Many influencers — from lifestyle creators to pet accounts to DIYers — who typically avoid talking about news or politics acknowledged the violence in Minneapolis this week. NPR dug in and found that these posts were often unpolished, full of emotion, and risky. Audience reaction was mixed, from appreciation for speaking out and using their platform to accusations of performative activism for head pats.
For brands, many hesitated to share a POV or went altogether silent, revealing how little the philosophy of Human-to-Human (H2H) marketing prepares companies for moments when humanity requires acknowledging pain. As Rachel Karten observed in her blog, Milk Karten, playbooks designed for trend-driven engagement falter when the moment demands empathy, restraint, or value-based judgment rather than visibility.
Now more than ever, the current political environment is raising important and time-sensitive questions across the influencer–brand ecosystem.
What responsibility do influencers have during moments of national crisis, if any? When audiences are overwhelmed and searching for meaning, silence or carrying on business-as-usual can feel tone deaf. Silence can be viewed as a non-verbal opinion and accusations of not using their platform to its highest and best use. But, speaking up risks accusations of performative activism, nasty DMs and a loss of followers.
Many brands are struggling with whether to participate in the crisis conversation, and how. After years of building strategies around how to act online, from reacting quickly to cultural moments, capitalizing on viral trends, and trying to cultivate fun, BFF-style engagement, some brands have paused their social posting entirely, unsure what the right response should be or to consider whether to risk missing the mark, or consider if remaining silent is worse than speaking up.
The big question is whether staying silent is a neutral act or a strategic signal. In polarized political environments, choosing not to engage often communicates risk aversion or misalignment with a brand’s stated values, whether intended or not.
Brands now operate in a landscape where everything they do can have consequences. Minimizing backlash may protect brands in the short term, but evasive messaging can erode consumer trust over time.
Some, like the scrubs brand FIGS, have chosen to comment directly, tying their message to real-world pain points by honoring the memory of Alex Pretti. FIGS also donated $25,000 to a fund for Pretti’s family.
Ultimately, these moments of crisis force a reckoning. Brands and influencers are not sitting on the sidelines of culture; they are active participants in it. The important question is no longer whether to show up during national crises, but whether the way they show up reflects the values they espouse when times are easy.
Choosing not to engage during a national crisis is still a form of communication that signals priorities and risk intolerance. While not every crisis demands a statement, our hyper-connected landscape demands that every crisis receive thoughtful consideration.
It means understanding when a moment transcends marketing and responding with empathy, clarity, and respect for lived experiences, not trends, viral messaging or engagement metrics.
Audiences do not expect brands to have all the answers, but they do expect and deserve coherence between words and actions. Unpolished, emotional authenticity most often resonates more than silence or perfect corporate messaging.
Creators are not just content and messaging distribution channels; they are people with voices, values, and agency. Ensure influencer partnerships are always rooted in shared principles, so when they speak during moments of crisis, brands are prepared to stand behind their partnerships.
A brand statement cannot solve a political crisis. But acknowledging reality, expressing empathy, and supporting communities affected by violence and injustice are baseline expectations and not acts of bravery.
At Carusele, we certainly don't have all the answers for how brands or influencers should handle these complicated situations. By considering the above frameworks, perhaps those brands and influencers can make decisions that match their beliefs and values in the best possible way.