AMERICA'S ROYAL COUPLE - CAPUT
It seemed for a while that Beyoncé could do no wrong. Her personal brand was successful, and thus, any brand she touched turned to gold. Her romance with rapper Jay Z, from dating to marriage to the birth of their child, was championed in the tabloids with the media cheering them on. In the midst of the continued controversy, we take a look at how brand partners can be caught in the middle of a divorce.
Turning Point In The Media
Things changed drastically, however, after the elevator family scuffle that took place the night of the 2014 Met Gala between Jay Z and Beyoncé’s sister Solange. The world speculated the fight, and soon enough, Jay Z and Beyoncé separation rumors spread.
On the heels of the couple’s major international tour, many wondered: How would this affect the tour? How would this affect their brands? How would it affect their personal brands?
According to TickPick, the drama in their personal lives seemed to have no real effect on ticket sales, following the typical trajectory with no reason to assume a correlation between divorce rumors and ticket sales.
When the tour came to an end, many speculated what was next for the couple. Every talk show discussed how Beyoncé’s future personal decisions would affect her career. The consensus: She couldn’t lose.
Queen Of Inspiration
If Beyoncé and Jay Z were to separate, women - especially single moms - would admire the pop star for her empowering example of independence and self-worth. If the couple were to stay together and overcome the obstacles, the woman would feel inspired by the fact that she is trying to do all she can to keep her family together for the sake of their daughter. At the end of the day, Beyoncé is such a likable character that the public just wants her to be happy.
And Beyoncé showed the world what her decision was by what some refer to as a very symbolic performance at the MTV VMAs. Following the stunning medley performance, husband and daughter came to the podium to present the emotional pop star with the highest honors of the night, the Michael Jackson Video Vanguard Award.
Debunking The Myth
This year has been a major one for Beyoncé, perhaps her biggest yet. She beat Oprah out of the number one spot on the Forbes Celebrity 100 List, attributed to the $2.4 million she earned per 95-show tour on top of her innovative album drop, clothing line, and numerous endorsements.
With the “flaw” on her otherwise squeaky clean personal brand, it has done nothing to harm associated brands. If anything, it has solidified them. When a celebrity makes a mistake or endures personal struggle, they are humanized and more relatable. Though in some instances damage done can be harder to fix than others – in the case of Paula Deen and Chris Brown – strategic alignment and PR crisis tactics can save face or even strengthen the brand’s image.
So What's A Brand To Do To Protect Themselves
What happens when, beyond mere rumors, celebrities act out to tarnish their image? How can brands cope? Read more on the subject on our blog about ways to create a safety net for brand partnerships.
Celebrity endorsements are more effective than you may think! And they're not the only tactic you can incorporate into your entertainment marketing mix. Download the results of our 2015 Entertainment Marketing Survey to learn more about the tactics that consumers and other brand marketers think you should be using.
