When saying the ‘right’ thing goes horribly wrong
In an age of instant virality and 24-hour news cycles, brands survive by setting clear boundaries around what they should engage with, and what topics they need to steer clear of. Patrice Pandeleos, managing director of Seven Communications, looks at how jumping on a bandwagon can go horribly wrong.
Patrice Pandeleos
When Chris Martin asked a Coldplay audience to send love to Charlie Kirk’s family, the moment did not land. A cheer faltered, uncertainty permeated through the crowd, and by the time it reached wider attention, its meaning had already been rewritten. It glaringly reinforced that public gestures, even those made with the clearest intent, are never neutral.
Moments like this illustrate a simple truth – taking a stand (or failing to) has consequences. If you don’t decide what to defend, the world decides for you, and brands are no exception. Those who know what they support move deliberately, shape the narrative on their terms, and leave no space for others to rewrite their actions. The rest freeze – and get left behind.
Youtube clip of Coldplay’s Chris Martin ‘sending love’ to Kirk’s family
When silence fuels the fire
Disney’s response (or lack thereof) to Florida’s ‘Don’t Say Gay’ bill is now shorthand for what a crisis looks like when leaders freeze. Silence handed the conversation over to critics and commentators, and by the time the company acted, it was too late. A clear values framework would have made the choice obvious – what principles to uphold, which disputes to avoid, and who should act immediately. With that clarity, leaders can speak and act decisively, steering perception instead of chasing it. Without it, every delay becomes a headline, and credibility erodes faster than any statement can rebuild.
