Let’s play a little game of pretend, dear readers.
First, imagine you’re the boss of some company. Any company will do. Be creative. Be indulgent. Ever wanted to own Apple? Now you do.
Next, imagine you have a female employee who holds a pretty prominent and important position with your company. Maybe she manages your highest earning store, or perhaps she developed and runs some brand-spanking-new software that your company has exclusive rights to. Whatever she does, she’s kick ass and you’re lucky to have her.
Then, imagine her boyfriend, fiancé, or husband sent her to the hospital by beating her to a bloody pulp.
Finally, answer this question: How would you respond? Would you be supportive, offering her time off to recoup, or would you give her the boot?
I’m going to go out on a limb here – probably a pretty strong branch, actually – and assume none of you answered with the latter.
Given the picture to the right and the title of this post, you’ve undoubtedly figured out that this little game of pretend isn’t entirely fictional. It’s based on the domestic violence situation between music artists and former (I’m guessing former) lovebirds Chris Brown and Rihanna. What you might not know, though, is that some “bosses” (companies that have endorsement deals with Rihanna, rather) may actually end up choosing the latter answer. Some people are actually expecting the situation to negatively affect Rihanna’s career.
Let’s just pause to give that last bit the emphasis it deserves, shall we? Rihanna’s career.
Direct quote from the Los Angeles Times:
“Beyond the courtroom and the hospital, both have millions of dollars at stake in terms of possible damage to product endorsement.”
Um…what? I can understand why Doublemint has pulled the reigns on Brown’s catchy little commercial jingles, but why would anyone punish Rihanna? In case these people haven’t noticed, Rihanna is a victim. I don’t know the specifics of the situation – for all I know Rihanna could have been slapping Brown around before he assaulted her. But, I do know – we all know – the basics: The two were involved in a physical altercation that landed Rihanna in the emergency room and Brown under arrest. Brown has since issued a public apology that included a statement about seeking counseling – a public apology that has apparently left Rihanna unmoved.
So, given those rough “facts,” can someone please tell me why a spokesperson for CoverGirl “declined to discuss whether her status as an alleged victim of domestic violence would affect the future of the campaign.”
“’As a matter of policy, we do not discuss advertising plans,’ the spokeswoman said.”
Yeah, okay, Ms. Spokeswoman.
It gets worse.
Senior vice president at New-York-based marketing research company Millward Brown, Anne Green, said:
“’The reason why she has been used as a celebrity endorser is that she represents something very positive and in particular a strong female role model, and when she is associated with a situation like this it can have an impact […]‘”
EXCUSE ME? It took me a while to even begin wrapping my brain around that statement. Because she happened to be romantically involved with a guy who turned out to have some serious violence issues, are we to assume Rihanna is no longer worthy of representing positive thinking and female strength? It seems to me that – once she pulls out of this – Rihanna will represent just that.
Hello?
I guess we’ll have to wait and find out how the situation affects Rihanna’s endorsements – if it does at all. In the meantime, I highly recommend checking out U.S. News & World Report article “What Rihanna Can Teach Us About Domestic Violence” in which Deborah Kotz discusses an abuser’s ability to change, victims and mental illness, and domestic violence resources with the executive director of the National Coalition Against Domestic Violence, Rita Smith.
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From Psych Central's Alicia Sparks:
» R&B Star Chris Brown Pulled From Movie Marketing, Enters Anger Management - Celebrity Psychings (February 26, 2009)
From Psych Central's Alicia Sparks:
» Rihanna Is Reportedly Working Toward Reconciling With Chris Brown - Celebrity Psychings (February 28, 2009)
Let’s hope this is an aberration. I would hate to think she’s going to get punished for being slapped around.
@ Magali - I sincerely hope it is. I almost didn’t even finish the LA Times article because I thought it was just speculation (and speculation about something that I didn’t think possible); however, when I saw all the quotes from professionals in the business, I became outraged.
Unfortunately, it’s not an aberration. I’ve always thought the whole mess with OJ happened because he was allowed to skate on domestic violence. Not much has changed. Sigh… I don’t understand why that should be true, but it is. Women still earn less, and take it in the teeth figuratively and literally way more often than men.
Would be interesting to compare layoffs gender wise… geese, didn’t realize I’m angry! Again.
Anne Wayman, now blogging at http://www.aboutfreelancewriting.com
(Author’s Note: Edited for inappropriate language.)
So let me guess. You’re a woman writer? You wrote this piece from the female point of view?
Don’t get me wrong. Hitting women is not on my agenda as a man. But there is something about catching herpes that would probably make me want to slap a woman. Especially if i just contracted that virus/disease from said woman, without prior knowledge of the virus/disease.
Honestly, i’m glad chris brown beat the **** out of her. That’ll teach her to try and **** around without telling her partner she has a contractible virus that could potentially send her partner’s life and health in a downward spiral.
So to all your ******** about rihanna potentially losing her sponsors? Too ******* bad for her. Next time she won’t be as bad as a murderer.
I think it will hinge on how strong Rihanna’s response is. She will need to condemn him and his actions in the strongest possible terms. She will need to turn herself into an anti-violence crusader, essentially, in order to keep every aspect of her image and career intact. She cannot afford to be seen as tolerating or condoning his actions in the slightest degree. The public knows that, far too often, battered women tolerate this kind of thing out of a misguided sense of love. They will be watching closely for any signs of weakness from her, so she will actually have to exaggerate her response and not show the slightest sign of weakness. You need to paint in very broad strokes to maintain public opinion…it’s just how it is.
@ Anne - You know, I hadn’t thought about that - comparing layoffs gender wise. I wonder if anyone’s done a study on that.
@ Hal - That’s a very good point, and very true, I believe.
Many people believe that Rihanna did something really strong to provoke him do that. Maybe this will hurt her career more - the belief that she deserved what she got. Even women feel she asked for punishment - well, maybe not exactly almost being beaten to death but still the feeling is that she had started first.
As for my personal opinion, I don’t think that violence is the answer but I also think that she verbally abusive, so she is not that innocent.
@ friend - You know, I’ve read several things online talking about this issue (how some people think Rihanna “deserved it” or at least “started it”). I’ve thought about writing about it, but haven’t come around to it yet. Thanks for bringing it up.
My thoughts are: It’s not good for anyone, regardless of gender, to put his or her hands on another person, and if Rihanna hit Brown (I’ve read that maybe she did - who knows), then obviously that’s not a good thing. However, whatever she might have done to “provoke” or “enrage” him - whether she verbally assaulted him, threw his keys out of the window, or hit him - only Brown was responsible for the way he chose to react to it (”it” being her behavior).
In the end, I’d like to see both of them do whatever it is they need to do to individually work this out and get on with their lives. Rihanna doesn’t need to forever be marked as that girl who Chris Brown beat up, nor does he forever need to be marked as an abuser. They both need to seek help, work on their issues (not relationship issues, but personal issues), and move forward.
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