56It's too much.
03:57I feel so uncomfortable.
04:01I literally feel like I'm at school.
04:03No one else wanted to take pictures of me.
04:04No one would even talk to me.
04:05No one is taking pictures of you on a trip that's for pictures.
04:09You're going to feel very uncomfortable.
04:11I just felt like an outcast.
04:12In 2021, global communications firm MSL found that the pay gap
04:17between BIPOC influencers and white influencers was 29%.
04:22Between white and black influencers, it was 35%.
04:26Personally, I don't get why if they're going to do these trips,
04:30they don't just treat everyone the same.