Paracrisis Identification and Response and Connection to Culture

The paracrisis I was able to identify came from the holiday ad the brand released in 2022. The ad housed elements of BDSM and child pornography. While the campaign itself was swiftly removed from all socials, it still burned fresh in the minds of the public. The main mistake that was made by the brand came with the shifting of blame, which allowed outsiders to assume that Balenciaga did not house solid internal leadership, which is crucial for all brands. This of course mirrors the phrase of brands “acting in an irresponsible or unethical manner” (Coombs & Holladay, 2012).

Of the pieces of media created, we see the use of multiple spokespersons that offer responses to the crisis. The spokespersons chosen all make sense given either their relationship to the brand, their relationship with the exploitation of children, or their relationship with exploitation in the fashion world (Coombs & Holladay, 2012). For example, in one of the pieces that would be sent out, we see the use of Brooke Shields, who had recently put out a documentary that showcased the exploitation she underwent at a young age, and Karen Mulder, who was among the first supermodels that defined the 90s. Mulder went underground after years of supposed sexual abuse. These two women act as strong ties to the fashion world that would give legitimacy to Balenciaga’s new initiative to protect children.

Read more about what went into the project here.

Click the photo to see all the media created to remedy the crisis