Brands Turn to Microinfluencers, as Supers Struggle With Relatability

Superinfluencers may be posting themselves out of relevancy during the coronavirus. In April, a series of missteps from influencer Arielle Charnas landed her in hot water on social media. After securing a test for COVID-19 through personal connections, Charnas revealed to her 1.3 million Instagram followers that she had indeed tested positive for the coronavirus. The influencer proceeded to break New York City’s shelter-in-place mandate to temporarily relocate to the Hamptons, prompting online backlash for what her followers deemed a reckless decision. Her husband, Brandon, inserted himself into the drama, calling followers “irrelevant” in direct messages, according to screenshots. Charnas eventually issued an apology in the form of a video she filmed in the backyard of her Hamptons house. “I never in a million years wanted to hurt anyone and we’re not bad people,” she said. But the damage had already been done. Nordstrom began to distance itself from the influencer, with whom it has collaborated on a number of Something Navy collections. “Our partnership with Arielle Charnas ended in 2019, and we have no foreseeable collaborations,” the retailer wrote in response to a tweet. Just two years ago, Nordstrom copresident Pete Nordstrom sang Charnas’ praises in an Instagram Live video. Charnas’ flop exposed a

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