During the actors’ strike, influencers are facing a difficult decision on how to move forward. The strike, led by SAG-AFTRA, has released strict guidelines for influencers, stating that they should not accept any new work for promotion of struck companies or their content. They are even advised to refrain from posting about struck work in an organic, non-paid capacity. Influencers who perform covered work or services for a struck company during the strike will not be admitted into membership in SAG-AFTRA.
Many content creators admit that they were caught off guard by these guidelines, as they did not expect to be directly impacted by the strike since many of them are not SAG members. Now, they are forced to decide whether they want to stand in solidarity with the union at the expense of lucrative deals with studios and the content that built and sustains their follower base.
Emanuel Rodriguez, whose 8-year-old son Logan Winter is a superhero-centered content creator, wonders if the roles were reversed, would the actors do the same? Rodriguez is scared that his decision now could impact his son’s future if he decides to join SAG. They attended Disney’s Haunted Mansion premiere with a disclaimer on their Instagram post, stating that they were contracted to create content before the strike. Rodriguez admits that he’s hesitant to continue with a partnership for the release of Blue Beetle due to possible backlash.
The strike has financially hit influencers hard, with brands reaching out to them after the strike started, but they had to decline the offers. Engagement has also taken a hit, with Rodriguez’s son experiencing a decrease from 3.2 million to 360,000 followers in just one week. To adapt, they plan to shift their content to gaming and more YouTube-style prank videos.
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Influencer Brandi Marie King, who is known for attending movie premieres, also attended the Haunted Mansion premiere in a pre-contracted partnership with Disney. She made sure to check with SAG to ensure she wasn’t in violation of their policies. King’s contracted work is now complete, so she is trying to figure out how to cater to her 600,000+ TikTok followers. She plans to focus more on vlogging and taking acting classes. SAG has told her that she can continue partnerships with Disney Parks and Disney Cruise Line.
Most creators that King knows are supportive of the strike, but she questions how the actors’ union plans to enforce the rules. She wonders if it will come down to people reporting violations or if they will be checking profiles. King also worries about the long-term impact on influencer and studio partnerships once the strike is over. Will she still receive invitations to premieres and screenings?
Joe Aragon, a TikToker with almost 1 million followers, has no plans to join the guilds but still supports the strike in a moral sense. He has shifted his content drastically since the strike began, focusing on ranking French fries, chips, and dog breeds, and making strike explainer content. Aragon is unsure about what falls under the “promotion” guidelines and has sought clarification from SAG without receiving a response.
Aragon acknowledges that there is a concern about losing followers in the long run as he has built his platform talking about movies. However, he believes that it’s fair to stand with the actors and work towards getting things done together. He understands the inconvenience caused by the strike but believes it’s necessary.
Looking towards the future, Aragon has faith that influencers will return to the red carpet once the strike is over. He believes studios will still want to partner with influencers because they are important for promoting their content.
In conclusion, influencers are facing a challenging decision during the actors’ strike. They must decide whether to stand in solidarity with the union or continue accepting lucrative deals with studios. The strike has impacted their finances and engagement, forcing them to adapt their content. However, they remain hopeful that post-strike partnerships with studios will continue and that they can return to the red carpet alongside the actors.
