An outpouring of reactions to the news of Brangelina’s divorce has flooded the digital space. But it was Allie Jones’ cool assessment of Angelina Jolie’s well-planned public relations offensive — published in New York Magazine — that caught our attention.
Celebrity messaging has tremendous power to affect reputations. But Brad Pitt, Ms. Jolie’s husband and the focus of her messaging, has maintained an elegant silence in the face of this attack. That strategy takes restraint, but is often the winning card in a digital firestorm. And in the face of a reputational crisis, taking the high road can speak louder than words.
The Washington Post has published “The Fall of Roger Ailes,” an article that references 25 women who claim the former Fox News CEO harassed them. Their details support Gretchen Carlson’s sexual discrimination lawsuit against him. This situation won’t hurt Fox’s ratings. If anything, it will increase them.
It could hurt the Murdoch family, though. As more proof emerges that Roger Ailes led a culture rich in sexual harassment, the Murdochs will face a growing quagmire. Job discrimination is often linked to harassment. Federal laws govern such discrimination. The Ailes’ lawsuit has opened a Pandora’s box to a company culture that will be revealed in coming weeks. Details will spill online and off regarding not just Fox’s former CEO, but the many executives and news hosts who supported his behavior.
Rupert Murdoch is impervious to such associations. But his sons James and Lachlan, who now run his media empire with him, may not want to be affiliated with such a culture. With Fox their most profitable asset, how they navigate this crisis will be telling.
We often write about reputational threats to CEOs. As a contributor to The Wall Street Journal‘s “Crisis of the Week” column, I follow situations like this as they unfold, wondering how they were allowed to reach such a crisis point. In months to come, Gretchen Carlson’s lawsuit could look small compared to the potential damage Fox News itself may face.
If you are a CEO, there are several ways you can ensure you do not find yourself in this type of position. Don’t stumble in the diversity arena. Stay aware of the key issues concerning women, especially those regarding employment opportunities, the lack of women on boards and the glass ceiling that continues to face many. Tuning in to these and related concerns will help you avoid becoming the focus of the next wave of hashtag protests (and nightly newscasts). It will also help ensure you avoid the type of reputation crisis that can impact your brand as well as your company’s stock valuation.
Here are additional tips to avoid other common workplace missteps:
1. Don’t be an out of touch CEO. CEOs attract blowback online when their actions or public comments make them appear out of touch with the majority of their customers and their community.
2. Beware of backtracking boards. Before making a big decision that will be evaluated by the greater public, boards of directors shouldseek outside opinion regarding how their decision will be viewed by the world at large. That includes the part that forms their consumer base. Too many boards continue to green-light decisions from which they have to publicly backtrack after consumers launch protests. Doubtful? Check out change.org and scan the numerous public petitions targeting public companies and various other organizations. These often go viral and end up on national news.
3. Monitor mean managers. And don’t be a jerk at work. Otherwise, you can become the subject of a discrimination suit like this one. So can your managers.
4. Encrypt your emails. Or just don’t say it in an email.
Like many of you, we are transfixed by Donald Trump’s ascendance to the top of the Republican Party. His boldness has dominated the GOP Presidential campaign. His Twitter stream keeps him at the top of the news. His message resonates with millions. Watching the GOP grapple with this startling situation provides an insightful lesson in messaging.
Consistent messaging is an essential part of reputation management. That means presenting a unified brand—and a clear and distinct identity–all the time, across every platform. Once that unified brand is established, it can be amplified. That ensures your audience will encounter your brand in mainstream media outlets, at the top of Internet searches and on social media.
Like political campaigns, successful reputation management programs share three factors in common:
The campaign begins by identifying the image you want to project.
That image is authentic. (Otherwise, your audience won’t find it credible.)
That image is expressed through a clear message that is transmitted across all the platforms where it will reach the audience that matters most to you.
Donald Trump’s message is clear. But the Republican Party’s is less so. Division within its ranks has led to an identity crisis that helped fuel Trump’s rise. (Even the Koch Brothers, the Party’s most important supporters, have been utilizing a PR campaign to reboot their image.) It will be fascinating to watch how the Republican Party resolves this issue after the GOP Presidential candidate is officially announced this week.
Visual content has tremendous power to shape public perception. It is an essential aspect of crisis and reputation management. All it takes is one perceived controversial incident captured on video to ignite a viral response that can make a public company’s stock valuation plummet…and send a CEO out the door.
Optics are an increasingly serious issue for law enforcement professionals, whose actions are monitored, shared and amplified on digital media. One result is the risk of partial truth storytelling and reputation issues for law enforcement as a collective group. That impacts the social contract between police and the communities they serve.
Expert Solutions from the Private Sector
The Hetty Group has launched the Coptics Program to help police departments integrate digital marketing, reputation management and social media engagement into their proactive communications and community relations programs. Workshop participants learn how to be more effective in connecting and communicating with a digital media savvy public. They also benefit from the consulting, communications and social media training offered by the program.
Developed by Four Experts
Coptics was developed by four experts: Florence Chung, CEO, Hetty Group, a purpose-driven consultancy advancing community impact; Matthew Horace, a commentator on CNN, MSNBC, CBS, and FOX and 28-year veteran of local, state and federal law enforcement; Bill Carmody, contributor to Inc. Magazine and CEO of Trepoint, creator of digital campaigns and strategies for Fortune 500 companies; and I, CEO of reputation management firm Reputation Communications and frequent contributor to The Wall Street Journal’s “Crisis of the Week” column.
