St. Louis-based digital marketing firm Drive Social Media is facing a lawsuit. Clients have filed a lawsuit against the company for making false claims and promises.
The current situation of the Drive Social Media lawsuit has put a question to digital marketing service providers. It also reveals the reality of business accountability.
Drive is not the only social media marketing firm facing tough times. In the past few years, the number of lawsuits against digital marketing and social media marketing is on the rise.
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Drive Social Media Lawsuit: Allegations, Implications, Proceedings and Outcome |
Clients have made allegations that put Drive Social Media’s business practices into question.
Here is everything you must know about the Drive Social Media Lawsuit, allegations, implications, and current situation.
Drive Social Media:
Drive Social Media is a Saint Louis, Montana, U.S.-based social media marketing firm. It was founded in 2012. Josh Sample is its CEO.
According to the Drive Social Media LinkedIn page, the company has 201-500 employees.
The Drive Social Media firm provides the following services:
- Social media marketing
- Review-based marketing
- Digital Branding
- Content Creation
- Web Development
- Search engine optimization
- Paid Search
- Email marketing
- Video production
- Custom Integrations
- PR
- Franchise Marketing
- Lead generation
The company was successfully running digital and social media marketing businesses with hundreds of clients. It became one of the top choices for online marketing and branding.
But its popularity shattered in 2022 when the Federal Trade Commission filed a lawsuit against the company.
Drive Social Media Lawsuit:
The FTC accused Drive Social Media of using deceptive business practices. The lawsuit was filed in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Missouri.
The Federal Trade Commission reported that a St. Louis-based digital marketing firm has been making false claims about the company’s portfolio, clients, and growth reports.
The lawsuit also accused Drive Social Media of offering the guaranteed top position in search results on Google and other platforms.
The FTC made allegations that include breach of contract, unethical billing practices, labor law violation, and misrepresentation of services.
The Drive Social Media Lawsuit Allegations:
Plaintiffs made the following allegations on The Drive Social Media in its 2022 lawsuit:
False Claims and Breach of Contract:
The FTC reported that the St. Louis-based digital marketing firm failed to deliver the promised result. The company has given a guarantee of generating a fixed number of sales or leads with specific ads.
The company has not delivered promised results to its clients. Drive Social Media charged for the services that they had not provided.
Unethical invoice and billing:
Plaintiffs reported that the firm has charged them unethically. The business charged for the services that are not part of the contract. The company refused to refund in case of failure to deliver results.
Unethical Business Practices:
Drive Social media used deceptive marketing practices. The boat traffic, false case studies, false data, and charts have cost the clients a lot of money. The business provided auto-generated reports and analytics.
Labor Law Violation:
Not only the clients but also former employees joined the lawsuit. Drive Social Media’s employees claimed that the company failed to pay for the overtime. Also, the company misused state and federal labor laws. The firm failed to pay minimal wages and forced employees to work for longer hours without breaks.
Drive Social Media’s Response to Lawsuit:
Drive Social Media denied these allegations. They have hired a reputable law firm to stand their case in court. The law firm denied all the charges and asked the court to dismiss the case.
Lawyers claimed that Drive Social Media has a long history of ethical services and business reputation. The firm will not ruin its reputation by making false claims or promising unethical results.
The firm’s lawyer also claimed that they have no control over the changing algorithms of social media and search engines. These factors also influence the results delivered by the company.
Implications of the Drive Social Media Case:
Lawsuits always bring a negative reputation to any business. Drive Social Media is not away from the negative impacts of the case against the firm.
Reputation Damage:
Drive Social Media was one of the first choices for social media marketing. But the lawsuit has damaged its reputation in some way.
Clients started looking for alternatives to Drive Social Media or other digital marketing agencies to market their brand. It also made it clear that digital marketing agencies should use transparent business practices.
Revenue Loss:
The Drive Social Media lost clients. Even though the lawsuit is still in court, clients move their business away from the firm to avoid further issues. Loss of clients also caused loss of revenue. The firm is not looking for new clients.
Transparency in Marketing Contracts:
The lawsuit against the social media marketing firm makes clients look through the contracts. It also forced the firm to clearly mention what they can deliver and what is subject to changing algorithms. It is necessary to avoid further legal issues.
Drive Social Media Lawsuit Legal Proceedings and Potential Outcomes:
The Drive Social Media Lawsuit is still pending in the court of law. Its legal proceedings and potential outcomes are making headlines.
Proceedings:
The FTC accused the firm of using misleading practices. The firm used fake reports, customer testimonials, and emails. The Drive Social Media firm denied all the accusations. The company responded with the list of factors they cannot control.
The case is still under trial. Here are the potential outcomes:
- Potential Penalties: If the court finds Drive Social Media guilty, then the firm will lose all the contracts and clients. It will also cause a loss of revenue.
- Reputation Damage: The lawsuit is already damaging the firm’s reputation. If the firm is proven guilty, then it will completely lose its reputation.
- Business Reforms: The Drive Social Media lawsuit made digital marketing firms aware of the legal implications of the business. Now marketing firms are using transparency in their services and contract terms.
Conclusion:
The Drive Social Media lawsuit raised serious concerns about digital marketing businesses. It has made clients aware of reading the contract terms carefully. The marketing company also follows the proceedings to find out how they can avoid a similar situation.
The lawsuit has changed the way digital marketers run their businesses. Transparency and disclosure are an important part of business contracts.
Drive social media has denied charges, but the FTC is still holding the case. It will be interesting to see how the firm faces lawsuit implications.
Stay tuned with us.
Drive Social Media Lawsuit FAQs:
What is the Drive Social Media Lawsuit?
The Drive Social Media lawsuit is against the St. Louis-based digital marketing firm. It accused the firm of using deceptive business practices.
How Did the Social Media Firm respond to the Lawsuit?
Drive Social Media denied all the allegations against the firm. The company claimed that they have no control over third-party factors.
What types of business are affected by this lawsuit?
The lawsuit affects the digital marketing industry. It revealed the risk of making false claims. At the same time, it advocates transparency in contracts.
Is Drive Social Media Legit?
Drive Social Media is still facing the court case. It is good to wait for the court decision.
Who filed the complaint against Drive Social Media?
The Federal Trade Commission files complaints against the firm.