Wednesday, 7th April 2021 at 10:45amImage rights... and wrongs

Malek found himself in the headlines after allegedly asking close friend and fellow actress Rachel Bilson to take down a throwback photo the actress had shared of the pair, writing: “I would really appreciate it if you take that down. I’m a really private person.” A “super-bummed” Wilson removed the photo, but the issue raises many questions about how images shared by others can threaten a carefully-crafted public persona.

But Malek isn’t the only celebrity attempting to keep a vice-like grip on his image; Beyonce infamously tried to suppress unflattering images of her 2013 Superbowl performance, the Kardashians are renowned for demanding the removal of images of that show them in a less-than-perfect light, and even Guns ‘n’ Roses frontman Axl Rose found himself at the heart of a Twitter storm after fighting for the removal of photos which got fans discussing his (increased) weight and age.

In most attempts to censor the internet or assume the rights to images, celebrities backfire spectacularly and find themselves the subject of memes and jokes serving only - and counter-productively - to heighten the focus on the images in question.

On the flip side of the problem, many predominantly female stars have spoken out about unconsented airbrushing, sharing the real photographs versus the published editorials to highlight the widespread fakery in Hollywood.

Both issues ultimately raise the question - who owns the right to these images? Is it the maker, the distributor, or the subject? And in a world where content is so democratised, can a public image be as tightly controlled as some celebrities would seemingly hope?

Speaking to the BBC, PR expert Brett Cullen said: “Celebrities have finely crafted public images and social media is an important part of making or breaking that. There’s a strategy behind why celebrities do what they do (or don’t) on social.”

“Something coming out of the blue in an uncontrolled manner, bringing up something from the past which doesn’t align with that strategy can present a challenge and a risk … Malek could have felt that the photo shared didn't represent his brand and didn't want to negatively impact on that.”

“Having a strong brand can bring so many benefits beyond securing roles, there's wider commercial opportunities at play … Keeping control of that image, and the narrative of the brand, is therefore crucial for celebrities.”

For businesses, brand image can be something of an afterthought to the bread and butter of every day work. But a brand image is your first impression to new customers and clients; from the office to the logo and business cards, a brand’s face is everywhere. A brand image can build credibility, demonstrate professionalism and even build rapport - just with an image or text.

A negative customer experience resulting in a bad review can then harm that image and - much like the celebrities - can become something out of a brand’s control. Utilising digital to engage with people and steer the conversation around a brand is key to taking control of that image and the business’ reputation - without recruiting a PR team to hound every WhatsApp conversation sharing unwanted photos of your holiday snaps.

As anyone can snap, share and edit photos in seconds, content today is hugely democratised and increasingly difficult for any public figure or company to control. For the celebrities, often taking this at face value or, like the anti-airbrushing stars, actively demonstrating the lack of control has worked better than attempting to retain a vice-like grip on public image. Taking your image too seriously frequently has the adverse affect: encouraging people to make fun of you.

To find out more about brand image and learn how to create and maintain a strong brand, online and in the physical world, you can always chat to an agency like us.