Online reputation: marketing lessons from Bridgerton

Dearest gentle reader,

While the London season teems with balls, banquets and lively gatherings, this author cannot fail to notice certain intriguing parallels between the world of Bridgerton and the difficulties encountered by brands in the digital environment. 
It has been said that of all the challenges modern companies face, navigating the expectations of one’s online audience is the most perilous. If this is true, then nothing is quite as important as a company's digital reputation.

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In light of today’s particularly demanding audience, knowing how to build (and, more importantly, maintain) a good brand reputation is no mean feat. 

You will doubtless therefore be wondering if I have any counsel to impart: 

Reviews and feedback: 

A single sentence has the power to significantly influence the audience’s perception, whether positively or negatively. It is essential to implement a structured strategy for gathering feedback, either by dedicating an area on one’s corporate website for customer feedback or by encouraging customers to provide feedback using dedicated tools, because it is this feedback that tells us whether we are meeting our customers’ needs and whether we are aligned with our audience’s expectations.
Dealing with negative feedback promptly and professionally is crucial: responding quickly, analyzing the causes of discontent and proposing concrete solutions to resolve the issues raised not only demonstrates the company's commitment to customer satisfaction, but also contributes to improving its reputation and bolstering the audience’s trust in the brand.

Dearest reader, 

Queen Charlotte’s choice of the “diamond of the season” carries a great deal of weight in Bridgerton society, an analogy for the modern phenomenon of obtaining the endorsement of a person with hundreds of thousands of followers.
Image from: Alpha Coders

Word of mouth and social proof

Word of mouth is a powerful tool in building a positive reputation. People tend to trust the opinions of others and seek information from trusted sources or from those with whom they have a relationship of trust. This means that creating opportunities for customers to talk favorably about the brand is a winning strategy. Promoting positive reviews and encouraging word of mouth not only amplifies the brand's visibility, but also strengthens credibility and trust in the brand.

All is fair in love and marketing, but some battles have no winners, only a torrent of vitriolic comments and negative feedback that leave us wondering whether this is really a price worth paying.Image from: Alpha Coders

Storytelling and editorial calendar

Adopting effective storytelling strategies and a structured editorial calendar is the first step towards creating consistent, relatable content that can capture and keep the audience’s attention. Establishing an emotional connection with one's target audience is key to customer engagement and loyalty. A clearly defined tone of voice is essential in order to deliver a clear, coherent message, highlighting the company’s awareness of its positioning and strategic direction.

Search engine visibility

A solid online reputation plays a key role in improving one’s search engine positioning. Companies that receive positive feedback and produce high-quality content enjoy greater visibility and appeal. 
Google, like other search engines, identifies and indexes web pages, producing a search engine results page (SERP) based on pertinence to users’ searches. A website that appears in the first few results of Google's SERP will substantially increase its visibility and chances of commercial success. This positioning depends on website optimization - often thanks to the contribution of search engine optimization (SEO) specialists - and on the popularity and authority of the site itself. For example, the Authority Score issued by Semrush is a complex metric that assesses the overall quality of a site or web page. A high score indicates that links from a given domain or page have a significant impact in improving the positioning of other sites.

 Dearest reader, 

when it comes to a lady's position in society, her choice of dress and the attention she pays to the smallest details can either elevate her or lead to her ruin. Every detail must be perfect to ensure that the first impression lasts forever!
Whether one is navigating the complexities of high society or the current digital environment, this author wishes to remind you that image is everything.

Image from da: Alpha Coders

Credibility and trust:  

Credibility is built through authentic communication about one's products and services and through transparency in one's modus operandi, as well as by creating an experience that is consistent with one’s brand identity.  
This results in deeper trust among consumers, customers and partners, which favorably influences purchasing decisions and consolidates commercial relations. 
Nevertheless, it takes very little to lose credibility, and this can have serious negative consequences: a reduction in sales, compromised commercial relations, or even a tarnished brand image. Maintaining a high level of transparency and responding effectively to feedback is crucial to preserve one's reputation and guarantee long-term success.

In the third season of Bridgerton, Penelope Featherington’s reputation appeared to have suffered a deep blow. Once seen as a shy young woman who was something of a misfit, her secret alter ago revealed a much more complex and astute individual. The consequences of her actions were profound, and those closest to her, including her dear friend Eloise Bridgerton, felt betrayed and could no longer trust her.

