Remember September? When life seems to crash around the pretty ears of Kate Moss?Give the lady credit – she made a remarkable comeback.
She obviously knows a thing or two about crisis management – she went into rehab, officially dumped her hard drugs-using boyfriend, kept her mouth shut and went back to work.
The strategy worked like a charm: not only did she start her comeback by picking up a string of new contracts and held onto her old ones, including (funny enough) Yves Saint Laurent’s Opium perfume.
French vogue featured her in its December 2005 issue under the heading: “Scandalous Beauty.”
Having the public on her side makes Kate bankable and media saleable.
Kate’s image is that of a survivor, and the public loves her because of her cocaine scandal.
The media took notice of the “Kate fascination” and cashed in.
Vanity Fair featured Kate in its December 2005 issue with the headline: “Can she come back?”
The answer is obviously yes – in its September Fashion Issue 2006, Moss graces the cover again, this time, wearing long, white gloves, leather boots and a white fur hat.
What is the key success factor in overcoming a crisis like Kate’s?
- Acknowledge the facts (or at least: don’t deny them)
- Communicate your hurt, suffering and humiliation
- Take measures to amend the situation (rehab, public apology)
- Keep a low profile (no talk shows and interviews once the public apology is made)
- Focus on your work
- Avoid repeating the same mistake
- Provide evidence that you are a indeed a reformed character
Kate did a great job on all accounts.
She apologized, checked herself into rehab, broke up with her disastrous boyfriend, kept a low profile and worked hard.
As a result, Kate appeared in the ad for Italian designer Roberto Cavalli as well as the 2006 Pirelli calendar, and became the face of Coco Mademoiselle perfume and Rimmel cosmetics.
New contracts with mobile phone brand Virgin Mobile and French luxury label Longchamp are in the making.
Burberry, which canceled a campaign featuring Moss after the scandal, embraced their favorite waif again.
Although scandal has long been part of the Moss image, she seems to have struck a nice balance between mainstream reliable working mother and living-on-the edge supermodel.
Our Kate could give Mel Gibson some valuable crisis management advise….
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