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Laura Perkes, the founder of the firm PR with Perkes, told BI that taking legal action means “you’re simply trying to stop people from sharing their version of events” rather than taking accountability.
Perkes said that by threatening legal action, “all you’re doing is deflecting and passing blame onto others.”
Kellie Whitehead, a third PR founder, told BI the move shows Donaldson has cemented his status “in the domain of the superrich and powerful,” and hiring this level of legal representation means “a wall of expensive silence ensues.”
While this may protect Donaldson, Whitehead said he will probably find it doesn’t resonate with his fans.
“You are not fixing your reputation this way, you are merely paying to fight legally,” she said. “There is a difference between criticism and accusations, and that’s where the law should be involved — his public and fan base reputational damage is another story.”
Common mistakes
Perkes said that for online stars like Donaldson, negative pushback can seem relentless when things start to go wrong. Often, people share their opinions without having all the information, and this, coupled with the herd mentality of cancel culture, can feel overwhelming.
Saying the wrong thing can be catastrophic, Perkes said, but staying quiet can also make you look guilty.
“You can’t fight fire with fire,” she said.
Folivi agreed that trying to ignore the problem is a mistake many online celebrities make, which is “an insult to their followers.”
However, it’s also not recommended to respond to everything, as this can come across as defensive. Instead, the best course of action is a “holding” statement.
“Admit to your mistakes,” Folivi said. “Issue an apology, where necessary, especially to your young fans who hold you in high regard, then put a plan in place to mitigate such errors in the future.”
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Trust is vital
Trust is hugely important between influencers and their fans, Perkes said.
“Without trust, there’s nothing,” she said. “Influencers need their fans; without them, they’re no longer influencers, and without them, they’re no longer a brand with products or services that people want to buy.”
When trust is eroded, it’s hard to gain it back, Perkes said, and can take years to rebuild.
“Apologising for their mistakes won’t cut it, it’s not enough,” she said. “Fans need to see that they’ve changed their behavior based on the lessons learned.”
People are much wiser to celebrities and how they can use periods of controversy in their favor to propel their careers. They’re paying more attention, Perkes said, and being more discerning about who gets their views.
“If they’re not happy, not only will they vote with their feet, but they’ll be vocal about it too,” she said.
Folivi said her 11-year-old son is a huge fan of Donaldson, and he is likely to feel let down by some of the recent news about the star.
“Trust is not impossible to rebuild, but it will take time,” she said. “It will require a time out for the celebrity to really reflect, and people will need to see that they are remorseful.”
She said a good move is to take a significant period off and return with the right project that shows them in a positive light.
“We are human, so we will make mistakes,” Folivi said. “When it happens, take ownership, apologize, and don’t repeat the same mistakes.”
Donaldson’s team didn’t immediately respond to a request for comment from BI.