From Cancelled to Conscious: How Brands Can Evolve Through Public Backlash

From Cancelled to Conscious: How Brands Can Evolve Through Public Backlash

In today’s hyper-connected world, brands are no longer judged solely by the quality of their products - they’re judged by their values, their actions, and how they respond when they get it wrong. ‘Cancel culture’ may be polarising, but there is no doubt that, rightly or wrongly, it points to a demand for accountability. While public backlash poses a threat to a brand's reputation, it also presents a pivotal opportunity - a chance to listen, reflect, and become a more conscious brand.

What is Cancel Culture?

‘Cancel culture’ is often portrayed as a kind of digital mob justice, where individuals or companies face swift and widespread condemnation for perceived missteps. When influencers or celebrities are ‘cancelled,’ the fallout is usually pretty immediate: mass unfollowing, a loss of support, and an erasure from relevance on platforms like TikTok and YouTube.

Unlike a traditional PR crisis, cancel culture is amplified by the speed and reach of social media. One viral TikTok can quickly ignite a wave of outrage, leading to an avalanche of responses as more users join in. On TikTok especially, cancel culture moves fast - one moment someone is trending, and the next, people are asking, “Weren’t they cancelled?”. It happens so frequently, it’s hard to keep up.

When it comes to brands, cancel culture tends to reflect collective consumer backlash in response to actions, statements, affiliations, or internal practices that are seen as offensive, exploitative, or misaligned with public values. This backlash can take many forms - from mass unfollowing to viral hashtag movements and demands for accountability from company leadership. While being cancelled rarely means the permanent end of a brand, it signals a significant breakdown of trust - one that, if ignored, can lead to lasting reputational damage.

Importantly, backlash rarely appears out of nowhere. It usually stems from an original moment of insensitivity or misalignment. Major brands like H&M, Dove, and Balenciaga have all experienced it in very public ways.

Balenciaga: A Case Study in Accountability - or a lack of!

Accountability is crucial - but not always immediate. In late 2022, Balenciaga launched a holiday campaign featuring children holding teddy bear bags outfitted in BDSM-style harnesses. In another image, a document related to a U.S. Supreme Court case on child pornography laws appeared in the background. The combination sparked immediate global outrage. Critics accused the brand of sexualising children and normalising exploitation. Public figures like Kim Kardashian faced mounting pressure to sever ties with the brand. The scandal quickly became a flashpoint in conversations around fashion, ethics, and responsibility.

Balenciaga’s initial response only made matters worse. Rather than taking clear accountability, the brand’s early statements were seen as deflective, with a lack of immediate action or visible leadership further eroding public trust. It took days for them to address the issue meaningfully. Eventually, internal review teams were appointed, committed to working with child advocacy experts, and pledged to reevaluate their creative processes. But by then, the damage had been done for many.

The response came too slowly and lacked clarity - a misstep that made the scandal more enduring. While Balenciaga has taken steps toward reform, the path forward has been uneven and scrutinised. The brand didn’t collapse, but it has lost something much harder to regain: trust.

Dove: Turning Backlash into Brand Growth

Dove is an example of a brand that stumbled publicly, but responded with a level of transparency and follow-through that helped rebuild consumer trust. In 2017, the brand faced backlash over a Facebook ad that showed a Black woman removing her shirt to reveal a white woman underneath. The imagery was widely condemned as racially insensitive, and social media quickly lit up with criticism, and calls for a boycott followed.

Dove took immediate action and began to move toward accountability. Their response included:

• Removing the ad from circulation as soon as the backlash emerged.
• Issuing a public apology, stating clearly that the intent had been misunderstood but taking responsibility for the outcome.
• Acknowledging the hurt caused to consumers, particularly communities of colour, without defensiveness.
• Engaging in internal reflection, reviewing creative approval processes to prevent similar missteps in the future.
• Reaffirming its commitment to inclusive marketing, continuing its Real Beauty campaign with more intentional and diverse representation.

Dove’s approach wasn’t flawless, but it was grounded in a genuine effort to listen and do better. The brand used this moment as an opportunity to evolve. In the years since, Dove has consistently featured people of all ages, sizes, ethnicities, and backgrounds, reinforcing its long-standing message around redefining beauty standards.

From Cancelled to Conscious

Too often, brands treat backlash like a fire drill - respond fast, control the story, and hope to ride it out. But that’s not transformation - that’s damage control. And in an era of heightened awareness, consumers can spot the difference. They can tell when a brand is apologising out of genuine remorse - and when it’s just because they got caught. The brands that survive - and even thrive - after backlash are the ones that lean into the discomfort. They don’t just react to being called out; they recommit to doing better. Real evolution means going deeper. It means institutional change, not just spinning the story. It means bringing diversity into leadership, not just into marketing campaigns. The future of branding isn’t about playing it safe or avoiding controversy; it’s about owning your missteps and evolving with integrity when you fall short.