It Ends With Us? More like the headline that never ends
Phoebe Netto, founder and MD of Pure Public Relations, breaks down how the media frenzy around It Ends With Us co-stars Justin Baldoni and Blake Lively is a masterclass in reputation management.
When the media frenzy surrounding Blake Lively and Justin Baldoni erupted last August, it initially seemed like just another celebrity feud. As I dug deeper, I realised this wasn’t the case. It was a masterclass in reputation management – or mismanagement – and very much in my wheelhouse.
Then in late December, PR itself became part of the story when Lively filed a lawsuit accusing Baldoni of using PR as a weapon to discredit her, as well as “repeated sexual harassment and disturbing behaviour” on set.
While this lawsuit has certainly made headlines, it’s the glimpse behind the curtain at the PR machine that has made this story so salacious. Ironically, with lawsuits flying and public scrutiny mounting, each camp still has that same PR machine and chicanery working overtime to rebuild what is left of their reputations by pulling each other down.
