Jeremy Clackson, The Bullied Bullies Meghan Markle

Remember, the moment may have passed, but the lessons are timeless. So what can we learn as business/brand owners from this snapshot in time?

Jeremy Clarkson has clearly set a damming spotlight on his brand with his latest attack on Meghan Markle.

In his latest article, he talks about

“dreaming of the day when she is made to parade naked through the streets of every town in Britain while the crowds chant, “shame!” and throw lumps of excrement at her”

It’s somewhat ironic that Jeremy Clarkson would make such remarks, especially as he has spoken very openly about being bullied during his time at Repton school.

He said he had been a “suicidal wreck” there, having experienced extreme bullying. He alleged that:

“I suffered many terrible things. I was thrown on an hourly basis into the ice plunge pool, dragged from my bed in the middle of the night and beaten, made to lick the lavatories clean, and all the usual humiliations that… turn a small boy into a gibbering, sobbing, suicidal wreck… they glued my records together, snapped my compass, ate my biscuits, defecated in my tuck box and they cut my trousers in half.”

Doesn’t sound too dissimilar to what he wishes for Meghan; oh, how the bullied has become the bully.

I had always wondered how someone could imagine the brutal punishments which led to songs like “strange fruit”, but now we clearly have the answer in this very public verbal lynching.

I mean, how could anyone in their right mind believe that it is ok to insight such hatred for another person they don’t know and have only heard about in the press unless:

1. They believe their audience shares their opinion.
2. They think they can get away with it.

And Jeremy is guilty on both counts.

Part of the problem is there is a lot of support for this kind of brand voice.

A brand voice is: 

“the distinct personality that a brand has in the communication and connections it creates with customers.”

And let’s look at the popularity of figures like Piers Morgan, Donald Trump and Jeremy Clarkson amongst a certain demographic of people. It seems that the toxic, masculine, racist voice, wrapped in a bow of privilege, although it seems out of touch with a more inclusive world, is still very much in demand.

When Jeremey remarks that “everyone who is my age thinks like that”, although a stark exaggeration, is he out of touch or is there truth to what he is saying?

The other side of the problem is that the male figures that express this voice never really receive real consequences for the offence and societal hate that it continues to perpetuate.

Piers Morgan, who shared similar views about Meghan, was snapped up by another network. Donald trump sits as the former President with the potential to run for office, and we are yet to see what will happen to Jeremy Clarkson. 

But going by his track record, where he was rewarded for punching a producer by becoming the face of “Who Wants To Be A Millionaire”, it seems very little will be done. Maybe this flippant apology may be enough:

Is this truly the voice of the untouchables, an elite of middle-class white men that seem to evade cancel culture?

With over 27,000 complaints, maybe the tide will change. Either way, Stand-up Poet: Sheba Montserrat sums up this situation very well.

 

View this post on Instagram

 

A post shared by Sheba Montserrat (@shebamontserrat)

If you have yet to see my guerrilla-mentary on the Meghan and Harry 6-part Netflix debarkle, give it a watch.

The moral of this branding story:

Think very hard about your brand voice and ensure you understand the effect it is having on your audience.

Trying to develop yours? Here are some tips!

1. Gather a representative sample of your content and analyse it. Ask others how it makes them feel. Is it:

• Funny or serious.
• Formal or casual.
• Respectful or irreverent.
• Enthusiastic or matter-of-fact.

2. See if you can describe your brand voice in three words.

3. Create a brand voice chart – with examples from other brands that share a similar tone to yours, as this will help you to hone your voice further. Want to know more, click here.

Examples of other well-known brand voices

Starbucks

Coffee giant Starbucks uses a functional yet expressive tone in their brand voice that helps to simplify their messaging while expressively telling their story with coffee. Helping prepare customers to enjoy what is to come.

Coca-cola

Coca-Cola has a brand voice that focuses on positivity and friendliness.

Their marketing and messaging are examples of happy lives made better with a drink of Coke, which has helped build a strong connection between the product and good times over time.

Old Spice

Old Spice, a men’s deodorant company, has one of the more recognisable brand voices by design.

Its voice is both masculine and humorous, often exaggerating masculinity to have a comic effect.

This combination, along with clever video marketing (see below), helped make the brand stand out and become a household name again.

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