Brands regularly use influencer marketing to reach people through creators with established audiences. Tarte Cosmetics' #TrippinWithTarte campaign is a visible example: the brand has hosted creators on trips to destinations including Bora Bora. The trips produce posts and conversation, but they also raise questions about who gets invited, how the content is disclosed and whether attention turns into sales. Tarte's 2024 Bora Bora trip makes those trade-offs especially clear.
The 1999-founded Tarte Cosmetics has become known for campaigns centred on influential people in the beauty industry. Tarte's own timeline dates the first #TrippinWithTarte trip to 2015. The tours aim to provide an intimate setting for creators to connect with the brand and one another, cultivating a feeling of belonging. Along with promoting Tarte's products in beautiful locations, these excursions aim to foster lasting relationships with creators who can speak to their respective audiences. In a 2023 interview about Dubai, founder Maureen Kelly said guests were not paid extra or required to post; the hosted travel and gifts were still valuable perks.
@tartecosmetics a bit of a fever dream for our tartelettes😅 #trippinwithtarte #tarteisland #tarteborabora #tarte ♬ original sound - tarte cosmetics
How the Bora Bora trip drew criticism
The criticism of these excursions became especially visible around the March 2024 Bora Bora trip. Marketing Brew reported at the time that some social media users called the lavish trip tone-deaf, while others defended it. Rolling Stone's March 2024 account described creators' use of Fergie's "Glamorous" in trip posts, which sharpened the contrast between the luxury on screen and viewers' everyday circumstances. Those reactions show a real reputational risk, though they do not establish how Tarte's customer base as a whole felt or bought.
In addition, the private-jet imagery prompted questions about the environmental and social costs of such extravagant vacations. The trip's emissions have not been reported, so its environmental impact remains unquantified. In spite of complaints, Tarte's influencer tours generated discussion and creator content. The brand's emphasis on relationships may keep creators connected to Tarte beyond a single event. Yet posts, views and comments measure attention, not incremental purchases or profit. Without disclosed trip costs and attributable sales, the Bora Bora campaign's return on investment cannot be calculated from public engagement alone.
What brands can learn and measure
However, the backlash against these trips highlights a broader issue within influencer marketing: the need for authenticity and relatability. A creator's experience can be sincere even when a brand pays for travel, but viewers need to understand the relationship. For posts aimed at U.S. consumers, the Federal Trade Commission's guidance says creators should clearly disclose free travel or other valuable perks when they endorse a product. Disclosure gives audiences context to judge a recommendation; it does not by itself make the recommendation convincing.
With these problems in mind, brands like Tarte might need to rethink how they use B2C marketing. Expensive gifts and trips may get people talking in the short term, but that attention might not last. Brands should focus on building real relationships with creators whose values and audiences fit their products. To do this, they might work with a wider range of creators, including micro-influencers, whose smaller followings may fit a particular audience. A smaller following alone does not guarantee trust or engagement. Furthermore, brands should consider how their brand strategy aligns with their overall values and the expectations of customers. In 2023, creators raised concerns about their treatment on Tarte trips, and TIME reported Kelly's response and promised changes. Tarte also faced earlier criticism of its shade range, a separate issue from trip invitations. Product choices and creator experiences both matter when a brand promises inclusion.
The controversy surrounding Tarte's influencer trips serves as a cautionary tale for brands using influencer marketing. These campaigns can generate buzz, but they also risk alienating consumers if they are perceived as tone-deaf or inauthentic. Before repeating one, a team should define its intended audience, check how guests and products represent it, require clear disclosure, and compare campaign costs with attributable outcomes where possible. Those steps make influencer marketing efforts easier to assess without treating buzz as proof of commercial success.
