Hi Guuuuuuuys,
after months of silence, I'm coming back to make my voice heard and posting new content -- yes, a bit like our Chiara Ferragni.
I have not prepared an apology video to justify my behavior over the past few months. I am wearing a sweatshirt and comfortable pants at the moment, while I am intent on writing, as I often am when I have time to put my thoughts on paper, true, but I am aware that my outfit is not enough to justify me and convince you of the goodness of my long absence (assuming anyone cares, of course).
This is perhaps the crux of the whole issue that has been making us debate for a few months now. The realization that it is no longer enough. The realization that the public's trust today has to be won with hard work, perseverance, charisma, commitment - sure - but above all with a great big dose of authenticity and courage, because why not.
This is what I would feel like suggesting to Ferragni if I were on the team of experts she relied on to manage one of the biggest (personal) brand crises of recent times. I would tell her that these very times, the times, have changed.
The one-to-many era is long over. That's the way it is.
We have already covered this topic some time ago with the article "Brand Game - the dangerous game of less-than-human brands ” (👈free blurb!). Since TV and newspapers have given way to social and digital platforms, the role of the audience has changed forever. Now the viewer of any age and gender is also an active actor who completely abandons the uncritical and unconscious passivity that characterized him or her for years.
This is an incredible evolution, at times unthinkable, if we wanted to look at the world with nostalgic eyes, which has given birth to a new and complex figure that technically we could define as “Prosumer”, that is, the consumer who also produces the content.
To ignore such change, instead of embracing it and making it one's own, would be to make a grave mistake. So is to think that silence, censorship and inauthenticity can still be effective levers for saving reputations.
But to better understand the issue together, let's try to retrace Chiara Ferragni's misfortune .
Ever since the news about the Balocco investigation hit the front pages of all the best-known newspapers, Chiara Ferragni immediately embarked on an operation to relaunch her image.
The strategy implemented has followed three distinct and precise phases that we could almost associate with the plots of three well-known movies:
If you don't know the movies, I'll link the plots below, it can be really interesting to learn more 😉
📽 Plot : The Silence of the Lambs
📽 Plot : The Perfect Family
📽 Plot : Censor
In short, after the public apology followed the long silence of the innocent. Then, finally, the return of the influencer but showing only what suits her best: the love of the family, the affection of followers, “limiting” everything else.
Limiting, literally, everything else:
A pattern that until the early 2000s, perhaps, could even convince the public. But today?
Definitely a little less, because the prosumer demands confrontation, dialogue, co-participation. And this, let's face it, is Chiara (clear) evidence of that .
Despite her efforts, Ferragni continues to lose followers, down from 29.8 million in December (pre-scandal) to 29.3million.
How to handle a brand crisis in the Prosumer era, then?
Perhaps this is easier done than said. Maybe all it would take is to stop focusing one's energies on appearing and start really, authentically being oneself, regardless of the judgment of others, so as to attract the right niche.
Maybe all it would take is to stop placing complete trust in crisis management experts and start placing full and complete trust in your audience, opening up a sincere, transparent dialogue and giving yourself all the time you need to gain listening, support and turn a mistake into a potential opportunity for growth. Perhaps it would suffice to be open to many-to-many confrontation, welcoming criticism and treasuring it, instead of forcing oneself to unilaterally protract and promote an image of perfection at any cost.
To think of oneself as truly free, in short, free to stagger, stumble, get back up and be human.
Because after all, that's what we are, all of us, including Influencers. So Chiara:
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