FROM #ad posts to children launching their own fashion lines, the world of influencing is no longer reserved for reality stars and celebs – but their mini-mes too.
Amy Childs became the latest star to cash in on her daughter Polly when she revealed last month that the nine-year-old was launching her own fashion range – with a crop top-clad Polly telling the camera all about her new venture.
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The announcement didn’t go down quite as positively as Amy had hoped, with many fans slamming her for ‘exploiting’ the youngster for the money-spinning venture – leaving her ‘devastated’.
It comes as a whole host of celebs have welcomed their offspring into the world of business.
Ferne McCann’s daughters Sunday and Finty often feature in her social media brand deals, Molly-Mae’s three-year-old Bambi joined her in fronting a campaign for laundry detergent brand Comfort and Persil, and Rochelle Humes’ three children often appear in front of the camera for her brand, My Little Coco.
But why are so many celebs turning to using their children for new cash-grabbing ventures?
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PR expert Luana Riviera says celeb parents are a ‘goldmine’ when it comes to money-making, as she says: “Being seen with their children makes even the most famous faces seem more down-to-earth and relatable.”
However, fans have been left concerned over the rise in celeb children on their screens.
Amy Childs’ was flooded with comments about ‘exploitation’ after revealing daughter Polly’s clothing brand.
Something feels off about this. Sorry but it’s a money making thing and doesn’t seem right.
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“She isn’t old enough to do this sort of thing and have the maturity to understand,” said one.
Another echoed: “God let her be a child a little longer.”
Molly-Mae faced similar backlash after showing daughter Bambi in the bath on her Amazon Prime series and taking part in campaigns together.
“From a PR point of view, the use of families is appealing and will certainly get people talking about the brand and the marketing campaign,” explains Launa, who is the founder of Dauntless PR.
She continued: “But it is important to remember that these decisions are forever and when children get older they may wish they had been given more privacy and normality in their younger years.”
“Whether or not celebrities SHOULD put their children in the public eye in this way is an area which people will have lots of opinions on.
“Some will argue it is a safety risk and that the children themselves aren’t old enough to fully consent or understand the implications of establishing a level of fame in their own right.”
With the move such a controversial one, will the young stars see any of their hard-earned profits?
PR expert Carla Speight believes they will reap the rewards, just not anytime soon.
“These industry savvy parents will be making sure their kids won’t work for free, especially in the case of Molly Mae’s Bambi in the Comfort ads.
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“Bambi will have been paid for that and the money will sit in a trust earning interest until she’s at least 16, which gives her a good financial head start.
“Just like most of the celeb children, they’ll either have shares in the brands or they’ll get a wage for each time they showcase the brands and in the case of their parent’s brands, it’s likely they’ll get both.”