The revelation of her true identity turned the perception people had of her on its head, forcing her to start again from square one and rebuild her reputation. Penelope had to undertake the difficult task of mending relations with her family and the Bridgertons, who saw her double life as a serious lack of honesty.
Image from: Alpha Coders

Constant monitoring

A single misstep online can trigger a devastating media storm, just as a careless dance step can ruin a gentleman’s reputation. 

This author feels obliged to share the curious events that befell Dolce & Gabbana in 2018, when the image of the famous fashion house was put in jeopardy by an ill-advised advertising campaign. 
Like other leading companies in the fashion industry, Dolce & Gabbana sought to expand its influence in the Chinese market, known for its love of luxury goods. However, the videos it created to promote one of its fashion shows, imbued with insensitive cultural stereotypes, unleashed a storm of indignation. A number of Chinese actors, models and other prominent figures publicly announced their intention not to participate in the show.

Even the editor-in-chief of Vogue China, the highly respected Angelica Cheung, decided not to attend, and the agencies Bentley and Xing Li announced that their models would not be setting foot on the runway. Quite the headache for the two famous designers.

The same kind of drama that would take place if nobody attended a ball at Bridgerton House!

Video from Youtube

Crisis management

In a world dominated by the media and social networks, knowing how to manage a reputation crisis has become a must for any company wishing to preserve its credibility. It only takes one viral post or negative article to undo years of hard work. That is why it is essential to have a well-structured crisis management plan that provides for timely, transparent communication, a detailed analysis of the causes and the implementation of corrective measures. Only with such a plan in place can a crisis be turned into an opportunity for growth, by showing stakeholders the strength of one's values and one’s commitment to doing the right thing. Because in a world where news spreads like wildfire, the only successful weapon is credibility.

The case of Chiara Ferragni, Balocco S.p.A. and Dolci Preziosi 

What can this author say about the "Pandoro-gate" scandal involving Chiara Ferragni, who managed to transform a simple Christmas cake into a media storm, causing the queen of the web to lose her crown and triggering a wave of indignation and accusations of deceit?

AI generated image

It seems that the case concerning Chiara Ferragni, Balocco S.p.A. and, subsequently, Dolci Preziosi has revealed some interesting background details worthy of this author’s quill.

Initially, the gossip focused almost exclusively on the influencer, relegating the poor companies involved to second place. This represented a sort of temporary "ceasefire" for Balocco and Dolci Preziosi, but we know only too well that, in this world of rumors and scandal, nothing lasts forever.

It is curious to note that Balocco S.p.A., as a family-run business, has always prioritized self-referential marketing over communication. Dearest reader, in an age in which ethics is the word on everyone’s lips and secrets can be revealed with a simple click, even companies of this kind must learn to invest in communication, especially when there is a gossip storm brewing on the horizon.
The absence of a dedicated press office section on one’s website is a worrying sign. Imagine, if a scandal were to break out, not being able to rely on already active channels of communication and consolidated procedures. It would be like attending a masked ball without a mask!

And what can I say about this hastily thrown-together video interview issued by the company's management in the midst of the media storm? It seems that Balocco was not prepared to tackle the crisis with the grace and elegance one would expect from a company of such standing.

I wish to stress how important it is for companies to have an ethos based on authentic principles and values, which must permeate every aspect of their activity, from marketing to communication. Only in this way can one build a solid, sustainable reputation that can resist even the most toxic rumors and shocking scandals.

Let this be a warning to all companies, big or small: communication is not an optional extra, but a powerful weapon with which to tackle the challenges of the market and contemporary society. Investing in crisis management plans and in communication that is consistent with one’s values is fundamental in order to protect one’s reputation and success in the long term. Otherwise, one risks finding oneself in the spotlight for all the wrong reasons.

Navigating social expectations, adapting to change, promoting empowerment and managing crises: these are the shared challenges faced in both the world of Bridgerton and the modern corporate landscape. And, just as Regency-era balls are the setting for embarking on relationships and forging alliances, the online world of today represents a unique environment in which to build a strong reputation and engage communities. 

Dearest gentle reader, it is time to start thinking about what new imminent scandals might emerge and how to manage them. Because if there is one thing that Bridgerton has taught us, it is that the power of narration and of visual appeal in creating a deeply engaging and influential experience has no limits.

Yours truly,