Sarah Brittan examines the consequences of when brand ambassadors do wrong, and how this affects the brand they represent: She uses Lance Armstrong and the foundation he started Livestrong as an example.
The famous yellow bracelet popularised by Brad Lance Armstrong during his now (in)famous cycling career including seven Tour de France titles (subsequently he has been stripped of these), has been tarnished due to the allegations of drug and steroid abuses against Lance.
The bracelet representing the mystical myth of overcoming adversity in the forms of cancer and then a gruelling Tour has now morphed into a more sinister myth of being fooled by a charlatan who would do anything to win, even cheat.
Lance Armstrong and the bracelet he popularised were integral to the success of the organisation Livestrong which Lance himself established. Yet now the organisations public image has taken a battering in the past few months as the truth about Lance Armstrong has been revealed.
Sarah examines how this close association can damage a brand when its ambassadors get caught in a compromising situation and furthermore she examines whether the Livestrong brand can be salvaged, as it does a lot of good, regardless of its founder’s errors.
Sarah Britten in conversation with BizRadio’s Grant Jansen
PODCAST | Click HERE to listen
So Nike is sending selected influencers branded cupcakes. Is it just me or are they sending mixed messages?
— Sarah Britten (@Anatinus) January 17, 2013
Join Grant Jansen (@Kapetonian) every weekday morning from 10 to noon for the Daily Biz on Biz Radio. Stay in touch with Grant at @Biz_Radio on twitter, Biz_radio on Skype, studio BBM 279DF0DD and [email protected] to mail him.
1 Comment
Pingback: Reorganization Bankruptcy