How to deal with shaming on social networks and come out victorious - voila! Marketing and digital

Have you fallen victim to shaming?

This is how you will emerge victorious from the situation (Photo: ShutterStock)

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A video that recently went viral demonstrated in an inspiring way how to deal with shaming caused to businesses and organizations, and come out on top.

The restaurateur Ashley from the "Eddie's Hideout" restaurant in Eilat, uploaded a video to social networks in response to a particularly deadly review by the well-respected restaurant critic Nir Gilboa.

This, after Gilboa ate at the restaurant and posted a review on his YouTube channel with the title "The restaurant that made me spit out the food" and statements like "Eddie is hiding, I would hide too if I served food like that".

Nir Gilboa's review video of the "Eddie's Hideout" restaurant

Over the course of a two-minute video response, Ashley managed to break down the criticism into its elements, claiming that it was "irrelevant, somewhat condescending and cruel" - and making it unjustified, if only because of the critic's way of speaking.

Ashley made sure to remind viewers that he is following in the footsteps of his father, who founded the restaurant in the 1970s.

At the end, he explained that he made certain changes to the menu in accordance with the critic's comments, and claimed that for the critic this is another criticism, but for him it is a life's work.

The reaction video received much praise, thousands of positive comments, media coverage and shares on reputable Facebook pages, while Gilboa's review received negative responses, even from those who declared themselves to be his devout fans.

The reaction video that went viral

Should companies and businesses respond to those who are shaming them?

Unequivocally yes, especially if it is a review that is irrelevant as in the case before us.

Despite this, there are quite a few factors that can hinder a response to shaming.

So how should you respond to shaming?

• The response should be as respectful as possible

  - that is, don't get down to personal lines, don't argue and make sure to have a respectful conversation.

  Ashley's use of the words "a little condescending" towards the criticism hurled at him, an element that indicated moderation and fairness - gave him many positive points.

  Moreover, the critic referred in his review to a painful family conflict and said that "one brother burned down the restaurant and some would say that it is a shame that it was rebuilt."

  It was easy to be drawn into an emotional reaction at this stage, however, here too, the response of the restaurant owners was measured and matter-of-fact.

  It is not easy and deserves all the praise.

• Authenticity

  - Obviously, organizations that experience shaming are going through a difficult time.

  Sometimes it makes sense to refer to this in the response they issue.

  Gone are the days when companies had to look flawless.

  It is certainly possible to use words that testify to the difficulty you went through, but it is important that they be measured and suitable for the situation, so that they are not perceived as forced.

• "Mistake, we were wrong, we are wrong"

  - when there is a justified claim, it is important to admit the mistake.

  That is, not to blame it on others, on the staff or the middle managers: the head of the organization must take responsibility, not send someone on his behalf.

  There is no shame in that.

  At the same time as taking responsibility, it is very important to state how the company acted or is acting to correct the problem.

• Emphasize the value proposition

  - does the reviewer claim that the recipes are outdated and there is no place for such food in Israel?

  The owner of the restaurant took the negative and turned it into his most distinct advantage: this is father's food, food that gives a feeling of home, that entire generations cuddle with nostalgia, a tradition of decades, etc.

• Evoke emotion

  - a critical element is to evoke positive emotions among viewers or readers.

  In the video in question, it was impossible not to connect with what Ashley says, even if you don't connect with his food.

• Turn the lemon into lemonade

  - shaming is not always a negative event.

  For the owners of "Eddie's Hideout", this became a tremendous opportunity for good and positive exposure.

  Many of those commenting on the video said they would come to the restaurant solely because of the way he expressed himself and to support him.

• Shaming as a result of "Fadiha"

  - did you make a mistake and are being laughed at online?

  Take responsibility for the mistake, and consider not ending there.

  You can also laugh at yourself, for example, give a gift for the funniest comment.

  As mentioned, brands and companies can show humanity, and it will not be in their eyes, on the contrary.

How not to do shaming

Sharon Israel co-founder and CEO of Extra Mail (Photo: Michal Bendak)

Businesses are also shaming each other.

A recent example is the blatant post of the Twisted advertising agency towards another agency called Avraham Advertising.

Under a picture of a threatening joker, it is written:

"Abraham advertising Thank you. It is very exciting to be the office you are looking at... the object of your envy and most importantly - the habitat for their employees. Do you think? Listen and listen carefully! An old and aging offline office cannot replace its tired DNA. No matter how many employees you try to pump for us, you will not be a digital office. So continue to make beautiful films for television and pray to God that it will strengthen you for a few more years."

Even if this post came in response to some injustice caused to Twisted, it is the exact opposite of a proper response.

Starting with blunt language, through insults, hiding of the heads of the organization behind a picture of a scary figure and irrelevant criticism.

Accordingly, the advertising agency that put it up received a lot of criticism.

The captains of the office claimed that there was thinking behind the post, and it is possible that it was a deliberate provocation to stimulate discourse.

If you have uploaded a post or campaign that receives significant and substantive negative reactions, you must take action.

In Twisted's case, the owner of the office could have put up an apology post, stating that the words were written in anger, but that is not what happened.

He stood his ground and even responded out of anger to those who criticized him.

Whether it is a company or a private person - shaming is paid.

This manifests itself in the loss of customers and collaborations, employee departures and damage to reputation.

It is important to understand that we are in a world where everything is transparent and you should prepare for it.

If companies and businesses maintain an orderly social page and Facebook with followers, they will have a mouthpiece that can be activated at any given moment.

As long as the page is strong and is in the right channels, businesses have the ability to respond to such and other situations in a clear way, provided they make sure to respond correctly.

Sharon Israel is co-CEO and founder of the marketing agency Extra Mile

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• Restaurant reviews

• Eddie's hideout