Written by: Vickie Sullivan | February 21, 2019
How to Negate Critics without Ruining Your Brand
Well, the Oscars are coming up on Sunday. The super bowl of movies had some drama over selecting a host. First, Kevin Hart was to be the host, but then revelations about a series of old homophobic posts on Twitter caused him to bow out. Organizers decided not to find a replacement – causing even more drama.
However, Hart’s journey here has a rarely-discussed lesson for thought leaders in the social media age.
What I learned about message management watching this unfold from the cheap seats: the subtle art of negating. The goal: Neutralize the impact of the critics without fallout on yourself. It’s a balance of dealing with the issue without throwing gasoline on the fire.
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A great example of the perils: Hart had an advantage when he went on the Ellen DeGeneres show. During the show he talked about the controversy, and DeGeneres defended Hart, saying he should still host the Oscars.
In that friendly environment, it’s tempting to negate the critics. But don’t go all in. Everything he said there was negated the moment the “haters and trolls” came out.
The fallout was swift and focused. The “he just doesn’t get it” narrative got confirmed. No easy win after that.
Our thought leadership doesn’t live on a one-way street called Content Marketing Avenue. We are judged just as much on our interactions – especially the contentious ones – as we are on our insights. Proceed strategically
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