Image vs. Money
Image vs. Money
A very important lesson any influencer should realize early on in their career (psst it’s okay if you’re realizing it while you’re thriving) is that brand partnership jobs normally fall under two categories : image jobs and money jobs.
Allow me to explain.
A money job is a partnership that comes in that offers you a really nice paycheck, but it’s not a brand that you’re entirely in love with or particularly care for (even if it’s a product you use daily like toothpaste).
An image job is a partnership that comes in that offers you a rate below what you normally get but it’s from a luxury brand, or a brand with tremendous status.
The important thing to understand in your career is that a healthy balance is essential for growth. It actually is important for influencers to understand that sometimes taking those “lesser paying jobs” from luxury brands are actually an extremely important catapult to continue garnering those “big money jobs” from commercial brands.
Think about the movie industry. We see really talented actors sometimes take a part in a movie (usually horror) that makes you wonder why? Ahem, the paycheck. That allows them to finance their lives. That allows them a bit of freedom to choose more carefully future roles (indie films) that pay squat buttttttttt can lead them to an Academy Award Nomination. This is something so common in the entertainment industry we don’t think twice about it. Yet, in the influencer industry people scoff at this thought….. until they see the light and follow it.
That’s also not to say that it’s an either-or situation. There are sweet spots when a partnership can be both image and money. Think about when you see your favorite influencer on a billboard as the ambassador for a luxurious jewelry brand. These “sweet” partnerships are (sorry to say) not as common as the partnerships we’re used to seeing on Instagram or TikTok - a post here or there.
No matter what partnerships come across your desk, as an influencer you always have to think with an open mind and do what’s best for you.