The words ‘cancel culture’ aren’t just another phrase tossed around social media when people want to take down a content creator or influencer. It’s a term recently coined that every brand should avoid being subject to at all costs. Why? Because nothing is more alarming than getting canceled by your stakeholders.
Imagine receiving media and public backlash due to cultural insensitivity, defective products, or even a scandalous CEO. When your company faces one of these, employ public relations (PR) management and crisis communication to protect your brand reputation and save your business image.
In this article, we’ll share with you what cancel culture means for your business. Read on to learn what your brand can and cannot do during a cancellation crisis. More importantly, find out why a long-term PR strategy matters more than crisis control.
Let’s dive right in!
What Cancel Culture Means for Brands
Cancel culture is a social phenomenon in which people boycott, publicly shame, and/or withdraw support from individuals, brands, or organizations for something they’ve said or done that is not socially inappropriate.
How did it all start? Cancel culture has its roots in activism, where marginalized sectors call attention to social injustices, such as racism, sexism, and abuse. However, the rise of social media paves the way for people to amplify their voices, share digital receipts, and form massive backlash online.
The word ‘canceled’ has become increasingly popular in mainstream media since the late 2010s. Remember the time when Kanye West received public backlash for making controversial political comments? The #MeToo movement also called for public accountability around the same year, thus pushing cancel culture further into the mainstream.
Today, the cancel culture infiltrates businesses across different industries. It’s easy to see the general public and media call out companies and organizations on social media for doing something ‘generally considered wrong.’ This calls for effective tactics in crisis management amid the age of cancel culture
Here’s the biggest question: What do companies or organizations get canceled for?
Statista Consumer Insights surveyed over 3,000 American respondents to identify what actions fuel cancel culture in business. The top three reasons for getting canceled are mistreating animals (43%), racism (42%), and human rights violations (40%).
Cases in point: Below are examples of big brands having their fair share of getting canceled.
- Balenciaga’s child models: The company got dragged for using kids in ads with teddy bears in bondage gear. People were furious, and even Kim K spoke out.
Image source: X (Twitter)
- Urban Outfitters’ cultural appropriation: They got called out for cultural appropriation and racism after trying to join the racial justice convo.
- GoDaddy’s inappropriate behavior: The founder filmed himself killing an elephant. The internet wasn’t having it as thousands left the platform.
- Heineken’s poor planning: Their ad said, “lighter is better,” as a beer slid past Black people. It didn’t go over well; they had to pull it as soon as possible.
- Facebook’s privacy breaches: This social media platform kept leaking user data and got hit with a $5 billion fine. People were mad, but the platform still stands.
Sean Shapiro, Managing Partner at Axia Advisors, suggests embracing cancel culture—by heart—in business to avoid getting canceled. As a roofing company, the last thing they want to happen is to have their clients cancel them for poor services, defective products, or inappropriate behavior.
Shapiro explains, “Cancel culture is real, and brands need to take it seriously. One bad move—whether it’s poor service, shady behavior, or a tone-deaf ad—can blow up fast. For us, it’s about doing right by our clients every day, so we never give them a reason to walk away.”
He nudges, “Also remember: Consumers aren’t just watching what brands sell; They’re watching what we stand for. Be wary!”
Find out what your PR team can and cannot do when canceled in the next section.
What PR Can and Can’t Do During a Cancellation Crisis
A cancellation crisis is sometimes inevitable. Even top brands like Balenciaga, Heineken, and Facebook have their fair share of this crisis. Even small and mid-sized enterprises (SMEs) aren’t exempted from facing public and media backlash.
Take this salutary lesson in crisis communication: Strikes at Vail’s ski resort in Park City, Utah. They made headlines not for the slopes but for strikes and unhappy guests. That is mainly because they failed to listen to workers and customers before the situation escalated.
The key takeaway? Relying on sales data isn’t enough; brands need real-time, human feedback to avoid PR disasters. Companies like Carnival Cruise Lines demonstrate that listening early and often can help prevent costly mistakes in the future.
But when a cancellation has already happened, it’s a different story. As a brand, there are things you can still do—and things you cannot do at all. So, how do you proceed then?
To make informed decisions and take strategic actions during a crisis, here’s what you need to know:
PR Can:
- You can shape the narrative quickly. Take immediate action: Acknowledge the crisis, apologize to affected stakeholders, and take urgent steps to correct the mistakes. Then, use tools like Search Engine Land’s Website Traffic Checker to gauge sudden drops in site visits, indicating the real-world backlash effects, and see if your PR efforts help restore your positions.
