MAFS star Tracey Jewel has denied scamming small Aussies businesses into taking part in an Instagram campaign that allegedly failed to deliver on almost every key aspect.
According to several small business owners, Tracey reached out to them via Instagram and asked if they’d like to take part in a ‘Relaxation Day’ Instagram giveaway. They claim Tracey promised their brands would be promoted by 11 influencers (including herself) to their combined 750,000 followers. In return, she estimated they would gain 5 to 10k followers each. All that was required was a $299 buy in (plus GST), and sending free products to each of the 11 influencers.
However, the small business owners claim they received on average just 40 new followers, and the promotion was run through a completely separate Instagram account. Further to that, at least one influencer who was said to be taking part in the campaign told PEDESTRIAN.TV they had received no contact from Tracey about what was happening.
While Tracey admits the results were not what “we had hoped” for, she denies scamming the businesses and maintains she fulfilled her obligations, pointing out there are no guarantees when it comes to advertising and marketing.
Masini Sleepwear owner Ebonnie Masini told P.TV: “We were contacted by Tracey Jewel from MAFS asking us to be a part of a giveaway for ‘Relaxation Day’. We were asked to gift 11 items to her and 10 other influencers and pay $299 as a ‘buy-in.’
“In return, we would have our brand promoted via Insta Stories and posts by the 11 influencers. We would be promoted to 750,000 followers,” she said, adding that “we were told that we could expect to gain five to 10 thousand followers.”
Ebonnie added, “We went ahead with it, but said we could only gift four items, not the 11 she was asking for. And we didn’t pay the $299.
“Unfortunately the other 18 small businesses involved gifted 11 items and paid $299.”
She claims that the competition ran from the August 15 to August 21, but only three influencers took part, one of whom was Tracey Jewel, and not the 11 that were initially suggested.
Also instead of gaining thousands of followers, she claims each brand received an average of 40 new followers.
Ebonnie says she sent Tracey Jewel an email asking why the campaign was not delivered as discussed, and she allegedly received a response from Tracey saying that she is also “unhappy with the lack of results with this giveaway.”
“As per our agreement, I have delivered everything I said I would and many more posts,” Tracey appeared to write in the email. “Please note I usually charge $600 for posts and $80 stories ALONE for my own Instagram.”
The email appears to show that Tracey Jewel “paid for promotional posts, hair, makeup, locations, photography and my time to coordinate this. Sometimes things just don’t get the high return, the same as Facebook and social media advertising.”
She allegedly promised to continue promoting the products and claimed that she had “encouraged the [other] influencers to do the same.”
Other brands involved in the campaign told P.TV about the emotional and financial impact of the campaign, the red flags they should have spotted, and how, after having lost so many sales due to COVID, they felt this was “just another blow”.
“Looking back on things now, I can see there were red flags from the start of the competition,” Leah Coombs of Salty Bangs told us. “Everything felt rushed and unorganised. I shouldn’t have proceeded with the competition given this, but I honestly just thought how could someone with such a huge following and profile not be legitimate and why would they bother with small business?”
Megan, owner of Vibe Wellness, said: “As a small business, this has hit us hard. We have already lost so many sales due to COVID and this is just another blow.”
Brad George, owner of Cub & Co. Natural Grooming, said: “As a small business owner paving my way through very uncertain times, this has had an emotional and financial impact on myself and my business. My main objective in speaking with you is to create awareness in the hopes that other small businesses can learn from my mistakes.
“Since voicing my concerns to Tracey I am yet to receive a response, I know some of the other businesses have been offered compensation in the form of a percentage of their losses from fees and product cost, however we have yet to be contacted regarding this.”
Meanwhile Emblaze Candles and Scents told us: “I really hope Tracey does the right thing by refunding us all and not continuing with these promotions if they cannot be delivered.”
Ange L Soap business owners Michaela & Angela Leicht shared the following advice to brands in a similar position: “Our advice for other brands is to never enter a giveaway if it seems too good to be true. Do your homework thoroughly before giving someone your product and money.”
One of the influencers involved, Estella Rigby, told P.TV, “I worked with Tracey on one occasion earlier this year. I received a box of products to post on my page, and it went well. However, a few weeks ago I noticed some tracking numbers in my Australia Post Tracking app that were unaccounted for.
“I contacted the businesses that were sending the products to inform them that they had got the wrong address, and I could redirect the mail from my end if need be. I was told that I was a part of a ‘Relaxation Day Giveaway,’ which I knew nothing about. I got tied up with other things, but within a few days I received an Influencer brief from Tracey, alongside hundreds of dollars worth of products from various businesses.”
https://www.instagram.com/p/CRYbxd-JTaU/
She says she was “shocked, but the brief was fairly simple and I decided to not raise any concerns.”
“It was going to be a hassle to send all of these products back, so I decided to complete the postings. However, I eventually received an ‘urgent’ email from Tracey demanding that I, along with the other influencers, complete post more about the giveaway as some of the brands were not happy. This concerned me, and I decided to reach out to the brands involved and explain how sorry I was about everything that had happened. I said that I had not been made aware of the giveaway until products had already arrived, and asked what I could do to help.”
She added, “A few hours later, Tracey sent a very emotional email to everyone. She gave out my contact details to all of these small businesses which I was upset about, as it felt like she was attempting to handball the situation off to the influencers. Tracey threatened us all with legal action. This particularly upset me, as I had not raised any concerns with Tracey and had tried to work with her despite my frustrations.”
She claims that “Tracey has refused to pay back the businesses in full for the damage caused. On top of that, she did not do what she promised with the products and kept most things for herself, according to one business I contacted.”
She says Tracey Jewel has since blocked her on Instagram.
Ebonnie added to P.TV, “There are no guarantees when it comes to using influencers. All brands went into this with eyes wide open. This is not a case of small businesses complaining about commercial outcomes. Rather, it’s a story about how, at a time where these women-led small Australian businesses are trying to survive a global pandemic, Tracey Jewel would actively mislead and prey on these companies in a bid to line her own pockets.”
Tracey Jewel, who has 178k followers, has since shared an Instagram Story addressing the allegations, writing: “I fulfilled my role in promoting these businesses and in light of the giveaway results, the company I’m involved with decided in good faith to refund 33 per cent of the fees paid.”
She says “as the products were given as a ‘contra’ and used in photography and promotions, they cannot be returned and it was not part of the agreement that products would be paid for or returned.”
In a second Insta Story, Tracey Jewel added: “In advertising and marketing, there are no guarantees and I wish these businesses all the best. I deny any wrongdoing and calling me a scammer or fraud is defamation and caution notices to these individuals may be issued.”
We reached out to Tracey Jewel for a further comment and here’s what she had to say:
“I created this giveaway to support small businesses and offer an opportunity through my and others instagrams to promote self care.
Unfortunately we didn’t get the results we had hoped, for several factors beyond our control.
I fulfilled my role in promoting these businesses and in light of the giveaway results, the company I’m involved with decided in good faith to refund 33 per cent of the fees they paid.
As the products were given as a ‘contra’ and used in photography and promotions they cannot be returned and it was not part of the agreement that products would be paid for or returned.
In advertising and marketing there are no guarantees and I wish these businesses all the best
We deny any wrongdoing and calling me a scammer or fraud is defamation and legal notices may be issued to these people who continue to slander on social media.”
Tracey Jewel starred in season 5 of Married At First Sight Australia.
