#brand reputation

#brand reputation

In a small company, culture moves faster than policy. When new technology enters daily life, it doesn't wait for HR manuals to catch up. Employees bring habits into the workplace: how they communicate, how they vent, how they cope with stress, and how they use personal devices during breaks. AI companionship sits right at the intersection of mental health, privacy, and brand trust. And those are not abstract issues for SMEs:

The message, set to Jess Glynne's 2015 song Hold My Hand, was meant to emphasize reliability and comfort. In 2025, however, TikTok users began using the audio in a very different way. Instead of polished travel clips, the sound was paired with videos showing holiday frustrations, such as tents collapsing in high winds, hotel rooms with underwhelming views, transport delays, and other familiar mishaps. The contrast between the upbeat narration and the visuals made the format easy to follow and understand.

Campbell's said Wednesday that a vice president who was embroiled in a public firestorm over a lawsuit and secret recording was no longer at the company. The recording appeared to show the now-former executive, Martin Bally, disparaging customers and colleagues and referring to the company's chicken as "3D-printed." "The comments were vulgar, offensive and false, and we apologize for the hurt they have caused," the company said Wednesday. "This behavior does not reflect our values and the culture of our company, and we will not tolerate that kind of language under any circumstances."

Cybersecurity is as much about communication as it is about code. When leadership sends mixed signals - one message in a company memo, another in marketing materials - the inconsistency confuses employees and customers alike. A StratusPoint IT report found that 74% of data breaches involved a human element, including social engineering and error. These incidents often begin with misunderstanding rather than malice.

The reality is people are talking about your brand and your industry - whether you're in the (digital) room or not. They're swapping product recommendations via Instagram Stories or sharing feedback using TikTok comments. Paying attention to your direct mentions and tags is great - necessary, even - but it's not enough if you want to hear more unfiltered thoughts directly from your audience. That's where social listening comes in.

Like many ambitious tech companies before it, OpenAI introduced itself to the culture at large with big claims about how its technology would improve the world-from boosting productivity to enabling scientific discovery. Even the caveats and warnings were de facto advertisements for the existential potential of artificial intelligence: We had to be careful with this stuff, or it might literally wipe out humanity.

For entrepreneurs, few events are more damaging than a product recall. The immediate image is always financial: refunds, fines and settlements. But anyone who has been inside these cases knows the true cost runs far deeper. Recalls erode consumer trust, unravel years of brand building and expose systemic failures in leadership. I have seen firsthand how these crises unfold. In nearly every instance, the warning signs were there.

In 2019, a beauty giant cut ties with a famous influencer after a scandal involving her parents exploded online. The collaboration was dropped almost overnight, leaving people wondering: What kind of agreement did they have in place? Could companies legally walk away that fast? Were there any protections for either side? The exact details notwithstanding, this moment became a case study in why influencer contracts matter. A well-written legal document can include r eputation clauses, clear deliverables, exit terms, a confidentiality clause, and usage rights.

In-N-Out has filed a lawsuit against YouTube prankster Bryan Arnett for impersonating its employees and making lewd comments, claiming he damaged their brand's reputation.

Having loyal, returning customers is a godsend because you ensure business (and hopefully even profitability) in the future.

Jaguars are unreliable, prone to error, and require constant repairs, leaving ownership feeling like a never-ending cycle of maintenance instead of pleasure.