The barista nodded keenly. ‘Matcha really is taking the world by storm right now, but its history stretches back for thousands of years. You should read up on it. It’s more than just a tea. It’s linked to ancient dynasties!’
‘Really? I might have a read,’ Willow replied. ‘I admit I don’t know much about it.’
‘It will blow your mind! And then you drink the matcha and it will inspire and calm you. Like magic!’ The barista joked. ‘There really is nothing like it.’
‘That sounds like something else I would definitely benefit from!’
And she certainly would, especially if she was going to be able to drum up any enthusiasm for this new campaign. At least Toby was enthused by it.
‘This is going to be a great campaign to be involved in,’ Toby said, his small eyes suddenly wide. ‘This is such an exotic new product; I’m sure a lot of our guys will be all over it.’
By ‘our guys’ Toby meant their influencers and as the manager these people were Willow’s responsibility. Forthe past few years, she had carefully built relationships with some of the top food-and-drink content creators out there and one of them, in particular, was very much on her mind at the moment. She glanced at her phone and frowned.
As if he had suddenly been granted the skill of perception, Toby leaned forward with enthusiasm and blurted her name. ‘Esmae Reed. Surely, this is perfect for her?’
Yes, with her reach, it really should be, but Willow shook her head sadly and pushed her phone towards him. The screen lit up, revealing a chain of social media posts. She watched as Toby’s ghostly skin seemed to whiten further. She didn’t even know that was possible.
‘These are—’
‘Totally damaging,’ she finished for him, with a sigh. ‘What was she thinking?’
‘These are years old though …’ Toby replied with desperate hope. ‘Surely, she can defend herself?’
‘It doesn’t matter. People need to remember if they’ve written something contentious in the past, it will be found.’ Willow sighed. She had already worked out that Esmae had probably been sixteen or seventeen when she made this series of ill-advised posts about the singer, Nicole Marr. They mainly mocked the celebrity’s weight at a time when it wasn’t known that she was battling an eating disorder. The social media onslaught, which had just erupted, was heavy and Esmae was facing total cancelation.
‘So, what now?’
‘So now we can’t use her,’ Willow replied. ‘And neither will any other marketing department. Her brand is damaged. She is already losing followers by the thousands.’
‘But it was ages ago. She was young …’ Toby peered at the screen. ‘And according to her apology, she was struggling with her own mental health at the time.’
‘It doesn’t matter,’ Willow said quietly. ‘You know how it works. It’s brutal.’
Although, it did matter. In a small part of her brain, it really did. Willow liked Esmae a lot. She was funny and kind and a great energy online. She knew in her heart that the posts would have been badly thought out and not deliberately cruel. She also knew that a lot of competitors had wanted to bring about Esmae’s downfall for a long time.
‘Oh well.’ Toby shrugged in that easy way of his. ‘We have plenty of other options. I’m thinking of Sapphire Hayes already.’
‘Yeah, probably …’ Willow sipped at her drink, knowing full well Sapphire had already been dining out on Esmae’s mistake.
‘Or what about Alex Rose?’ Toby suggested. ‘She’s up and coming.’
Willow sighed. That name seemed to be everywhere lately. ‘Maybe …’ she replied.
Around them, the coffee shop was already filling up. Willow watched a group of friends huddled by the window opposite, laughing loudly. The early Seattle spring sunshine was drifting in and drenching them in brightness. Across from them, an old man clutched his espresso and stared down at an open puzzle book, his wizened face marked in concentration. This place was full of so many different personalities – both strangers and friends, and the energy was strangely comforting. Willow wished she could sit here a lot longer than their usual half an hour.
‘Don’t you find our job so toxic sometimes?’ she asked Toby quietly.
Toby looked like he might fall off his chair in alarm. ‘What do you mean? It’s a great industry. The opportunities are endless, and—’
Willow sighed. ‘That wasn’t a test, Toby. I was just wondering out loud. Esmae is the third influencer to be canceled this month. Not only that, it’s such a fight to stay on top, isn’t it? To be the best, to stay relevant …’
Toby laughed nervously. ‘That’s the nature of it. It keeps us on our toes.’
‘I guess …’
‘Are you OK, Willow? You’ve seemed distracted all morning.’
She forced a smile. It felt stiff and unfamiliar on her face. ‘Oh yeah, I’m fine. I’m just busy thinking about this campaign.’
