Brian Campbell is the owner of Miann Dessert Restaurant and Chocolate Factory in Auckland, New Zealand.
As New Zealand prepares to roll out the latest phase of restaurant openings in the country, Campbell was relieved and started preparing himself and his business for reopening after a month of complete shutdown.Â
He started updating the website and social pages when he came across a message from a local influencer who asked if Campbell was able to send over free food in exchange for social media posts.
That day, Campbell remembers getting “five or six” requests from influencers for free food by the time he’d finished working in the early hours of the morning.
He responded to each of the requests individually but then decided to post his POV on his Instagram feed addressing all requests collectively.
In the post, he asked influencers to use their influence by stepping up and purchasing items from small businesses thereby making a contribution after over a month of no revenue.Â
He said he’s had almost entirely positive feedback on the post, with some customers even deciding to order from him after seeing it.
Commenting via a Buzzfeed article, Campbell said he had no hard feelings toward influencers but he just wanted to make a statement as a small business owner who was left with no choice.
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