White Lotus, dark brand
This week I finished watching season three of HBO's The White Lotus - and it's not just the theme tune that’s stirred controversy. It’s a blue t-shirt.
Wealthy guest Timothy Ratliff, played by Jason Isaacs, is under FBI investigation for money laundering and sits alone in a hotel room, holding a gun to his head. It’s a dark moment, made instantly iconic by one small detail: his Duke University t-shirt.
The prestigious institution in Durham, North Carolina, wasn’t happy about it.
As memes flew around social media, the university stepped in: “The White Lotus not only uses our brand without permission,” said Duke’s VP of communications, “but in our view uses it on imagery that is troubling and does not reflect our values.”
The irony, of course, is that their attempt to distance themselves only gave the image more oxygen. As one IP law professor put it: “They’re drawing attention to it.” And in doing so, they highlighted a key truth: in the age of memes, brand control is often an illusion.
It’s not a new problem
In the early 2000s, Burberry lost its grip on its brand when its iconic check pattern became the uniform of ‘chavs’ in the UK tabloids - and, most memorably, Danniella Westbrook, photographed wearing it head-to-toe. A symbol of British luxury had become shorthand for something else entirely. It took a complete overhaul to slowly reclaim the narrative.
These moments show how quickly a brand can be redefined by association.
A throwaway stock image, a misjudged tone, a partner that doesn’t align with your vision. These details seem small, but in a crowded market, they’re signals and carry weight.
But also the opposite is true
If communicated strategically, those little details can also help to promote and position who you are and what you stand for. The right partner for example, can communicate a wealth of information about your own brand without you having to say a word.
This is where shaping the story matters.
If you don’t write it, someone else will, even subconsciously - and you may not like the version they tell.
All change
Our cashless society has had a surprising upside – fewer children are having procedures to remove swallowed coins or 1ps stuck up their noses.
Sunday slam
A church in West Yorkshire has begun hosting monthly wrestling tournaments in a bid to attract worshippers.
Men behaving mindfully
Researchers who polled 1,000 white van-driving tradesmen found that 80% think the ‘white-van man’ stereotype is offensive and outdated. More than half said they enjoy “mindful activities” such as yoga, while one in five drinks herbal tea.
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