Chiara Ferragni: An Influencer in Crisis

Valeria Marcia, Michael Carrillo

Product #:W42567

Supplier:Ivey

Discipline:Communications, Marketing

Setting:Italy, 2023

Details:Case (PDF) • 6 pages • 2025-04-29

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Geography:

Italy Europe

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Chiara Ferragni, a globally recognized Italian influencer, faced a significant reputational crisis following the Pandoro Pink Christmas campaign. The campaign claimed to support a children’s hospital, but this claim was deemed misleading by the Italian Competition Authority. This decision led to substantial fines, public backlash, and the withdrawal of key commercial partnerships. The case explores Ferragni’s challenges as she navigated legal scrutiny, public skepticism, and attempts to rebuild trust. It underscores the importance of transparency, authenticity, and ethical practices in influencer marketing and corporate social responsibility (CSR) campaigns.

Learning Objectives

This case is well-suited for courses in digital marketing, influencer marketing, social media marketing, marketing strategy, public relations, strategic communication, consumer behavior, decision-making, strategic brand management, business ethics, and crisis management at the undergraduate, graduate, and executive levels. It allows students to analyze the complexities of managing reputational crises within the evolving landscape of influencer partnerships and CSR. The case encourages critical discussions on transparency, trust, and the ethical implications of digital brand endorsements. This case can also be used in entrepreneurship courses, given its focus on personal branding and business strategy and corporate governance courses, where discussions on legal and regulatory compliance in influencer marketing can be explored. After reviewing the case and addressing the assignment questions, students will be able to do the following:

Analyze the impact of misleading advertising on consumer trust, brand reputation, and long-term business partnerships.
Evaluate the ethical, legal, and social dimensions of influencer marketing, particularly in CSR-focused campaigns.
Design strategies for effective crisis management and reputation rebuilding in the face of public backlash and regulatory scrutiny
Recommend measures for ensuring transparency, authenticity, and ethical alignment in influencer partnerships and brand promotions.
Gain familiarity with generative artificial intelligence (gen AI) and learn how to use gen AI tools to analyze and address key aspects of CSR campaigns.