Lifestyle influencer Bria Jones experienced a sense of inadequacy following a recent Tarte Cosmetics marketing trip, citing “miscommunication” as the cause. Over the weekend, in a now-deleted video, she expressed her frustration regarding the Miami brand trip by Tarte Cosmetics. And her sentiments received support from African American content creators.
The TikTok influencer clarified her eagerness to travel but expressed that she had too much integrity to arrive in Miami only to feel like a second-tier guest. She pointed out disparities in accommodations and experiences, such as some influencers getting front-row seats at an F1 race, while others did not. This situation has led to Tarte Cosmetics facing allegations of racism.
Maureen Kelly, CEO of Tarte, Has Been Accused of Racism
In May 2023, beauty influencer Bria Jones took to TikTok to vent her feelings about a brand trip to Miami. She initially felt elated about Tarte Cosmetics’ invitation to the prestigious Formula 1 (F1) race in Miami, but her excitement turned to disappointment when she realized that her travel itinerary had her departing one day earlier than the rest of the influencers on the trip.
This scheduling discrepancy left Jones feeling unfairly treated and prompted her to share her grievances on TikTok. There she addressed the apparent disparity in treatment during the Miami trip.
“I will not stand for unequal treatment as a Black creator,” she passionately stated in her deleted video.
Jones couldn’t help. But feel slighted when she discovered that her fellow content creators were scheduled to depart from Miami on a different day. She acknowledged in the video that her audience might not be identical to that of other creators. But she stressed that this should not be used as a reason to exclude an invited guest from the main activities.
Sam Kitain, Tarte’s Chief Marketing Officer, shared with Insider that “creators with followings of various sizes were invited across the three days”. It later revealed that certain individuals were allowed to choose their preferred day for the racing event. Consequently, organizers granted select influencers access to tickets for Sunday’s race.
- Jones’ video garnered over 800,000 views before being taken down. In her emotionally charged video, she conveyed her deep frustration while explaining the situation to her viewers. Tarte, in response, expressed regret for the “miscommunication.”
What Happened During The Tarte Cosmetics Company’s Miami Trip?
Influencer Bria Jones initially accepted Tarte’s invitation to join them for the F1 races in Miami with enthusiasm. However, her excitement turned into disappointment when she discovered that the other invited influencers on the brand trip had different accommodations and schedules.
Bria Jones found herself scheduled to depart early on Saturday, May 6. Whereas the other influencers were staying to witness the official race on Sunday, May 21. Jones, like many influencers of color, expressed her discontent with the company’s actions.
Despite her gratitude for the opportunity, she felt compelled to decline. Tarte responded to the criticism, explaining that different rounds of invited influencers had diverse schedules. The official Formula 1 race took place on Sunday, with qualifying events occurring on Friday and Saturday.
To Sum Up
Tarte Cosmetics and Bria Jones had a problem with their schedules for a trip. Other influencers felt the same way. People talked about how to include everyone in marketing. Tarte Cosmetics said it was a mistake. We need fair and diverse collaborations.
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