- You can engage with stakeholders. “Despite the cancellation crisis, continue to communicate with the public, your customers, the media, and third-party vendors”, says Anna Zhang, Head of Marketing at U7BUY. Keep them informed about your willingness to correct your mistakes and that you value your relationships with them. That’s why a long-term PR strategy is crucial in helping you surpass any crisis.
- You can monitor reputation recovery. During this crisis, it’s all the more important to track your PR efforts. For example, use tools like the Website Authority Checker to measure changes in your domain’s trustworthiness over time. Utilize social listening to monitor what your stakeholders are saying about your brand on social media. That allows you to optimize your PR initiatives that align with their needs and concerns.
PR Can’t:
- You can’t delete the net content. Once something hits the internet, whether a screenshot, viral tweet, or news headline, it’s there forever. Even if you delete the original post, others have likely shared, saved, or reposted it elsewhere. Trying to scrub your online presence often backfires, making the issue appear even more suspicious. Instead of wasting energy on deleting, focus on transparency and showing how you’re making things right.
- You can’t instantly regain trust. Rebuilding trust is a slow process, especially after a public mistake. People want to see consistent actions over time—not just a one-time apology. Tools like Google Rank Checker can help you monitor how your brand is performing in search results after the backlash. However, real recovery means following through on promises and demonstrating that change is taking place.
Discover why a long-term PR strategy is more vital than crisis management in the next section.
Why Long-Term PR Strategy Matters More Than Crisis Control
Getting canceled is what every brand doesn’t want to happen—an event that many aren’t ready to handle. That’s why it’s better to avoid one as much as possible than to deal with an actual crisis. As they often say, prevention is always better than cure!
The problem, however, is that only a few organizations are good at it. Only over 20% of corporate communications leaders rate themselves as “excellent” in their ability to prevent a crisis. Setting a long-term PR strategy in place is key!
Here’s the catch: Expect the death of traditional crisis management. Instead, opt for a long-term PR strategy. Why?
A one-time PR response can’t fix a systemic issue; brands need values-driven leadership. Proactive reputation management and constant audience engagement can help buffer future backlash. Likewise, investing in quality backlinks and media coverage, measured with tools like Backlinko’s Backlink Checker, supports long-term brand credibility.
That said, here’s why you should invest in long-term PR over crisis control:
- It boosts your brand image long-term. Long-term PR can increase not only your brand awareness but also your business reputation. Consider emerging trends in corporate social responsibility (CSR) and business sustainability that appeal to stakeholders. These are initiatives they want from brands and will continue to support.
- It helps you surpass a sudden crisis. Once you’ve earned your stakeholders’ trust and confidence, your brand can easily and quickly rise above any setup. They think you’ve already proven your worth as a company. They also believe that no organization is perfect as every business makes mistakes as long as they’re willing to correct them.
- It builds good stakeholder relationships. Long-term PR strategies, such as SEO linking, journalist outreach, and digital PR, enable you to connect with various stakeholders, including internal employees, valued customers, the general public, and the media. If coupled with creative volunteer ideas and genuine CSR, your brand can establish positive relationships with them.
- It fosters customer support and loyalty. Indeed, long-term PR tactics lead to a strong brand reputation and positive stakeholder relationships. However, there’s one stakeholder you can undoubtedly win for good—your customers or clients. Because of your constant and unrelenting PR efforts, they will continue to patronize your brand and support your products or services.
- It contributes to business growth and success. PR isn’t just a one-time endeavor or pursuit whenever your business confronts a particular crisis. It requires ongoing efforts to promote your brand, connect with stakeholders, and build good relationships with them. When you do this strategically and successfully in the long run, you’ll be surprised at how your company will grow and succeed!
Final words
Cancel culture is rampant in business—consumers have become highly observant and critical of the brands they interact with. It’s crucial to understand its implications for your company. That way, you can take cautious actions and make informed decisions.
When your brand gets canceled, remember that there are things you can and cannot do, as discussed above. Keep these in mind so you can rise above any crisis by restoring your brand reputation and winning back your stakeholders’ trust and support.
But as with any circumstance, prevention is better than cure. Set a long-term PR strategy, and you can boost your image, surpass any crises, build good relationships, promote customer loyalty, and ultimately achieve overall success! To get started with this, contact us today to book a demo!
