Following the backlash Stormzy has faced over his recent collaboration with McDonald’s, Phil Ossai, Personal Brand Advisor to high-profile entrepreneurs at OSSAI Agency, has shared how he would navigate the crisis if he were Stormzy’s personal brand manager:
“For anyone living under a rock… (First, I’d call you Patrick Star and tell you to wake up)…Stormzy is under fire for allegedly deleting content on his Instagram about social justice, only to then team up with a corporation often criticised for contributing to social issues.
“My first move would be a selfie video PR release addressing the controversy. One thing about the UK—we hold grudges. I don’t believe people will let this go easily.
“In a world where even a text from your mum can be misread, a tweet or a text-only PR release won’t cut it.
“Video, in my opinion, is the only way to truly address this.
“My second move would be an in-person initiative. I’d publicly challenge McDonald’s to partner with him and his non-profit to launch a project supporting social justice.
“Stormzy has done a lot of good in the world, but people need reminding. Right now, he’s being called a ‘sellout,’ but actions speak louder than words. If he continues making a positive impact, the evidence will speak for itself.
“My third move would be to stop giving the controversy more attention and recognise how much people read into small actions.
“As strange as it sounds to millennials and older generations, ‘unfollowing’ someone on Instagram or archiving a photo sends a strong message.
“These actions now need to be factored into public figures’ strategies, as they carry more weight than many realise.
“It’s a crazy world when a man who has contributed so much to society faces backlash like this, but the outcry is understandable.
“A more carefully planned social media rollout is all that’s needed next time.”