Influencer Chronicles Issue #11 is here to keep you in the loop with everything happening in the influencer landscape.
April has been packed: the Biebers officially taking over Coachella, the drama surrounding Megan Thee Stallion and Klay Thompson, and the Kardashian-Jenner “money mine” crowning a 6-year-old CEO. Plus, we’re tracking Meta’s latest moves with the launch of Instants and a subscription model that might actually let you bypass the algorithm.
Enjoy your monthly scroll!
On the radar
KHLOÉ’S DAUGHTER AS FOUNDER AND CEO
Khloudfoods, Khloé Kardashian’s high-protein snack brand, recently launched its Birthday Cake popcorn by leveraging the birthday of 6-year-old True (Khloé’s daughter), naming her “Founder & CEO for the week.”
While some people thought the commercial was cute and even called True the “best actor” in the entire family, many are roasting Khloé and Kris Jenner (who also posted it on her Instagram) for “child labor.” For decades, Kris Jenner has been known as the “momager” of the Kardashian clan. Now, with 13 grandkids in the pipeline, the Jenner money mine is officially bottomless.
Meta is currently testing Instagram Plus, a subscription model in markets like Mexico, Japan, and the Philippines, designed to give users and brands more control over their content. High-value features include Extended Story Duration, which keeps stories live for 48h (doubling link conversion windows), and Story Spotlight, a weekly boost that moves stories to the front of feeds. This allows creators and brands to bypass the algorithm and replace expensive “Boosted Posts” with a much cheaper way to maintain visibility. Additionally, Unlimited Audience Lists enable precise sharing beyond “Close Friends,” allowing influencers to segment their community for hyper-targeted lists without the risk of spamming their general audience.
Meta also launched Instants this month, a standalone app that trades Instagram’s polished aesthetic for raw, disappearing photos. Sound familiar? Photos that vanish after 24 hours and can only be viewed once, how about now? If you’re getting 2013 Snapchat flashbacks, you’re not alone. With the tagline “Real life, real quick,” the app bans gallery uploads and filters to force users into real, unscripted sharing that the major player apps have outgrown. For influencers, is this their signal to stop over-editing? Is the era of the “perfect grid” coming to an end? Guess we’ll find out soon.
According to the 2026 State of Influencer Marketing report, the “one-off campaign” is officially in its flop era as short-form video has officially swallowed the industry, with 85% of marketers now prioritizing TikTok and Reels over static posts. But the real trend is “Always-On” partnerships with a focus on longevity. Brands want creators who act like Creative Directors, not just a human billboard for a weekend. For influencers, the message is simple: if you aren’t producing high-velocity video content that tells a consistent brand story over months (not days), you’re likely to be left out of the 2026 budgets.
It’s no secret that the internet loves a mukbang, but Logan is reinventing the format for the short-form era. Swapping hour-long YouTube sit-downs for snappy, straight-to-the-point TikToks.
If he misses your personal favorite, he has an iconic disclaimer, where he says to the viewers: “The sun will rise tomorrow.”
Why should you follow him?
Logan’s transparency is top-tier. Aside from a single sponsored video so far (Reese’s), his content is self-funded and completely unbiased. Follow him for quick, funny, and deeply trustworthy takes on the snacks you were probably going to buy anyway.
If you haven’t seen Ruby Perman’s work on your feed yet, you’re missing out on the most delicious digital art in the game.
Ruby has mastered the art of “culinary couture,” using everything from kale and candy to pasta and pomegranate seeds to recreate iconic celebrity red-carpet looks and pop-culture moments.
It’s high-fashion meets food art, and the craftsmanship is as satisfying as it is impressive. Her Instagram caption is “making iconic moments into food art” and we could’t agree more.
Why should you follow her? Ruby turns everyday snacks into high-fashion masterpieces. Follow her for a daily dose of creative genius that proves your favorite celebrity’s Met Gala look might actually look better made out of radicchio.
Spill the tea
1. Klay: Fumbling a Queen
It’s officially over for Megan Thee Stallion and NBA star Klay Thompson. Following an IG story where she accused him of cheating, “cold feet,” and “horrible mood swings” during his season, Megan confirmed to TMZ that she has ended the relationship. Stating that “trust, fidelity, and respect are non-negotiable.” Fans haven’t been as kind to Klay, flooding his socials with attacks. Just last year, Megan publicly gushed that Klay was the “kindest person ever.” Apparently, kindness doesn’t include loyalty.
2. Oh no he didn’t
And the Oscar for the “worst first-look reaction” goes to… Noah Lyles. The sprinter is facing backlash over his reaction to his wife’s wedding dress. Lyles and his wife, Jamaican sprinter Junelle Bromfield, released a BTS look at their wedding on social media. Lyles reacted with a stunned, “Oh wow, okay. I didn’t think you’d go with a princess dress…”. Fans are fuming, with many noting, “He didn’t even compliment her once.”
3. Alex vs. Alix
The TikTok world officially imploded this month as Alex Cooper went guns blazing on former protégé Alix Earle. Accusing Earle of weaponizing fans to spin a “fake narrative” about their split, Cooper dared her to “get specific” since there’s no NDA. Though Alix teased a response with a cheeky “Okay on it!!,” she’s spent the rest of the month dodging questions and pole-dancing instead. Now, the internet is in a total chokehold as we wait for the final tell-all.
What have we learned?
META IS MAKING MONEY MOVES
Meta is aggressively tightening its grip on the creator economy. Between testing the Instagram Plus subscription, which offers creators algorithm-bypassing tools like 48-hour Stories and weekly feed “Spotlights” as well as launching Instants, a separate app that bans filters and gallery uploads to mimic 2013-era Snapchat) the message is clear: the era of the “perfect grid” is over. For influencers, this is a massive signal that the landscape is splitting; you will soon have to choose if you want to pay for predictable visibility.
THE FAMILY BRAND: SELLING INTIMACY
Marriage and motherhood are no longer just personal milestones; they are high-growth business strategies in the world of parasocial relationships. Between the Kardashians “hiring” 6-year-old True to run Khloudfoods for a week and the Biebers turning their relationship into a sold-out Rhode collab at Coachella, the lesson is clear: solo ads are out. In 2026, the most effective way to sell a product is a “family affair” narrative that makes the audience feel like they’re part of the inner circle. This shift proves that personal “brand lore” is now more valuable than the product itself.
SILENCE IS NOT A STRATEGY
In 2026, the comment section has become the judge, jury, and executioner. From fans swarming Klay Thompson’s IG to “momager” critiques of Khloé Kardashian’s latest ad, we’ve learned that staying quiet is no longer a viable PR move. For creators like Alix Earle, leaving a “chokehold” on the narrative that only direct transparency (or dropping the receipts) can break. In this new era, the internet doesn’t just want a statement; it demands the truth in real-time.
