In an eyebrow-raising display of influencer misjudgment, Melbourne-based social media personality Jamieson May has found herself at the center of a controversy after her attempt to “expose” a local restaurant backfired spectacularly. May, who dubs herself a “travel, lifestyle, fashion, and food creator,” has been met with a storm of criticism following her public rant against the vegetarian restaurant Patsy’s in Melbourne’s CBD.
In a nearly three-minute TikTok video directed at her 9,000 followers, May detailed her disappointment with Patsy’s, claiming the restaurant’s rejection of her unsolicited marketing proposal was a “horrible” experience that needed to be shared. May’s video began with an emotional appeal: “I received the most horrible message yesterday from a restaurant [after] wanting to work with them, and I need to make you aware so you guys never work with them and know your standards.”
The drama began when May reached out to Patsy’s via Instagram, proposing a collaboration to create marketing content. To her dismay, the restaurant responded bluntly: “You don’t seem to have any followers; maybe you should approach us when you have over 100k.” The curt response struck May as disrespectful and prompted her to take the matter public.
The backlash was swift and harsh. The incident, initially picked up by the Facebook page Subtle Bogan Hints, quickly went viral, with public reactions ranging from derision to mockery. Comments on the viral post included jabs like, “So that’s where the flavor comes from…” and “Bet the mop head is warmer than the fries.” Others were less kind, with one user deriding her pitch as “the most brainless thing I’ve seen this year,” and another suggesting she should have her food safety certification revoked.
The situation took an unexpected turn when comments turned against McDonald’s, with some users attacking the cleanliness of the fast-food giant’s restaurants. One commenter lamented, “They used to pride themselves on having a clean business, but that seems to have changed.”
In response to the backlash, McDonald’s issued a statement emphasizing their commitment to food safety. A spokesperson clarified, “We take food safety extremely seriously and adhere to strict cleaning and hygiene procedures in all our restaurants. We have addressed this incident directly with the restaurant involved and conducted thorough re-training for all employees on our sanitization, hygiene, and food safety procedures.” The spokesperson reassured that this was an isolated incident and assured continued vigilance to prevent future occurrences.
For Jamieson May, the attempt to rally her followers against Patsy’s seems to have backfired, with many criticizing her for her approach and questioning her attempt to leverage her modest social media following for free services. The incident underscores the harsh realities of influencer marketing, where follower counts and engagement rates can make or break such collaborations.
May’s experience serves as a stark reminder of the importance of professionalism and establishing a solid, engaged follower base before approaching businesses for partnerships. As she navigates the fallout from this episode, it remains to be seen whether May will use this as a learning opportunity to refine her approach and grow her influence in a more effective and respectful manner.
In the ever-evolving world of social media, where public perception can shift rapidly, it’s clear that aspiring influencers must tread carefully to avoid the pitfalls of public backlash and miscalculated moves.
