How Indian Twitter Influencers Find Brand Deals in Netherlands

The rise of the web in India has seen the popularity of social media platforms increase. One of the most popular social media platforms in India is Twitter. Recently, there has been a new trend that has been discussed on the platform about Indian Twitter influencers looking for brand deals in the Netherlands.

This has puzzled many Indian netizens who have seen this trending hashtag on Twitter. Eagle-eyed users have noticed that there is an alarming number of Indian influencers who are trying to connect with brands based in the Netherlands.

The practice has become common enough that it has even led to the hashtag #NetherlandsDeal trending in India. Most of the influencers looking for brand deals in the Netherlands appear to be women.

There have been many tweets expressing concern about the nature of these brand deals being proposed. Many users suspect that the sudden rise in these proposals indicates that it is a scam of some sort. 

💡 What Is The #NetherlandsDeal Trend On Twitter?

The trend started when a user exposed this practice of Indian influencers soliciting brand deals in the Netherlands. This account tweeted that Indian influencers are trying to find Dutch brands that they can collaborate with for promotional purposes.

Since the tweet, it has blown up with many tweets confirming this trend. These tweets have stated that Dutch brands are being bombarded with influencers from India requesting promotional collaboration.

Influencers from India have been tweeting  to Dutch brands asking them to get in touch with them so that they can promote them in India. Most of these tweets are unhinged and lack any semblance of professionalism.

Most of the tweets asking for a brand deal in the Netherlands are crass and overtly sexual. The tweets usually ask Dutch brands if they want to collaborate. If the brand agrees, they state that they are willing to do anything the brand wants them to do in India. This can include anything from a nude photoshoot, promoting the brand while naked, or even a full-blown porn video.

The brands in the Netherlands that Indian influencers are trying to get in touch with include Dutch cannabis brands to sex shops. 

🤔 Why Are Influencers From India Looking For Brand Deals In The Netherlands?

Though it is not clear exactly how this trend has begun, it appears that it indicates a growing great new opportunity for influencers in India. But why the Netherlands? 

According to the economic commentary magazine, the Netherlands has long been touted as a pro-sex work and drug economy. Therefore, it would make sense that this country is home to many businesses that cater to the sex and drug industry.

Most if not all, of the influencers looking for brand deals from Dutch brands have mostly been female. This can be explained again with the Netherlands being one of the few countries in the world that embraces and legalizes the sex industry.

For instance, Amsterdam is home to famous red-light districts where sex work is legalized and regulated. Hence, there would be scores of sex shops that would need promotion and advertisement. 

👀 Are Dutch Brands Actually Needing Promotion In India?

It may seem strange that influencers from India are targeting brands based in the Netherlands for promotional purposes. However, the advertising world is increasingly looking to tap into emerging markets like India, which has the largest population in the world.

It has been well documented across the media, how the sex industry in the Netherlands has been affected since the pandemic. Therefore, they would need all the help they can get to promote their brands. 

Many businesses have closed, and many sex workers have been forced to turn to the black market. This has pushed the Dutch government to further regulate the industry. The country has been applying for other countries to help Dutch sex workers to migrate to work elsewhere.

As other countries scramble to seize this opportunity, it only follows that the Netherlands will be seeking to tap into India for advertising as well. 

📝 Are Indian Influencers Actually Getting Brand Deals In The Netherlands?

It is unclear how much of this trend is actually happening or if it is just a phenomenon that is confined to Twitter. However, some Indian influencers have claimed that they have been able to secure brand deals from the Netherlands.

One influencer by the name of Rachna Awasthi tweeted that she was among the first to be approached by a Dutch sex toy maker. She claims that the brand was looking to tap into the Indian market by working with Indian influencers. 

Rachna Awasthi went on to claim that she had already worked with five Dutch brands and will be getting paid handsomely for the promotion. She went on to tweet about how she had helped one Dutch brand reach 2 million Indian followers. She even tweeted about her upcoming video promotion for another Dutch brand that she claims has already paid her $7,200 (AED 26,417.46). Awasthi ended her tweet thread by calling on more influencers to get involved with #NetherlandsDeal. 

Other influencers have also claimed that they have secured brand deals from the Netherlands. Many have also claimed that they have received offers from Dutch brands since the trend started. Most of these influencers share the same characteristics as Awasthi. They act as though they are the first in India to connect brands from the Netherlands, not unlike how crypto investors who get in early act.

Most of the influencers that have claimed to secure brand deals from the Netherlands have ordinary accounts. Their tweets act unhinged, lacking the professionalism we expect from influencers.

Videos that these influencers post claiming to advertise these Dutch brands showcase them doing ridiculous acts while wearing the brand’s product. These ridiculous acts include them performing lewd acts with the product. This has led netizens to believe that this is some sort of scam. It has even been suggested that it is a catfishing scheme meant to exploit the influencers.

Much like the infamous Nigerian Prince email scam, it is believed that the influencers who claim to secure brand deals in the Netherlands are actually the victims of a scam.

⚠️ Could The #NetherlandsDeal Trend Be A Scam?

As mentioned before, the Dutch economy has been hit hard during the pandemic. Dutch brands are in need of help to promote their brands especially those in the sex industry. Therefore, it would make sense to look to India for advertising. However, it is still suspect how Dutch brands are going about to promote their brands in India.

A scam expert by the name of Marc M. L. de Vries tweeted that it is most likely that the #NetherlandsDeal trend is a scam. He explained that sex shops in the Netherlands are offering free products in exchange for advertising. 

However, Dutch brands expect influencers to buy the product first and then they will be reimbursed later. Many influencers do not read carefully and end up falling for the scam that charges them huge fees for the product.

❗ What Happens When Influencers Fall For The Scam?

Unfortunately for those who fall victim to the scam, they end up losing money. A Dutch influencer and expert in the adult industry named Sofia tweeted that the items influencers are sent to promote are of poor quality and cheap. She claims that influencers are passed cheap coupons with limited time offers they cannot redeem.

Sofia tweeted that one product she has was worth $0.15 (AED 0.55). Another coupon she received was only worth $5.25 (AED 19.27). Most of these coupons can only be redeemed when they spend a certain amount, usually $120 (AED 440.78) or more. Also, the coupons last only 24 hours.

Moreover, the influencers are stuck with a poorly made product that can often be a safety hazard. One influencer claimed that a product they received was defective and exploded. Watch out if you see an explosion on the screen. You don’t want to blow out that part of your body! Other safety hazards like burns, cuts, and rashes can happen. Many of these influencers are not technically skilled in the adult industry and can easily injure themselves in ways you cannot imagine.

The influencers stuck with such products could sue the brand. However, it is often not worth the effort; many brands that send out these products often operate outside of the Netherlands. They are often based somewhere in East Europe. The rewards can be worth it for these brands. 

In that same vein, influencers in India that fall for this scam are stuck with deals that will not pay off. Unless they have millions of followers, it is unlikely the brand will pay up after receiving their product. This is a huge blow to their dream careers of becoming influencers.

Those in India wishing to become influencers should take a lesson from this story. They should be wary of scams lurking on social media. They should invest time in researching ways to avoid scams. Otherwise, it will be a long hard road to make it big in the influencer world.

🔍 What’s Next For The #NetherlandsDeal On Twitter?

Social media is constantly changing. Twitter influencers from India looking for deals from brands in the Netherlands is just one of the latest trends circulating the platform. 

It is still unclear if these influencers are the victims of a scam or if this practice will usher in a new trend among influencers in the future. Whether this trend is a passing fad or a harbinger of things to come, there is no denying that it is a wild time to be in the influencer industry.