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Martha Stewart dressing up as a homeless person for Halloween…what could go wrong?
If I asked you to think of an effective awareness campaign for homelessness, what would you suggest?
I’m guessing you probably wouldn’t put multimillionaire Martha Stewart in a fake, homeless Halloween outfit, with a sign that reads ‘I am hungry, help me!’ and post it all over Instagram. Yet, despite the obvious and easy approach of simply *not* doing that, Martha decided to go all in. Wearing a beanie, ripped clothing, and makeup that made her face look dirty, Martha posted to her near 6 million followers pretending to be poor. The backlash was swift and fierce, and the photo was quickly deleted, following two apologies. Yes, two.
The first saw Martha claim to be raising awareness of homelessness, pointing out her work as a defence, saying that she had spent ‘a significant amount of time and effort supporting charities that combat this ongoing social epidemic.’ It’s worth mentioning that the image was taken in front of a (presumably) expensive property and was included as a carousel that promoted her own line of candles.
After that apology went down like a lead balloon, Martha returned. This time she took a little more accountability, describing her outfit as ‘insensitive and not funny,’ adding that she ‘really screwed up’ and that her first statement ‘didn’t go far enough.’ She didn’t exactly win back the tide of public favour, but it was at least marginally better than the initial attempt at damage control.
It’s not hard to see why audiences were upset. We don’t need to tell you how expensive everything is in 2026, as the cost of living crisis continues indefinitely and drains our wallets quicker than we can save.
Poverty is and remains a major social issue, as the wealth divide continues to spiral out of control and more of us struggle to pay our bills on time. Celebrities using this backdrop for a seasonal aesthetic is insulting, especially when it’s partly to advertise a candle range or product they are personally invested in. Mimicking the homeless and squeezing in a self-plug all in one is so shameless it borders on surreal, but shouldn’t be surprising in our influencer era.
All the marketing data tells us that Gen Z craves authenticity and relatability. We like a close relationship to the people we follow, even if it isn’t genuine and is deeply, problematically parasocial. There is money to be made in looking like the common man or woman, even if you’re 85 years old and worth a reported $400 million USD, like Martha is. It explains why Netflix and other streaming platforms have produced so many ‘behind the scenes’ documentaries in recent years that show a more ‘vulnerable’ side to celebrities, especially musicians. Personability is commerciability; your struggles are their struggles too, guys! Did I mention you can buy this limited-range candle?
Martha probably wasn’t trying to actively spit in the faces of those who are poor, but it does demonstrate a wildly out-of-touch life perspective that minimises and trivialises the very real, tough circumstances for many people, and not just the homeless. What’s the old saying? Our culture is not your costume? Put the sign down and take off the dirt makeup, Martha. You’re doing too much.
