BACKLASH — WHEN CONTROVERSY GOES VIRAL (Friday)

 A backlash happens when a person, company or organisation receives a strong negative reaction from the public because of something they have said or done. Today, social media can make a small controversy become an international story in just a few hours.

Sometimes criticism is justified because someone has behaved badly or made a serious mistake. In other situations, people disagree about whether something was offensive or inappropriate.

During the Super Bowl halftime show in 2004, singer Janet Jackson performed with Justin Timberlake. At the end of their performance, Timberlake pulled part of Jackson's costume, briefly exposing her breast on live television. The incident was described as a "wardrobe malfunction".

The event caused enormous controversy in the United States. Millions of people complained about what they had seen, and television broadcasters faced criticism. The incident also led to discussions about what should be allowed on live television. Jackson apologised and said it was an accident. However, she received much more criticism than Timberlake, raising questions about unfair treatment of women in the entertainment industry.

In 2017, Pepsi released an advertisement featuring model Kendall Jenner joining a street protest. In the advert, she approaches a police officer and gives him a can of Pepsi, apparently solving the conflict. Many people criticised the advert because they felt it made serious protests about racism and social justice look simple and unimportant. Pepsi quickly removed the advert and apologised.

In 2018, clothing company H&M advertised a sweatshirt worn by a Black child. It had the words "Coolest Monkey in the Jungle" written on it. Many people considered the image racist and offensive. The company received strong criticism on social media and in the international press. H&M apologised and removed the image from its advertising.

Nike experienced a different kind of backlash in 2018 when it chose American football player Colin Kaepernick for an advertising campaign. Kaepernick had become famous for kneeling during the American national anthem to protest against racism and police violence. Some people supported his actions, while others were angry and called for a boycott of Nike products. The campaign divided public opinion. However, it also attracted enormous attention and helped Nike connect with customers who supported Kaepernick's message.

After Spain won the Women's World Cup in 2023, football federation president Luis Rubiales kissed player Jenni Hermoso during the celebrations. Hermoso said the kiss was not consensual. Rubiales initially defended his behaviour and refused to resign. The incident caused international outrage and led to protests and calls for him to leave his position. Rubiales eventually resigned. The controversy raised important questions about respect, consent, sexism and responsibility in professional sport.

In October 2017, Catalonia held an independence referendum despite the fact that Spain's Constitutional Court had suspended it. On voting day, police used force against some people who were trying to vote. Images of police officers confronting voters quickly spread around the world. Many people criticised the police response, while others supported the Spanish government's position. The situation increased tensions between Catalonia and the Spanish government and attracted international attention.

Volkswagen, one of the world's biggest car manufacturers, was involved in a major scandal in 2015. The company had installed software in some diesel cars to cheat emissions tests. This made the cars appear less polluting during official tests than they really were. When the truth became public, Volkswagen faced investigations, financial penalties and serious damage to its reputation. The scandal showed how dishonest behaviour can destroy public trust in a company.

These examples show that a backlash can happen for many different reasons. A company might release an offensive advertisement, a celebrity might make a controversial decision or an organisation might be involved in dishonest behaviour.

Social media can make the situation much worse because people can share their opinions, videos and criticism immediately.

The way people respond to a controversy is also important. An aggressive or defensive response can increase public anger. A sincere apology, an explanation and real changes can sometimes help solve the problem.

However, not every criticism is fair. Sometimes people misunderstand a situation, spread false information or simply have different opinions.

The big question is: How should people and organisations respond when the public turns against them?

2. VOCABULARY MATCH — PART 1

Match words 1–8 with meanings A–H. Write the correct letter next to each number.

WordsMeanings
1. BacklashA. A strong feeling of anger
2. ControversyB. To make something seem less important
3. OutrageC. A strong negative reaction from the public
4. BoycottD. A public disagreement about something
5. CriticismE. To refuse to buy or support something as a protest
6. OffensiveF. Negative opinions about someone or something
7. ApologiseG. To say that you are sorry
8. TrivialiseH. Something that makes people feel upset or insulted

3. VOCABULARY MATCH — PART 2

Match words 1–8 with meanings A–H. Write the correct letter next to each number.

