Ladies of London star Juliet Angus has slammed the baby product company founded by Kristen Bell and Dax Shepard, claiming Hello Bello has repeatedly asked her to post about the brand on social media in exchange for $44 worth of free vitamins.
The 43-year-old mother of two took to Instagram Stories this week to call out the new company for its attempt to get free marketing from her while sharing several screenshots of email exchanges she had with the brand.
‘These are ALL the emails from @hellobello asking me several times to collaborate ie. post on my social for them and create content for free,’ she wrote over one image showing how many times she has been emailed by the company in recent months.
Hitting back; Juliet Angus (left) has called out Hello Bello, the baby product company founded by Kristen Bell and Dax Shepard (right), for trying to get her to post ‘free content’
‘I took time to reply once in March saying let’s look at [the] bigger picture and goals for both of us with no reply just spamming and constant, blatant, asking for free content,’ she explained. ‘If you can’t reply to my email, stop sending me the same ones.’
In one of the emails from Hello Bello, Juliet was offered a ‘collab opportunity’ and told she would be ‘gifted’ four different vitamins of her choice if she wanted to join the company’s marketing campaign.
Claims: She expressed her frustration with the company for repeatedly approaching her via email to post content promoting the brand in exchange for free vitamins
The email came from a representative at the brand, not its founders, and Juliet noted that she is actually a fan of both Kristen, 39, and Dax, 44. However, she felt the company was trying to take advantage of her.
The former reality star shared screenshots of the Hello Bello vitamins she was being asked to promote, saying they retail for $11 each.
Juliet, who has more than 309,000 Instagram followers, explained that she only plugs products on her Instagram account that she actually uses and likes.
Over the past few months, she has posted sponsored ads for Moda Operandi and Bentley, among others.
‘Most often I have bought them or I have reached out to the PR saying, “I would like to try your product,” OR the PR has asked prior if I would like [to] try something specific where I pick the item, with no social obligation,’ she wrote. ‘I ONLY say YES if I actually want to try it.’
Laying it all out: The 43-year-old Ladies of London star posted screenshots of the emails she received from Hello Bello (left) as well as her most recent response (right)
She added: ‘Collaborating IS NOT: Let us send you something AND then we expect you to create content on your social and share with your followers once you receive.’
Juliet continued her rant by posting a screenshot of the ‘crazy’ contract the company sent her stating she would have to share one social media post with a promotional code and three different hashtags in addition to following the brand’s Instagram account in order to get the free vitamins she was being offered.
She went on to post a screengrab of the email she sent to Hello Bello in response to the company’s repeated attempts to get her to promote its products.
‘I have responded before. You want me to create content and post on my social for multi-millionaires Kristen & Dax for a $40 free gift of vitamins whose cost is probably $5. I actually find your email insulting and I am a fan of both of theirs,’ she wrote.
Not having it: Juliet told the company that if they sent her vitamins she might ‘become a natural fan of them’ but it’s ‘absurd’ to ask her to post content in exchange for trying them out
Just the way it is: The former reality star, who recent posted this ad for Moda Operandi, said she is a fan of the celebrity couple but noted that ‘business is business’
Influencer life: Juliet, who has more than 309,000 Instagram followers, explained that she only plugs products on her Instagram account that she actually uses and likes
‘Business is businesses. There shouldn’t be favors unless let’s see…do Dax and Kristen both want to screenshot my IG page and post on their accounts telling everyone how fab I am just like I would for their vitamins?’ she continued.
‘This needs to stop! You send me vitamins and maybe I will love them and become a natural fan of them for my kids but outline requirements for posting for $44 of product is just absurd.’
In a statement shared with People, Hello Bello said the company respects Juliet’s decision to not be a part of its marketing.
‘As a new brand, Hello Bello is proud of our passionate community of supporters. We value our relationships with influencers, and like many brands, work with them in a variety of capacities.
‘We respect Juliet’s decision not to participate in our vitamin launch. We remain committed to our mission of providing all parents access to affordable, premium products,’ the statement read.