An aspiring influencer reached out to a popular New York cookie brand in an attempt to start a collaboration ahead of her wedding, but was met with monumental takedown.
Ana Montealegre, a recent graduate and “beginner influencer,” emailed Halfsies Cookie Company about including some of the brand’s cookies in her bridal shower boxes.
David Maffei, a self-described “middle-aged man with maybe a dozen real friends,” referred Montealegre to the company’s website, where she might place an order.
But the young bride-to-be was interested in partnering with the brand, which would mean providing free cookies to her and her bridal party, presumably in exchange for coverage on her social media accounts.
Unfortunately, Montealegre didn’t seem to realize how wrong she was barking at a tree.
Aspiring influencer Ana Montealagre (pictured) made the mistake of approaching the wrong brand about a possible collaboration ahead of her upcoming wedding
What loyal followers of the Halfsies Cookie Company account know, and others may not, is that Maffei has almost made a sport of brand new social media stars and bachelorette organizers contacting him in hopes of free goodies
Maffei responded to Montealgre’s email describing herself as an influencer who had “collaborated with a few brands” by telling her, “Sorry, you’re not an influencer.”
In a video montage of the exchange that he posted to Halfsies’ official Instagram page, he ignited the bride by spotlighting her followers online, including TikTok, where she has 904 followers.
Montealegre stood up for herself, in what may have been a misguided effort, and wrote back, “I’m an aspiring influencer.”
“And I’m a novice astronaut,” Maffei replied.
During the video exchange he uploaded to Instagram, Maffei played DJ Khaled’s song “For Free.”
Ana Montealagre and Roman Bosquez (pictured) recently got engaged, prompting the bride-to-be to reach out to a number of brands in hopes of collaborating on products she wants to be part of her bridal season
Halfsies Cookie Company is a New York-based cookie brand that ships delicious cookies nationwide
When Montealegre responded again afterward, the audience was unaware of the exchange.
But online spectators were able to absorb Maffei’s methodical takedown of a wannabe influencer and the legitimate nature of the pseudo-profession.
‘Influencer’ is a wild label,” Dave’s rant began.
“Let me tell you how aspiring influencers can get started (from a brand perspective). You buy the products from the brands you like and you tag them. They’ll probably repost you.
“You’ll get some followers and maybe other brands will see what you’re doing and eventually you’ll have an engaged group of followers who are interested in the products you receive but just don’t ask for a free product to begin with,” he taught .
He went on to write that some of the “biggest influencers on the internet” bought and advertised his cookies before they were ever sent a free sample.
“I’m a middle-aged man with maybe a dozen real friends and a private account, and I have more followers than them,” he concluded.
“Never in a million years would I think I’m an influencer or even ask for free stuff from a company I don’t follow.”
Not everyone online seemed to be completely in sync with Maffei’s brutal approach in the battle against young influencers.
Many onlookers from the comments section reprimanded his behavior.
“Why did you post this to embarrass her? As a brand account no less?’ wrote one account.
The brand owner highlighted Montealgre’s unimpressive following on her social media accounts
Ana Gabriela Montealegre is a recent graduate of Oral Roberts University and a February 2025 bride, according to her online profiles
Another added: “This is rude. She is basically a micro-influencer.”
“Lmao, what a way to conduct a company, it’s so easy to just say no,” a third viewer wrote.
Other accounts defended the brand’s anti-influencer stance, or were at least amused by it.
‘I don’t know why this is in my algorithm, but I’m for it. You really are an astronaut for shooting her all the way to the moon,” wrote Haley J Marshall.
“Haha, you definitely got a lot more sales from this post than if she had posted about your product,” another fan wrote from the exchange.
What loyal followers of the Halfsies Cookie Company account know, and others may not, is that Maffei has pretty much made a sport of brand new social media stars and bachelor party organizers making the mistake of expecting something in return for “exposure.”
Instead, Maffei seems to have concluded that combating the freebie trend is as effective a marketing plan as any, and probably far more effective than handing out treats to all of next season’s brides.