WordsMeanings
1. ScandalA. To increase or become stronger
2. ReputationB. Something that happens as a result of an action
3. ConsequencesC. Treating people equally, honestly, or reasonably without  favoritism
4. ConsentD. The opinion people have about someone or something
5. ProtestE. To leave your job or position
6. EscalateF. To show disagreement with something publicly
7. ResignG. Permission for something to happen
8. FairH. An event involving shocking or dishonest behaviour

4. SYNONYM MATCH — PART 1

Match words 1–6 with their closest synonyms A–F. Write the correct letter next to each number.

WordsSynonyms
1. ApologizeA. Well-known
2. CriticismB. Just
3. FairC. Anger
4. OffensiveD. Negative opinion
5. FamousE. Insulting
6. OutrageF. Say sorry

5. SYNONYM MATCH — PART 2

Match words 1–6 with their closest synonyms A–F. Write the correct letter next to each number.

WordsSynonyms
1. EscalateA. Harm
2. ConsequencesB. Increase
3. ReputationC. Results
4. DamageD. Public image
5. ResignE. Permission
6. ConsentF. Leave a position

6. INVESTIGATE THE BACKLASH

Choose a case. Explain what happened, why people reacted and what the person or organisation should have done differently.

A. Janet Jackson and the Super Bowl performance (2004)

B. Pepsi's protest-themed advertisement (2017)

C. H&M's controversial sweatshirt (2018)

D. Nike and Colin Kaepernick (2018)

E. Luis Rubiales and Jenni Hermoso (2023)

F. The Catalonia independence referendum (2017)

G. Volkswagen's emissions scandal (2015)

Discuss:

  1. What happened?

  2. Why were people angry or upset?

  3. Was the criticism fair? Why or why not?

  4. Who was responsible?

  5. How did the person or company respond?

  6. What would you have done differently?

7. FAMOUS BACKLASHES: REAL-LIFE CASES

Choose a case, or discuss as many as possible. Explain what you know about it and suggest the best possible solution. If you don't know the case, use the description to analyse the situation.

For each case, discuss:

  • What happened? What started the controversy?

  • Public reaction: Why were people angry or divided?

  • Responsibility: Who was responsible?

  • Best solution: What should the person or company do?

  • Prevention: How could a similar situation be avoided?

1. Balenciaga's Controversial Advertising — International, 2022

Fashion company Balenciaga received strong criticism after releasing advertising images involving children and controversial objects. Many people considered the campaign inappropriate. The company apologised.

Your challenge: Who should check an advertisement before it is published: the creative team, the company director or an independent person?

2. James Corden and Restaurant Complaints — United States, 2022

A restaurant owner in New York publicly accused television presenter James Corden of behaving rudely towards restaurant staff. Corden later apologised.

Your challenge: Should celebrities be expected to behave better than ordinary people? Why?

3. Cristiano Ronaldo and Coca-Cola — International, 2021

During a press conference at Euro 2020, Cristiano Ronaldo moved Coca-Cola bottles away from him and encouraged people to drink water instead. The moment attracted enormous attention and created discussion about sponsorships.

Your challenge: Should famous athletes be free to criticise companies that pay them?

4. Ellen DeGeneres and Workplace Complaints — United States, 2020

Several employees from The Ellen DeGeneres Show complained about a negative working environment. The programme's reputation suffered, and an investigation led to changes.

Your challenge: Should a person's public image matter more than how they treat their employees?

5. Will Smith and the Oscars — United States, 2022

During the Oscars ceremony, Will Smith walked onto the stage and slapped comedian Chris Rock after he made a joke about Smith's wife. The incident shocked audiences around the world.

Your challenge: Was Will Smith's reaction understandable, unacceptable or both?

6. Fyre Festival — Bahamas, 2017

A luxury music festival was advertised as an incredible experience with famous performers, luxury accommodation and beautiful beaches. However, when guests arrived, they discovered poor accommodation, very little food and serious organisational problems.

Your challenge: What should happen when a company promises something it cannot deliver?

7. Bud Light and Dylan Mulvaney — United States, 2023

Bud Light worked with transgender influencer Dylan Mulvaney in an advertising campaign. Some customers reacted angrily and called for a boycott. Others criticised the negative reaction and supported the campaign.

Your challenge: Should companies avoid controversial subjects when advertising their products?

