Do companies really control their own brand image?

Indeed Kanye West’s outburst at the VMAs affected those watching at the time, but little did Kanye realize that this moment in his career would be relived over and over again by audiences worldwide. Within minutes social networks and YouTube had already broadcast the news to millions.

With the click of a mouse Kanye’s image was instantly ruined. Despite Kanye’s popularity, his efforts to clean up his own mess were unsuccessful. The power of media and new communications tools such as YouTube and twitter make stopping the spread of the controversy impossible, and Kanye is not the only one that has suffered the consequences. 

What about the two Dominos employees that posted a YouTube video of them contaminating food? Whether the video was a joke or not, it instantly made consumers everywhere question Dominos’ credibility. Companies spend billions on advertising, marketing and public relations all in hopes of managing their brand image. However in a society saturated with new communication tools, companies are losing sight of their control. If companies think they own their own brand image in today's society they are wrong. Bloggers, vloggers, and tweeters everywhere hold as much sway over their brand as they do. Public Relations specialists beware, social media tools are affecting brand images everywhere.

Katie Barta
University of Minnesota
Jour 3279
Blog Assignment