In honor of Public Relations, Media and Advertising Month, this week’s issue of Villavogue is a Business of Fashion Society takeover. The Business of Fashion Society is a student-run organization that merges fashion with business-related disciplines. With so many networking options and internship opportunities out there, the Business of Fashion Society strives to get students in contact with notable sources.

From its Shape Tape full-coverage concealer to its Creaseless setting and brightening powder, Tarte Cosmetics is a very notable company in the beauty industry, whose mission statement centers around defying beauty stereotypes and standards. However, recent controversy challenges these missions, as the media has been criticizing Tarte for its gifts to influencers. PR packages, containing items ranging from the lavish Mini Clic Kelly Bracelets from Hermès to a singular gold hoop earring, gifts that sparked anger within the media. Influencers even began to use their platforms to express their distaste towards the company. 

Shawnda, an African American content creator known as “lifecoachshawn” on TikTok, expressed her dissatisfaction with the company in a video.

“Tarte seems to be allergic to fairness,” she said. “Whether it’s brand trips or their PR packages, someone is always given less than someone else.”

Alexis Oakley, a notable celebrity makeup artist, shared her Tarte PR unboxing on Sept. 13, where she was seen to have received the aforementioned Hermès bracelet and expressed her clear enthusiasm towards the jewelry. 

On Sept. 14, following Oakley’s video, influencer Kennedy Eurich posted a video where she shows a personalized Evry Jewels gold-plated necklace with her name on it, gifted to her by the Tarte PR team. She accepted the necklace, but made it clear that she was expecting to receive the Hermès bracelet.  

“They are picking favorites,” Eurich said of the company in her video.

Influencer Paloma Sanchez uploaded a video on Sept. 19, on which she showcased her Tarte PR package. Comments on her video claimed it was more of a “goody-bag” than a gift when compared with packages other influencers had received that week. Tarte included a few of its makeup products which, upon application, Sanchez said were “drier than [she] anticipated,” as well as packs of earrings. The gold hoops appeared tampered with, as there was only one earring in the package with the other seemingly missing. 

With the majority of the influencers who received the Hermès bracelet being white, many began questioning Tarte and its policy of inclusivity. A spokesperson for Tarte spoke to PEOPLE and debunked this rumor about its alleged discrimination by stating that 33% of creators who received PR, specifically the bracelet, identified as Black, and 50% identified as BIPOC. 

Beauty and fashion-focused influencer Melina Melrose is an example of an African American influencer who received the luxurious bracelet, along with other makeup products. She expressed her excitement and gratitude towards the gift as she has been a consistent marketer for Tarte Cosmetics.

Many on social media also claimed that only larger influencers were receiving these gifts, yet the packages containing exorbitant gifts were not limited to influencers with a large platform. 

Michelle York, known as “michellesays” on TikTok, is a podcast host with a comparatively smaller following to the other influencers receiving the packages. She has 236,000 followers and recently posted a video explaining that she received the bracelet. She explained that she talks about Tarte and its products on her social media often, but confirms to never have been paid by Tarte to advertise the brand. She said she believes that the influencers who promote Tarte products the most are among the ones who received the more lavish gifts, assuming this increases their consumer traffic via stores and online. Contrary to the majority of the media bashing Tarte’s marketing strategy, York displayed her affection towards the company in the video.

“They are the kindest, most inclusive, most considerate, loving, equitable brand I have ever met in my entire life,” York said.

Tarte continues to be one of the many beauty companies that faces media-wide backlash for its distinctive PR strategies. What Tarte’s future looks like is heavily dependent on the decisions the company makes to combat these statements. What will the company do? Keep up with some notable influencers to find out what’s next.