XOMU: Am I influencing?

Three brands I turned down for sponsored content (and why)

I don’t work with many brands on sponsored content, and most of the brands I do work with (like WHOOP, Kreatures of Habit, American Giant, and Tommy John) are part of long-term, truly organic relationship. I’ve been using or wearing these products myself for years, and I love them. I know all of their features and benefits inside and out, and it feels good that they’re investing in me and my community the way I’ve personally invested in them. To this day, I still purchase things from these brands with my own money, as the sweatshirt section of my closet will attest to.

But I get pitched by a lot of brands, including some really big names—and sometimes it’s hard to say no. Here are three stories featuring the behind-the-scenes of why I turned down their campaign, because “influencing” is a super weird job, peeking behind the curtain feels excitingly voyeuristic, and that’s exactly what this space is for.