Out of Scope Issue 70: Canceling Cancellation Conversations
Discover more from Out of Scope
Out of Scope Issue 70: Canceling Cancellation Conversations
Plus: Daily Harvest, Hailey Bieber, and consumer trust.
This week, the Hirsch Leatherwood team spent a lot of time thinking about New York Magazine’s viral, controversial new story about cancel culture. We also reflected on a few messaging missteps, from Daily Harvest’s poorly executed mea culpa to Hailey Bieber’s awkward brand launch. Oh, and there’s a new Beyoncé song.
💡ON OUR MINDS
Is it Time to Cancel Conversations About Cancel Culture Yet?
Most weeks, one thinkpiece takes Media Twitter by storm. This week The Cut’s “Canceled at 17” was simply unavoidable for the “extremely online,” continuing one of the internet’s favorite (and most tired) conversations: is cancel culture real?
The 8,000-word article – which author Elizabeth Weil described as “the primal scream” of teenagers who are being deprived of “compassion” and “faith that they can grow” – tells the story of a 17-year-old boy, Diego, who was shunned by many of his high school peers after showing his friends nude photos of his girlfriend, Fiona. And, boy, did people have feelings about it.
Within hours of publishing, Weil’s article was under strict scrutiny by Twitter users, and fellow writers, who took umbrage at what they perceived as a sympathetic portrayal of Diego’s actions that are positioned as a “stupid mistake” rather than what it was: a federal crime.
In exploring how “cancel culture” manifests in the high school experience, Weil aspires to tell a larger story about the “whisper networks” high schoolers are erecting across the nation to expose their peers' sexism, racism, and harmful behavior, specifically instances of sexual violence – that have become somewhat akin to mob justice.
But Twitter users weren’t exactly pleased about that either, nor was Guardian columnist Arwa Mahdawi, who wrote these networks aren’t emblematic of teenagers going wild to “cancel” anyone and everyone, but rather a result of abject failure by institutions to protect young women.
The fallout (of which we’ve only just scratched the surface) leaves us wondering: had Weil disengaged from the idea of “cancel culture” altogether, would she have been more successful in engaging readers in a thoughtful conversation about the dynamics of holding peers accountable in high schools, which undoubtedly can ere into danger at times? This thread makes us think so:
It’s clear that “cancel culture” has become one of the zeitgeist's favorite lenses to generate immediate buzz and discourse. But at this point, we may have to consider whether we’re using it as a cover to shy away from truly educational and transformative discussions about the human experience.
A Long Rhode Ahead
ICYMI, Hailey Bieber made a splash online to debut her highly anticipated skincare line, “Rhode,” to her millions of Instagram and TikTok followers.
Just a few days after the launch, Hailey is now being sued by a minority co-owned fashion company of the same name, launched in 2013 by Purna Khatau and Phoebe Vickers.
According to the cofounders, Hailey previously sought to acquire the Rhode mark four years ago, acknowledging that the brands could not coexist without confusion. The fashion company issued a statement on Instagram addressing the issue, urging Hailey to change the name of her brand.
This is far from the first celebrity brand faux pas. Back in 2019, Kim Kardashian’s shapewear line was initially called “Kimono” at launch. The public was not a fan, accusing her of cultural appropriation, ultimately leading Kim to change the brand’s name to SKIMS.
Hailey has yet to respond to the lawsuit publicly and continues to promote Rhode on social media.
🏆 BRAND FAIL OF THE WEEK: Daily Harvest
Whatever you do this weekend, don’t eat Daily Harvest’s French and Lentil Leek Crumbles.
After weeks of complaints piling up across social media about Daily Harvest subscribers spending nights in the ER and hours upon hours with doctors to understand the cause of their intense stomach pain, gastrointestinal issues, and even organ damage, Daily Harvest issued a voluntary recall on the product that was first sent out to influencers in April – which they now report is associated with 470 cases of illness.
And, well, their initial communication via Instagram (which has since been deleted) was less than sufficient…
If that wasn’t bad enough, when subscribers reached out to the company, their concerns were addressed with proper cooking instructions and a $10 credit for every bag of the product they received. As one subscriber said, “The way that email reads is like, ‘Not a big deal.’ And to go on and say you probably cooked the lentils wrong? Firstly, minimize my pain. Secondly, tell me it’s my fault. Third, dispose the food and then tell me, ‘Here’s $10.”
