F-Factor is a high-fiber diet founded by registered dietitian Tanya Zuckerbrot. In addition to its private practice in NYC, F-Factor produces a line of protein bars and powders. This summer, a major controversy emerged when a fashion influencer, Emily Gellis, started using her personal Instagram account to share testimonies from F-Factor consumers who experienced detrimental side effects from consuming F-Factor products, including hives and rashes, severe bloating, GI distress, hair loss, and migraines, to name a few. Gellis believes her platform is a “voice for the voiceless,” and Zuckerbrot believes Gellis has created a “smear campaign.”
Social media has played a major role in the development of
this story and several digital marketing themes/questions stand out:
1. Instagram can make and break: Zuckerbrot has 20+
years of experience helping clients manage their weight through the F-Factor diet. In addition to her
private practice, Zuckerbrot shares her F-Factor philosophy, recipes, and
advice on her public Instagram page, and as a result, has amassed a major
following and community – there are countless F-Factor inspired Instagram accounts,
proudly boasting #ffactorapproved to their posts. Many well-known lifestyle influencers gained traction as F-Factor Ambassadors for Zuckerbrot. And yet,
all it took was one Instagram influencer, who never tried the products or the
diet, to jeopardize Zuckerbrot’s entire business and morality.
2. Reputation management and brand transparency: Patrick
Ambron’s presentation in class last week focused on personal brand management and the services his
company offers to help people clean up their social media pages and delete
incriminating information. Should companies be able to do the same for their
businesses? An interesting finding from the F-Factor scandal has been that
there are no negative reviews online – the company deleted any
negative reviews from Google searches and social media. While Gellis has exposed
10,000+ stories from affected consumers, Zuckerbrot claims her company has only
received 50 complaints in its history. Does a company, especially one in the nutrition/health
business, have a responsibility to be fully transparent with its consumers?
Should they be able to delete negative reviews for the sake of reputation
management?
Sources:
https://www.nytimes.com/2020/08/24/style/f-factor-diet-instagram.html
https://www.instagram.com/emilygellis/?hl=en
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