Influencer sued for failing to influence

An influencer contracted to wear Snap Inc's spectacles during the spring summer 19 fashion week season last month is being sued for failing to influence.

The case in question is PR Consulting, Inc., versus Luka Sabbat, with the former stating Sabbat is in breach of a 60,000 dollar deal he received to wear Snap Inc's glasses in public and further promote them on Instagram.

The 60k payment required Sabbat to make just four social media posts

The deal specified Sabbat would “create original content for a minimum of four unique posts: one Instagram Feed Post and three Instagram Story posts. Two of the Story posts were to be in New York, related to fashion shows and parties during New York Fashion Week and one Story post was to be in Milan or Paris, related to fashion shows and parties during [the respective] Fashion Weeks.”

According to The Fashion Law Shabbat allegedly accepted a deposit of 45,000 dollars and then failed to carry out the full requirements of the contract.

Sabat didn't just take the money and run. He duly made “one Feed Post and one Story post,” to his 1.4 million followers, but “failed to post 1 additional Instagram story in New York and 1 in Milan or Paris, and failed to be photographed in public at least once in the aforementioned cities while wearing Spectacles product.”

Who is Luke Sabbat?

According to his Instagram handle, he is a Stylist, Entrepreneur and Champion. Esquire magazine describes Sabbat as a 20-year-old influencer, famous for "hanging out at parties and fashion shows, being photographed while hanging out at parties and fashion shows, and briefly dating a Kardashian (Kourtney)."

PR Consulting is one of New York's heavyweight agencies, specialising in brand imaging and public relations for clients including Calvin Klein, Raf Simons and LVMH. It frequently contracts influencers for its portfolio of high-end fashion clients.

While non-fulfilment of contractual duties is no stranger to celebrity litigation cases, what is unique is that influencer marketing could be held accountable for its return of investment, at the very least the criteria stipulated in contracts for what is deemed 'influence'.

Photo credit: Luka Sabbat portfolio, source Luka Sabbat website