While the company has since put out a full press release – in which they say they’re working with the FDA to find the root cause of subscribers’ health issues – the damage was done and subscribers and social media users alike were aghast at the company’s lack of immediate transparency and empathy.
In reflection, the scandal is truly a tale of two platforms: the people’s place (Reddit) and the influencers’ palace (TikTok). While regular subscribers have been taking to Reddit for weeks to share their own bouts of food poisoning and even more serious illnesses, it wasn’t until influencer and TikToker Abby Silverman shared her weeks-long saga that it began picking up traction across the broader social media landscape. It’s a reminder for all companies that consumers remain king – and in the age of the influencer, it’s only a matter of time until they’re given a bigger microphone.
📡 ON OUR RADAR
Chilly’s, a reusable water bottle company, gave a lesson in the open letter. As the headline sponsor of Break Free From Plastic, they organized an open letter signed by 400 international organizations directed at the 5 biggest plastic polluters in the world, encouraging them to adopt reuse and refill systems. Chilly’s simultaneously launched an ad campaign suggesting reusable bottles to major water companies Evian, Highland Spring, and Fiji. Why does this matter? We’re willing to bet that you hadn’t heard of Chilly’s before this. But sometimes, taking a shot at the king of the hill can elevate your brand’s reputation effectively.
Ever wonder how Peloton instructors are raking in all those influencer deals? This deep dive in TIME explores the ins and outs of the process - including Peloton’s full support. In allowing their instructors to pursue talent deals outside of their day jobs, Peloton ensures their top talent stays happy and right where they are - why go elsewhere?
SpaceX experienced a sloppy week in stakeholder management. The private space travel company fired several employees who wrote a letter condemning Elon Musk’s Twitter antics. If the letter was an embarrassment, the brazen punishment of staff was arguably just as bad. It’s important to remember that employees are stakeholders, too, and executives should assume the world is watching how they treat their staff.
For those of you lucky enough to return to the Croisette this week, we hope you had your fill of rosé and conversation! Digiday spoke with the event’s CMO on creative trends and the festival’s return.
Remember all those cringe-worthy crypto ads at the Super Bowl? Back when they aired, Out of Scope raised some red flags. Now, as the crypto market craters, so-called “stablecoins” are pulling back from big ad campaigns as they regroup.
The promise of flying cars — for generations a Hollywood staple of a space-age future, from “The Jetsons” to “Blade Runner” — is finally becoming a reality, so much so that a Swedish company is already selling a single-passenger vehicle called Jetson 1. Maybe LA will have flying taxis in time for the Olympics.
Naomi Osaka is branching out beyond the court and into the media space. The tennis star has started a media company called Hana Kuma in partnership with SpringHill, LeBron James’s media company. This is just the next step in athletes taking control of their own stories. Which athlete will be next?
We know all about visual branding, but what sonic branding? Though we don’t think about it often, audio can play a vital role in a brand’s identity. Certain brands like Intel or THX have iconic sound logos that broke ground in technology and media marketing. Now, Mastercard is elevating its sonic branding game with an ambitious new project: a full album produced by Timbaland that samples the sounds of MasterCard. Who knows - maybe your next agency can help you record the next song of the summer.
As Inc.’s tech columnist Jason Aten writes, “trust is your brand’s most valuable asset” – and Google’s just broken it with some of their earliest customers. Despite promising that all G Suite beta users would never have to pay for their product, with a name change in tow (Workspace), the company announced all users must pay up by June 27th or be booted from the system.
🥊QUICK HITS:
In case you missed these stories this week.
Forget happy hour — artistic activities like painting, tie-dying, and other crafting workshops are making their way into workplace wellness.
The FBI flagged rampant investment scamming on LinkedIn.
Ryan Reynolds launches Creative Ladder, an organization dedicated to expanding creative industry opportunities to those in underrepresented communities.
Check out this ode to OXO, the iconic kitchen gadget brand.
Marvel is trying to curb spoilers on Twitter.
We’ll see you here next week! 👋
HL
===
The fine print: This week’s newsletter is brought to you by Beyoncé’s canonization of the Great Resignation.