Yep, you guessed it: today, we are here to talk about probably one of pop culture’s most oversaturated trending topics. Nonetheless, people love chiming into the conversation and giving their angles and opinions (I am people). In reality, perception is the key ingredient in this whole conundrum. Perception of the plaintiff, the defendant, the lawyers, the publicists, and the public (us). Another key ingredient is context, so allow me to give it to you.
You probably know that Blake Lively and Justin Baldoni were co-stars in the production of It Ends with Us, a movie inspired by the novel of the same name from New York Times best-selling author Colleen Hoover. The movie came out on Aug. 9, 2024, and, quite frankly, there has been controversy since its release.
Many thought the movie’s promotion was weird, as the actors danced around talking about the sensitive topics discussed in the film with the media. Many believe this was because Lively wanted to promote her new hair care brand, “Blake Brown Beauty,” and Ryan Reynolds, her husband, wanted to advertise his liquor brand, “Aviation American Gin.”
While many thought that was the case, Lively filed a complaint with the California Civil Rights Department this past December. She accused her co-star and director, Baldoni, of creating a hostile work environment that included sexual harassment and an alleged “smear campaign” in response to her complaints during production. Baldoni fired back, filing a $400 million countersuit accusing Lively, her husband, and the publicist of defamation and extortion, along with a $250 million libel lawsuit against the New York Times for covering Lively’s allegations.
After this, Baldoni’s lawyer was interviewed and claimed he would sue Lively “into oblivion” with the heavy evidence they had on his side. Screenshots, texts, and even on-set footage are coming out to refute claims against Baldoni, which Lively’s team claims only reinforces their point. As you can see, the situation is only escalating, and this is a public relations team’s worst nightmare.
The truth is that perception and context come into play heavily here, and at this point, the public is actively making their own narratives. The truth is that we may never know the truth. Does Lively’s truth happen to be different from Baldoni’s? Were there underlying emotions involved that we don’t know about? Maybe there was, but evidence and facts will ultimately determine who wins this case. So, what can PR professionals all around the world learn from this disaster?
ANTICIPATION IS KEY
Having a solid PR strategy to navigate damage control when something unexpected happens is super important. Both teams allowed the situation to escalate due to everything that transpired during production before taking action. The movie had been out for five months before the lawsuit was filed, leading to confusion, contradicting statements, and public polarization. Acting early and “predicting” things before they happen is super important so all parties can be prepared.
TRANSPARENCY AND CONSISTENCY
It’s always better to say the blatant truth instead of a very obvious lie. People tend to appreciate transparency and accountability and hate when someone says something that contradicts their statement. Saying nothing at all sometimes is a mistake. PR professionals must have good interpersonal skills and be able to say just enough at the correct times.
UNDERSTANDING REPUTATION
Public figures’ brands influence legal disputes and public opinion. Many people speculate that the lawsuit is a way for Lively to earn a better reputation since hers has not been very good, as she has faced occasional rumors about being difficult to work with. Many are surprised since Baldoni’s brand is all about combatting toxic masculinity, and the claims against him demonstrate the opposite.
MONITORING THE MEDIA
Both social media and press coverage are essential to determine the next steps and cater to messaging. This is where strategy comes in to protect client interests. I think both parties underestimated the power of social media, which allowed narratives to spin out of control. Keeping a close eye on speculations from the public allows publicists to avoid any confusion and keep things under control.
Here’s a good “deep-dive” of the scandal I saw on TikTok that I believe explains the situation really well.
Now, we can only wait to see how their publicists and lawyers will continue to work together on this case. Many believe they won’t settle at all, and it will be up to the courts. The public seems to be extremely invested in every minor update and begs for the case to be televised if it goes to court. I’m curious to see how things will play out from now on, but I genuinely would not wish this upon any PR professional ever, even if they’re my worst enemy.
Keep them in your prayers, and let’s learn from their mistakes instead.