Cancel culture: what is it and what are the risks for a brand?
Posted: Thu Jan 23, 2025 3:49 am
Also known as a court, social media has internet users who increasingly judge the behavior of people and brands. This attitude has gained such a high level of positioning that the social movement has been called cancel culture . This action has generated crises for those who have been “canceled,” who need to deal with this situation and reduce the damage it may cause.
What is cancel culture?
Typically used to invalidate contracts, the term “cancel” is now used to exclude people and brands. Practiced mainly on Twitter with the famous “exposed”, cancel culture consists of a virtual lynching, where internet users expose an old tweet or a current mistake, for example, and condemn the canceled person, attacking with hate messages and unfollowing them on social media .
Just as many movements emerge with good intentions and turn into actions that end up completely ruining others, cancel culture originated with the aim of drawing everyone's attention to causes such as fusion database justice and environmental preservation. However, it became popular in 2017, when the Me Too movement emerged in Hollywood, with the aim of reporting and publicizing sexual harassment suffered by women. However, nowadays, it is not necessary to commit a crime to be canceled; it is enough to have a different opinion from the internet judges.
Risks that cancel culture can cause
The risks and damage caused to a brand or to a person's life, whether they are a public figure or not, are significant. One case that took on major negative proportions, both in the media and financially, was that of a digital influencer who, after contracting the Covid-19 virus and being cured, threw a party with friends in the midst of the pandemic and social isolation. Receiving a barrage of criticism, she stayed away from social media for almost three months, lost thousands of followers and suffered a loss of more than R$2 million due to the suspension of partnerships with major brands, which no longer wanted to associate their image with that of the influencer.
Just like the influencer, the Bombril brand was also canceled. With a product called Krespinha in its portfolio for almost 70 years and without any advertising for it in recent years, Bombril was condemned by internet users, who recalled an advertisement aired in the 1950s, in which it shows a black doll with curly hair next to a steel wool with the name Krespinha. Many accusations of racism were made with #BombrilRacista due to the association of curly hair with steel wool. This caused the brand to remove the product from its website and make a statement.
How to avoid or reverse cancellation with digital marketing strategies
To prevent the same thing from happening to your brand, there are marketing strategies that can be implemented. First, it is necessary to review all of your business's communications, even older projects, in order to avoid future problems. In addition, it is important to learn about the social issues discussed and position yourself only in accordance with those that your company identifies with.
If your brand has already been canceled, you need to analyze whether there was a mistake on your brand's part and, if so, correct it. You need to have a communication strategy to know the exact moment to keep quiet and communicate with your audience and show that you are always open to change and dialogue.
Count on digital marketing professionals
Based on this, it is essential that your brand can count on an agency with an excellent marketing team. Fizzing 360° , an advertising, digital marketing and integrated communications agency , is prepared to study your case, outline a strategy and minimize the risks that your business may be involved in. With offices in Rio de Janeiro and São Paulo, we are ready to serve you and collaborate with the growth of your brand.
What is cancel culture?
Typically used to invalidate contracts, the term “cancel” is now used to exclude people and brands. Practiced mainly on Twitter with the famous “exposed”, cancel culture consists of a virtual lynching, where internet users expose an old tweet or a current mistake, for example, and condemn the canceled person, attacking with hate messages and unfollowing them on social media .
Just as many movements emerge with good intentions and turn into actions that end up completely ruining others, cancel culture originated with the aim of drawing everyone's attention to causes such as fusion database justice and environmental preservation. However, it became popular in 2017, when the Me Too movement emerged in Hollywood, with the aim of reporting and publicizing sexual harassment suffered by women. However, nowadays, it is not necessary to commit a crime to be canceled; it is enough to have a different opinion from the internet judges.
Risks that cancel culture can cause
The risks and damage caused to a brand or to a person's life, whether they are a public figure or not, are significant. One case that took on major negative proportions, both in the media and financially, was that of a digital influencer who, after contracting the Covid-19 virus and being cured, threw a party with friends in the midst of the pandemic and social isolation. Receiving a barrage of criticism, she stayed away from social media for almost three months, lost thousands of followers and suffered a loss of more than R$2 million due to the suspension of partnerships with major brands, which no longer wanted to associate their image with that of the influencer.
Just like the influencer, the Bombril brand was also canceled. With a product called Krespinha in its portfolio for almost 70 years and without any advertising for it in recent years, Bombril was condemned by internet users, who recalled an advertisement aired in the 1950s, in which it shows a black doll with curly hair next to a steel wool with the name Krespinha. Many accusations of racism were made with #BombrilRacista due to the association of curly hair with steel wool. This caused the brand to remove the product from its website and make a statement.
How to avoid or reverse cancellation with digital marketing strategies
To prevent the same thing from happening to your brand, there are marketing strategies that can be implemented. First, it is necessary to review all of your business's communications, even older projects, in order to avoid future problems. In addition, it is important to learn about the social issues discussed and position yourself only in accordance with those that your company identifies with.
If your brand has already been canceled, you need to analyze whether there was a mistake on your brand's part and, if so, correct it. You need to have a communication strategy to know the exact moment to keep quiet and communicate with your audience and show that you are always open to change and dialogue.
Count on digital marketing professionals
Based on this, it is essential that your brand can count on an agency with an excellent marketing team. Fizzing 360° , an advertising, digital marketing and integrated communications agency , is prepared to study your case, outline a strategy and minimize the risks that your business may be involved in. With offices in Rio de Janeiro and São Paulo, we are ready to serve you and collaborate with the growth of your brand.