With the digital era in full force, Zane McIntyre, CEO and co-founder of Commission Factory, explains the importance of affiliate marketing for influencers. McIntrye provides an insight as to what advertisers should look for when strategizing their campaigns.

How affiliate marketing can help advertisers get clear on their campaign goals

Cadbury’s infamous short films give viewers a heart warming experience. Creative campaigns really kicked off the year in showcasing the standard to advertisers. Small moments of short film ads generate high impressions. 

Cadbury’s latest ad is short and sweet

Fashion power house Balenciaga was in the spotlight, but what about Gucci? A deep dive into the Gucci family dark and twisted history.

We’ve heard about the Balenciaga scandal, but what about Gucci?

Hinge has revolutionised and sparked conversations about LGBTQIA+ dating. Explore how the app supports its users through its guide.

Hinge launches guide to LGBTQIA+ dating

Hinge has really gained popularity in its advertising space, as the dating company ventured out into creating digitals ads and TV spots on Hulu and social media. 

Hinge’s furry mascot ‘Hingie’ willing to be destroyed for love

Causing controversy all over the internet, it’s no surprise that influencers were banned from paid skincare advertising. The new laws changed the game for skincare companies advertising through social media influencers. 

Influencers to be banned from paid skin care advertising

Sports fans favourite time of the year, the Aussie Open made headlines with Uber Eats launching a major campaign, featuring the cheeky Nick Kyrgios in their TVC’s. 

Uber Eats launches its Australian Open campaign with some familiar faces

As the iconic Korean Netflix show, Squid Game hit the screen, it had a huge presence around the globe on social media. Brett Armstrong, the general manager of TikTok ANZ explored how platforms like TikTok amplified content. 

The future of entertainment: it’s more personal than you think

The brand really created a huge concern after the campaign featuring children holding teddy bears dressed in bondage. The fashion powerhouse received criticism globally, with many expressing how disgusted they were in their campaign. 

Balenciaga’s disturbing campaign

Long live the Queen, as this campaign by Vegemite celebrates the Queen’s jubilee celebration.

Vegemite celebrates the Queen’s anniversary with a tongue-in-cheek message

However, this is not the first time a luxury brand has had a complicated, darker side, as Gucci adds its name to this list.

In late 2020, allegations against the iconic fashion brand were made by its very own family member, Alexandra Zarini, the 37-year-old granddaughter of Aldo Gucci. She filed a lawsuit alleging that her stepfather, Joseph Ruffalo, sexually abused her over a period of 16 years.

Zarini alleged that since the age of six, she was subjected to sexual abuse by her step father, Ruffalo until the age of 22. In the lawsuit, Zarini outlines the sexual escalations of defendant Ruffalo.

Further to the allegations of Ruffalo sexually assaulting her, Zarini’s mother, Patricia Gucci, and grandmother, knew of the abuse she endured for years and allegedly groomed her for Ruffalo by allowing him to videotape her naked in the bath and hit her. On top of these massive allegations, Zarini highlights that both women threatened her to remain quiet. 

However, after the lawsuit was filed, Patricia Gucci stated that she was, “deeply sorry for the pain Joseph Ruffalo caused Alexandra”.

“What he did to her is inexcusable and I was devastated when she disclosed everything to me at our family doctor’s office in London in September 2007. I immediately initiated divorce proceedings against Mr Ruffalo and set about healing my family through counselling,” she said.

In response to the allegations, Patricia and her grandmother denied the allegations.

“I am equally devastated by the allegations against me and her grandmother, which are completely false,” said Patricia. 

Gucci’s lawyers outlined that Patricia  was not negligent due to the absence of her not knowing what happened until her daughter reached the age of 22. In a statement provided to the court, it outlined, “Once Ms. Zarini disclosed the abuse, Ms. Gucci was devastated, she immediately separated from and divorced Mr. Ruffalo and he never again sexually abused Ms. Zarini. She also set about healing her family through counselling.”

And Mr Ruffalo? His lawyer, Richard P. Crane responded, “My client has not been served and has not read the complaint. Therefore, he is not aware of all of the allegations that the Complaint contains. What he has been informed of, he vehemently and categorically denies. While married to Alexandra’s mother, Mr. Ruffalo and his wife were greatly concerned about the mental well-being of Alexandra and took steps to address her instability. Apparently, their efforts failed.”

