When brands stand by sports stars and celebrities after indiscretions
Clothing giant Cotton On has confirmed AFL youngster Bailey Smith will continue on as a brand ambassador, after the footballer was embroiled in an “illicit substance” scandal.
Smith has apologised for “indulging in behaviours in late 2021 of which I am deeply ashamed” as his mental health “dramatically deteriorated” after last year’s grand final after a series of video and photos emerged on the weekend.
Retail expert at QUT, Professor Gary Mortimer, says there’s no right or wrong way for brands to manage these situations.
“Brands and businesses will really change the way they look at a celebrity or a sports star’s indiscretion, they will make a decision whether it has an impact on their brand personally, or it has an impact on the sport, or was it of a personal nature,” he explained.
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