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Blake Lively, the acclaimed actress known for her role inGossip Girl, is embroiled in a highly publicized legal battle with her costar and director, Justin Baldoni. The lawsuit, filed by Lively, claims that Baldoni and his team orchestrated a “coordinated smear campaign” aimed at damaging her reputation after the release of their movieIt Ends With Us.
According to Lively’s legal team, this alleged campaign has not only harmed her personal image but has also had a significant impact on her various business ventures, particularly her haircare brand. The controversy had taken a toll on Lively’s business, with reports citing a dramatic decrease in sales, particularly noticeable at major retailers like Target.
Blake Lively’s Target haircare line faces a sales decline of over 87% after the alleged smear campaign
Blake Lively‘s haircare brand, Blake Brown, has suffered a devastating blow in the wake of a “coordinated smear campaign” orchestrated, according to Lively, byJustin Baldoniand his crisis PR team. The impact on her business has been profound, with sales of Blake Brown plummeting by as much as 90%
According toFortune‘s report, Lively’s lawyer claimed that the“sudden and unexpected negative media campaign”depressed retail sales of the haircare line, Blake Brown products by anywhere from 56% to 78%.
Before this campaign, Blake Brown had been on an impressive trajectory. In its initial weeks, the brand generated an astounding $16 million in media impact value within just seven days. It had even made history as“Target’s largest haircare launch on record.”
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According toPuck, the brand racked up nearly $5 million in sales within the first three and half weeks of its release– which they declared as“Target’s largest hair care launch on record.”However, the campaign’s effects were immediate and devastating. By mid-August, sales of Blake Brown at Target had soared to peak levels, only to experience an unprecedented collapse.
Puck reported,“Weekly sales of Blake Brown Beauty at Target dropped more than 87% between Aug. 11, when sales peaked, and Sept.15.”The staggering drop estimation is far beyond the 56% to 78% decline estimated by Lively’s legal team. The news outlet also wrote–
This dramatic drop was completely at odds with the high satisfaction scores that Blake Brown products received in the significant consumer testing performed before launch or its initial success after launch.
The significant drop in sales has been linked directly to the “social manipulation campaign” that Lively claims was designed to sabotage her brand.
Baldoni and his team’s “Astroturfing” strategy has complicated Blake’s reputation and her other business ventures
Lively’s lawsuitdescribed the tactics used by Baldoni’s team as “astroturfing”– a deliberate effort to flood online forums with negative content and opinions aimed at tarnishing her reputation. This strategic manipulation, Lively claims, was designed to disrupt her personal and professional life, with severe consequences for her brand.
Lively alleges that Baldoniand his team Wayfarer hired a crisis communications firm, The Agency Group PR, to launch a “social manipulation” campaign to destroy her reputation before the release of their movie. The firm led by Melissa Nathan proposed the strategy, “astroturfing.”TheGossip Girlstar‘s filing includes text messages between Baldoni’s publicist and Nathan, where they discuss burying negative stories about Baldoni and shifting focus to portray Lively in a bad light.
The actress’s legal filing claims that her business suffered major setbacks due to the backlash. She had to cancel key events including a Target corporate appearance. Her lawyers stated that Lively’s businesses could not“operate as they ordinarily had before.” They added,
Instead, the Baldoni -Wayfarer astroturfing campaign forced each of Ms. Lively’s businesses to go ‘dark’ on social media in August. Ms. Lively did the same, for nearly two months, and during this time was unable to market or promote any of her businesses, all of which rely on her support, causing issues with many business partners and customers.
As a result, her other businesses– beverages lines, including Betty Buzz and Betty Booze, were unable to operate normally. While the situation remains uncertain, with growingsupport from fellow celebritiesand a strong brand foundation, Lively’s ability to rebuild trust and re-engage her customer base will be crucial moving forward.
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While the road to recovery may be long, her resilience and the shift in online sentiment suggest that a comeback is possible, though it will depend on how effectively she navigates the ongoing challenges.
Kaberi Ray
Articles Published :533
Kaberi is an Entertainment Writer at FandomWire with over one year of experience specializing in pop culture and entertainment trends. She has written over 500 in-depth articles covering everything from fan theories to narrative dissection, focusing on platforms like Netflix, Prime Video, and Paramount Plus.Before joining FandomWire, Kaberi honed her storytelling skills through literary analysis and creative projects rooted in her academic background in English Literature. Her strengths lie in her ability to decode layered storytelling across genres whether it’s analyzing thrillers or exploring new trends. She continues to expand her creative horizon as she’s currently learning a new language.
