Part of my job here at Mark Leisher Productions is managing our social media presence. If you follow us on Facebook or Twitter, you’ve seen my posts and Tweets. Maybe you’ve even liked them! But what that means is, for a certain portion of each work day, I’m on Facebook and Twitter seeing what’s happening in social media, and sharing funny or relevant items. Today I saw something that wasn’t funny, but is certainly relevant to businesses trying to increase their social media presence.[spacer height=”20px”]
Back in fall of 2013, Monika Allen ran the LA Marathon dressed up as Wonder Woman wearing a tutu. She was excited to receive a request from SELF Magazine to use a photo of her in an upcoming issue. But when the April edition came out, Allen was horrified. The picture was featured in a section called The BS Meter, and the caption insulted Allen and her friend for wearing tutus, saying “A racing tutu epidemic has struck NYC’s Central park, and it’s all because people think these froufrou skirts make you run faster. Now, if you told us they made people run from you faster, maybe we would believe it.”
Now, it’d be bad enough for an organization to make fun of people who generously allowed them the use of the photo, but there’s another twist. Allen was running the marathon in the midst of treatment for brain cancer, and her friend’s race number had “Die Tumor Die” written on it. Additionally, the tutus they were wearing were made by Allen’s company, Glam Runner, which makes tutus and donates the money to Girls on the Run, a charity that sponsors exercise programs for young girls. Since NBC San Diego broke the story Thursday morning, SELF’s Facebook page has exploded with negative commentary.[spacer height=”20px”]
SELF released a statement to NBC apologizing for their actions. But their Facebook and Twitter accounts have remained silent. Additionally, they’ve closed “Posts by Others” on their Facebook page (though it’s hard to tell whether that was always the case, or happened after the story broke). Meanwhile, angry users have flooded the other posts on their page with negative commentary. Meaning that anyone who genuinely wants to comment on or share one of SELF’s posts will be directed right to the negativity.[spacer height=”20px”]
Meanwhile Glam Runner’s Facebook page has gone from approximately 3,000 likes to more than 13,000. They shared the NBC story on their page and have seen an outpouring of support, both from the running community and outraged women around the country. Glam Runner’s actions show how a company can turn negative publicity into a successful, free advertising campaign. I’m not even a runner, and now I want a running tutu, just to show my support for their work![spacer height=”20px”]
When you’re in the midst of a social media maelstrom, it can be tempting to bury your head in the sand. But pretending like something hasn’t happened will just make people angrier. Over on SELF’s Facebook page, numerous people have said they will not purchase another issue of the magazine. Could SELF fix this with an apology? Maybe. Some people will likely stay angry regardless. But by maintaining silence, they’re letting the loud voices take over their presence, and that’s something that is hard to recover from.[spacer height=”20px”]
Brand management in the midst of a crisis isn’t easy. But you do have to continue to manage your brand. And right now, SELF isn’t.[spacer height=”20px”]
Featured Image Credit: NBC San Diego