Paula Deen was the center of media commotion recently, thanks to a series of her own mis-steps. Ms. Deen, in the middle of an awkward and frivolous lawsuit, made some comments that – taken in or out of context – didn’t sit well with people. Deen, nor her advisers, could seem to gain control of the situation and her employer, The Food Network, announced they would not renew her contract, which expires at the end of June 2013. (The Huffington Post summarized the events nicely here.)
Fans of Deen quickly jumped to her defense, decrying The Food Network’s actions, taking to its Facebook page in protest and creating a number of “Save Paula” and “We Support Paula” community/fan pages.
Here’s the thing: The Food Network is a business, not a club, and I don’t think this was a reactionary decision. Deen’s brand has become tarnished due to a list of incidences in recent years:
- Paula Deen and Anthony Bourdain’s “food fight” in 2011.
- Deen kept it secret for three years that she has Type II diabetes (perhaps a sad result of her legendary diet and rich recipes) and became a spokesperson for a medication for the disease, prompting her publicist of six years to quit.
- Criticism of her child-geared book Lunch-Box Set.
On its program, “The Next Food Network Star,” Bob Tuschmann and Susie Fogelson, two of the key judges, represent the network as heads of programming and brand. Their emphasis on quality, consistency, personal brand, identity, etc. in feedback to contestants is precisely their focus with The Food Network’s galaxy of chefs and celebrities. When a brand like Paula Deen is teetering off the rails in this cycle of bad publicity and controversy, Bob, Susie and other executives have to decide, for the business: is this salvageable or do we cut it loose?
Truth be told Deen has plenty of fans and two famously supportive sons. With the right advisors and a thoughtful, well-executed PR strategy, Deen could rise from the ashes and renew her career, without The Food Network.