When a company makes an unpopular statement. Historical cases and analysis of the most significant outcomes.

Abstract

The influence of branding in the performance of a company has increased the complexity of its communication strategy that now benefits from a stronger tool: Globalization. Globalization has facilitated the exchange of information with its multichannel / multidirectional structure. In this paper, disruptive communication choices will be analyzed initially under a qualitative scope, to be later explored using quantitative data. Considering modern marketing and management concepts, we will use discussion and observation techniques to evaluate the outcome of certain “unpopular” statements in terms of public acceptance, sales and stock variation. This investigation intends to unveil the evolution of public’s perception regarding the company and its choices, and understand the outcome of the communication strategy reflected on the company’s income under short, medium and long term periods. The main objective of this study is to use empirical data to determine if there are homogenous factors across cases and ultimately create a concept of “unpopular statements done for branding” to be further explored in future papers.