You know when you stand up for a cause, show passion, bravery, eloquence even as you fight for what’s right?
Yeah, that’s what England captain Jordan Henderrson DID do rather brilliantly for LGBT causes and was beginning to make a huge difference as he proudly wore the rainbow armband on international duty.
Then…he took the boatload of cash and transferred to the new Saudi league.
Surely nobody buys that he was planning on making any difference there other than to his net worth?
Well, rumours are currently circulating that he wants to return “home”. It will be interesting to see what reception awaits him.
This is exactly why I always caution clients when they are seeking to align with celebrities and influencers. They can be a wonderful boost to your brand – imagine when Jordan was flavour of the month, your reflected PR would be astronomical if you were aligned to his purported values.
However, once they went out of the window, how does that make you look?
Tread with care folks, nobody wants a PR own goal.