8. CRISIS ROLE-PLAY

Choose one situation. Assign roles A–F and agree on a response.

Situation 1: The Controversial Advertisement

A company has released an advertisement that many people consider offensive. The hashtag calling for a boycott is trending on social media.

  • A — CEO: Protect the company's reputation and explain the decision.

  • B — Marketing Director: Explain why the company created the advertisement.

  • C — Communications Manager: Suggest how to respond to the public.

  • D — Employee Representative: Explain how staff feel about the controversy.

  • E — Customer: Explain why consumers are angry and what they expect.

  • F — Journalist: Ask difficult questions and challenge the company's decisions.

Situation 2: The Failed Apology

A company has made a serious mistake and published an apology. However, people believe the apology is not sincere. The criticism is getting worse.

  • A — CEO: Decide whether to apologise again.

  • B — Legal Adviser: Explain the possible problems of accepting responsibility.

  • C — Communications Manager: Suggest a better public statement.

  • D — Customer: Explain what you expect from the company.

  • E — Employee: Explain how the situation is affecting staff.

  • F — Journalist: Ask difficult questions about the company's behaviour.

Final task: Agree on three things the company must do immediately and prepare a 45-second public statement.

9. APOLOGY WORKSHOP

Evaluate each apology. Is it sincere, defensive, incomplete or effective? Rewrite two of them.

  1. "We are sorry if anyone was offended by our actions."

  2. "Mistakes were made, and we will try to do better."

  3. "We made the wrong decision, and we accept full responsibility."

  4. "Our comments have been misunderstood, but we regret the reaction."

  5. "We apologise to everyone affected. We have removed the advertisement and introduced new rules to prevent this from happening again."

Discuss:

  • Which apology sounds the most sincere?

  • Which apology avoids accepting responsibility?

  • Is saying sorry enough?

  • What should a company do after making a serious mistake?

  • Can an apology sometimes make a situation worse? How?

Your task: Rewrite two apologies to make them sound more honest and convincing.

10. COMPLETE THE SENTENCES

Complete each sentence with a word from the box. Use each word once. The words are not in answer order.

backlash · reputation · criticism · boycott · apologise · consequences · offensive · responsibility · protest · controversy

  1. The company faced a huge __________ after releasing its controversial advertisement.

  2. The celebrity received a lot of __________ after making an inappropriate comment.

  3. The company decided to __________ publicly for its mistake.

  4. Many customers organised a __________ and refused to buy the product.

  5. The scandal seriously damaged the company's __________.

  6. The advertisement was considered __________ by many viewers.

  7. Every decision can have unexpected __________.

  8. The manager accepted __________ for the company's mistake.

  9. Thousands of people took part in a public __________ against the decision.

  10. The incident created a major __________ in the international media.

11. FINAL DEBATE — TAKE A SIDE: PRO OR ANTI

Choose a side, defend your opinion and respond to opposing arguments.

1. Advertising and Offence

PRO: Companies should remove advertisements immediately if people find them offensive.

ANTI: Companies should not remove advertisements just because some people complain.

2. Public Apologies

PRO: Famous people should always apologise when they make a serious mistake.

ANTI: Apologising is not always necessary. Sometimes people are too easily offended.

3. Social Media

PRO: Social media gives ordinary people too much power to destroy someone's reputation.

ANTI: Social media gives ordinary people a voice and helps expose bad behaviour.

4. Celebrities and Responsibility

PRO: Celebrities should be role models because millions of people follow them.

ANTI: Celebrities are ordinary people and should be allowed to make mistakes.

5. Boycotts

PRO: Boycotting a company is an effective way to force it to change.

ANTI: Boycotts rarely solve problems and can sometimes be unfair.

6. Freedom of Expression

PRO: People should be free to express their opinions, even if others find them offensive.

ANTI: People should think about the consequences of their words and actions.

7. Janet Jackson and Justin Timberlake

PRO: Janet Jackson was treated unfairly because she received much more criticism than Justin Timberlake.

ANTI: Both performers were responsible for what happened during the performance.

8. The Media

PRO: The media makes small mistakes look like major scandals.

ANTI: The media plays an important role in holding powerful people responsible.

Final question: What is the most effective way to rebuild public trust after a major backlash?

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