Our program is the only one like it. We are dedicated to advancing the brands, reputations and digital presence of police agencies everywhere. If you work in law enforcement or are a supporter of law enforcement and would like to learn more, please contact The Hetty Group.
Entertainment superstars Johnny Depp and Taylor Swift have been making more headlines than usual. Johnny Depp is going through an acrimonious divorce. Taylor Swift recently ended her relationship with DJ Calvin Harris. Amid a sea of headlines, both are managing their messaging well.
When the news of his divorce broke, Johnny Depp issued one statement:
Given the brevity of this marriage and the most recent and tragic loss of his mother, Johnny will not respond to any of the salacious false stories, gossip, misinformation and lies about his personal life. Hopefully the dissolution of this short marriage will be resolved quickly.”
As social media ignited with speculation about Taylor Swift’s breakup, Calvin Harris tweeted this statement:
The only truth here is that a relationship came to an end & what remains is a huge amount of love and respect.”
Taylor Swift retweeted it. And that was that.
When celebrities face a crisis or escalated public interest in their lives, they are on the public stage. Anyone can play a role, whether by defending the celebrity or by escalating the crisis. Celebrities can’t control the conversation. But as Johnny Depp and Taylor Swift’s statements show, they can impact it.
The challenge to a successful career as a celebrity has long been attracting publicity while avoiding overexposure. Striking that balance has always required a nuanced strategy. In the old Hollywood studio system, every aspect of a star’s image was carefully orchestrated, including occasionally avoiding overexposure by pulling him or her out of the limelight for weeks, months, or even years. That is next to impossible now.
Constant online access
The Internet has presented many new opportunities, and challenges, for celebrities. It provides them with far more control over their messaging: they can publish statements and reach the public on their terms using their Facebook, Instagram and Twitter platforms. Beyonce has had tremendous success using that strategy. So has Rihanna. But with the opportunity for constant engagement it’s important to know where to draw the line. Not even the most popular star can maintain the public’s attention indefinitely.
Singers and other performers have more leeway in this area than movie or television stars, as new music, concerts, tours and other developments give them more relevant information to share with their audiences. Justin Bieber, for example, has built his career by sharing his music and life through social media. But he has also established more boundaries over how available he wants to be there.
Choosing the smart approach
When deciding to dial up or dial down your outreach, strategic monitoring of social media and mainstream discourse can provide data that, when analyzed, serves as a valuable management tool. During prolific periods of their careers, social media is an incredibly effective way for celebrities to harness and maintain their audience’s support. Between those peak exposure periods, celebrities can use them as less direct or invasive channels of communication. Philanthropy initiatives can also give stars new content to talk about and share online.
If you are a public figure aiming for longevity in your career and want to minimize the inevitable bumps along the way, following the messaging approach of stars like Beyonce, Johnny Depp and Taylor Swift will help you to succeed. Equally important is developing the right social media strategy. That includes deciding in part how much usage is too much, and which platforms work best at different times. And then, knowing when to step back.
Justin Bieber was discovered on the Internet. He has been a dominating presence on it ever since. His Facebook, Instagram and Twitter feeds are followed by millions. He is the focus of discussion on thousands of other platforms, from celebrity and gossip sites to music media outlets and a myriad of others. No celebrity has had the continuous, relentless spotlight he has — much less evolve into an adult while navigating it.
That’s what makes his recent posts about what it is like being a celebrity performer so compelling. This 2014 Rolling Stone article states he told a friend he was tired of feeling like he was under a microscope. He has since expressed that sentiment many times.
“Mentally and emotionally exhausted”
Last March, he announced on Instagram that he would no longer take selfies with fans because the paid appearances left him “feeling mentally and emotionally exhausted to the point of depression.” The others — random requests during the course of his days — make him feel like “a zoo animal.” Now, after winning best male artist of the year at last Sunday’s Billboard Music Awards, he posted about feeling privileged and honored to be recognized by his peers, but also feeling awards ceremonies are “hollow” and exclude an authenticity that he craves.
A new control over his image and future
His recent behavior has been met with a flood of criticism and concerned discussion on and off social media. But many other people are supporting him—including us. Honesty poses risks—both personally and professionally—and his level of openness leaves him even more exposed to the spotlight. But it also gives him a new control of his image and future. If he loses some fans, he will gain more…and a deeper avenue of creative expression that will serve him well in the future.
As one fan posted on his Facebook page, “We all make mistakes and hopefully we all learn from them. I appreciate good music and that’s it. Keep ur head high Justin.”
The Wall Street Journal’s “Crisis of the Week” column asked three crisis and reputation management experts that question. Here’s an excerpt from my commentary:
“LendingClub’s board has managed this very well. It recognized the severity of the crisis and moved swiftly to investigate and publicly announce a breach of public trust by its founder and CEO, Renaud Laplanche. Then the board quickly removed him from the company.
“Throughout those steps, these leaders recognized the value of communication and transparency. LendingClub published a detailed statement on its website and has provided the media with continuous updates.”
To read the full column, you need to be a paid subscriber and can access it here. If you haven’t been following this story, just Google “LendingClub.” Lots of media coverage will come up.
Bret Easton Ellis has penned an opinion piece about the ascendance of reputation management for the New York Times’ “Turning Point” magazine. “Bret Easton Ellis on Living in the Cult of Likability” claims that reputation management depends on a “blanding” of identity, on “maintaining a reverentially conservative, imminently practical attitude.” But that doesn’t need to be true—the best reputation management does not whitewash or hide valid points of view.
Mr. Ellis has been at the center of a few reputational crises himself. His books have often been controversial (the uproar over American Psycho may still be simmering), so his viewpoint is based on experience. It is certainly worth considering.