Selling the brand to Kering

The Gucci family is known for its drama, as depicted in House of Gucci, the 2021 film starring Lady Gaga and showing the plot to murder Maurizio Gucci. But the Gucci Family has not been associated with the Gucci brand since selling in 1993. Gucci was acquired by Kering, which is a luxury powerhouse that also manages Balenciaga. 

With a dark history behind both of these luxury brands, do consumers need to be more conscious of where they spend their money?

The campaign gained widespread criticism, and pressure was on Kim Kardashian as she was heavily criticised for staying silent. The reality star is an ambassador for Balaneciaga, but she did not comment until Sunday. 

She addressed her followers on Instagram and Twitter, saying the reasoning behind her silence was that she wanted the opportunity to speak to Balenciaga’s team to understand how this would have happened.

As a mother of four, I have been shaken by the disturbing images. The safety of children must be held with the highest regard and any attempts to normalize child abuse of any kind should have no place in our society — period.

— Kim Kardashian (@KimKardashian) November 27, 2022

I appreciate Balenciaga’s removal of the campaigns and apology. In speaking with them, I believe they understand the seriousness of the issue and will take the necessary measures for this to never happen again.

— Kim Kardashian (@KimKardashian) November 27, 2022

As for my future with Balenciaga, I am currently re-evaluating my relationship with the brand, basing it off their willingness to accept accountability for something that should have never happened to begin with — & the actions I am expecting to see them take to protect children.

— Kim Kardashian (@KimKardashian) November 28, 2022

Balenciaga’s response

The brand was promoting its latest campaign on its social media feeds from 16 November. Images surrounding the campaign went viral all over the internet, as users were scrutinising the props in the image, criticising the brand for “over-sexualising” young children.

The company is now being accused of “endorsing child pornography” as court documens were used as props refer to “virtual child porn”. However, after the criticism, the brand removed the photos from the campaign and said “it should not have been featured with children”. The drama continues to brew as the company has stated it will take legal action “against the parties responsible” for the creation of the campaign which included “unapproved items” in the photo shoot. 

Is Balenciaga refusing to be accountable?

The brand’s apology has attempted to steer the attention away from Balenciaga and instead focuses on the parties involved in using the “unapproved” items. The spotlight was shined upon the photographer, Gabriele Galimberti, who issued a statement that he was “not entitled in whatsoever manner to neither choose the products, nor the models, nor the combination of the same.”

“As a photographer, I was only and solely requested to [light] the given scene, and take the shots according to my signature style. As usual for a commercial shooting, the direction of the campaign and the choice of the objects displayed are not in the hands of the photographer,” he says.

“I suspect that any person prone to pedophilia searches on the web and has [sic] unfortunately a too easy access to images completely different than mine, absolutely explicit in their awful content. Accusations like these are addressed against wrong targets, and distract from the real problem, and criminals.”

The brand has filed a $25 million lawsuit against North Six, and set designer, Nicholas Des Jardins, for their role in creating the second ad. As the saga continues, Balenciaga’s newest recruit, Nicole Kidman has stayed silent after the hashtag #cancelbalenciaga has had over 25 million views on TikTok.

Criticism has also continued regarding the usually numerous levels of approvals campaigns go through before launch. People are asking how a mulit-million dollar company can make such a huge mistake, intentionally or unintentionally.  But the fashion powerhouse has signed off in a statement, “We sincerely apologise for any offence our holiday campaign may have caused.” 

Campaign photos have been circulating as social media users have spotted a document tucked under an exclusive Balenciaga handbag – the document appears to be a court case about child pornography.

Famous Youtuber, June Lapine, known as Shoe0nHead has called out on the Balenciaga campaign.

the brand “Balenciaga” just did a uh….. interesting… photoshoot for their new products recently which included a very purposely poorly hidden court document about ‘virtual child porn’

normal stuff pic.twitter.com/zjMN5WhZ0s

— shoe (@shoe0nhead) November 21, 2022

The advertisement has been deleted and was posted online as part of a new campaign. The brand posted 10 new images featuring its Spring 23 campaign and have since been removed. It has also deleted the images of the girls off its website, replacing them with other photos. 

Why would a multi-million-dollar fashion company like Balenciaga run ads for their “Object Line” using children holding teddy bears in bondage costumes? Why would they place a copy of a court document on child pornography in the ad?

Who are targeting and what are they promoting?

— Just.A.Thought (@e_galv) November 21, 2022