The recent spat between the Montreal Gazette and the Labatt Brewing Company has brought forth an interesting dynamic – one that sits at the convergence of social media reality, strategy and legal precedent.
R. Magnotta, the gruesome and questionably inhuman murderer, was pictured in a story by the Canadian news outlet prominently holding a Labatt Blue bottle. The beer and its label stand out. My first reaction was that it couldn’t have a positive impact on the brand (my knee-jerk and initial reaction). However, I also took a moment (remember this) and contemplated if people would now stop buying Labatt Blue or form a connection between a murderer and an alcoholic beverage. I concluded that it was a bit of a stretch. It even sounds silly reading it, doesn’t it? (more…)
