5 Ways Ryan Lochte Can Save His Damaged Brand

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Once again, the world sits shaking its proverbial head at yet another celebrity who has ruined their well-established image by way of a brand blunder significant enough to destroy a lucrative career.

By now, we all know the terrifying tale that Olympic swimmer, Ryan Lochte, shared of being robbed at gunpoint. Unfortunately, as the facts were pieced together by police, it became clear that it was all a boldfaced lie. As a personal branding expert, I can tell you there is a strong lesson to extract from this situation: the strongest and most respected personal brand can be destroyed by a thoughtless decision. Worse, when you have a reputation that is based on being a role model or admired for high-achievement, it can leave people feeling deeply cheated and deceived. So now, Lochte’s PR team is undoubtedly working overtime to do damage control while his management team deals with the loss of millions in sponsorships and endorsement deals.

So, what would I advise Lochte (or someone in a similar crisis situation) to do? Here’s my five step plan to saving his brand. 

1 | Prepare a proper apology.

Delaying a response leads to unnecessary and often inaccurate speculation. People appreciate honesty and someone who admits to their mistakes. In Lochte’s case, he could have potentially built up more fans by being upfront and genuine with a real apology instead of attempting to downplay his behavior and chalking it up to childish over-exaggeration. 

  1. 2 | Do not be defensive and don’t blame others.

Again, accountability plays a key role in a successful damage control strategy. Passing blame or making excuses will sound weak and cowardly, which, potentially, could do further damage to your brand.

3 | Don’t rely on the brand you have built to carry you through.

In respect to Lochte, his seven gold medals can’t be taken away from him. But his current actions have shadowed his skill and that needs to be addressed. Simply staying silent or not acknowledging that the situation has shifted is a big mistake. By sharing the full story, and owning your part in it, you are able to give the facts at once without having to address a new one every time one is uncovered (which only makes you look more dishonest).

  1. 4 | Get involved in some community project or similar activities.

Showing that you have humility is essential. It’s important that others can relate on a human level. Community service and giving back are commendable under all circumstances, but from a PR standpoint, offering your time and helping others can help to rebuild public trust and a personal brand.

  1. 5 | Build trust and respect again with every media appearance.

Lochte should take every opportunity to add a positive layer to his brand, reinforce his true authentic core and not be afraid to acknowledge his failures and flaws. By focusing on his commitment to making amends and sharing the lessons he has learned, he will show the public he has grown, changed and moved on. Who knows, his marketability may increase as a result.

 

Do you think that Lochte can come back from his blunder?

Categories: Culture

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Lesley Everett
Lesley Everett is an internationally acclaimed professional speaker and expert on The Personality of the Brand, and has presented her Walking TALL Methodology in 26 countries across 5 continents to date. She is a published author of 3 books (latest being Corporate Brand Personality (Kogan Page, Feb 2016), and is an Executive Brand Coach. Her clients include several Fortune 500 companies as well as various charities & associations.

Lesley is often called upon to comment on people in the public eye on their personal brand and image. She has appeared many times on TV in on BBC News, Sky Business, CNBC, CNN, CBS and Bloomberg. She has also had over 200 articles published in print media around the world.

Lesley is the founder of Walking TALL International, with offices in US (Walking TALL Training & Consulting, Inc.), UK and Hong Kong. She has created a methodology for Personal Branding that has inspired audiences for the past 15 years. Her materials are continually developed via the interactive research she carries out and is often quoted by other business professionals.

Lesley was awarded the Professional Speaking Award of Excellence (Hall of Fame) in 2010 and is a Past-President of the Global Speakers Federation (2013 – 2014). She is British and now lives in Monterey, CA.

www.walkingtall.org

www.lesleyeverett.com

 

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