Celebrity Brands in the Digital Age: How Media Literacy is Reshaping Hollywood

1. Jennifer Lopez is seen at the 42nd Annual Grammy Awards, February 23, 2000 at The Staples Center in Los Angeles, Ca. (Photo by Ryan Scott)

2. Blake Lively attends The 2022 Met Gala, May 02, 2022 in New York City. Dimitrios Kambouris/Getty Images for The Met Museum/Vogue/AFP (Photo by Dimitrios Kambouris / GETTY IMAGES NORTH AMERICA / Getty Images via AFP)

“This is not looking good for her” I heard a woman say as I was seated for dinner this week. Earlier that day, I had shared a similar text exchange with a girlfriend discussing Blake Lively’s recent fall from grace. “It’s giving JLo” I heard another woman from our neighboring table chime in. 2024 has been a particularly tough year for many celebrities, as if a curtain has lifted exposing the Oz of it all. In the past, celebrities like Jennifer Lopez and Blake Lively could rely on carefully crafted public personas to maintain their exalted status. The good old days are officially coming to a close as media literacy hits critical mass, at least in the arena of entertainment. Once untouchable figures are finding themselves vulnerable to long overdue scrutiny. The very strategies that propelled them to stardom are now being deconstructed by a more informed and discerning audience, leading to a shift in how fame is sustained—and ultimately, how it can crumble.

JLo, once billed as a multi-talented powerhouse, has seen her star power wane in recent years. Her highly publicized relationships and frequent brand endorsements have drawn skepticism, with critics arguing that her prestige is more manufactured than deserved. Ego paired with mediocre talent is a deadly combination, a career killer by any measure. Yet rumors of diva antics and stolen vocals from singers like Ashanti have swirled for decades without consequence. This begs the question- why are we only now having a collective response? A pattern of prioritizing image over artistic integrity has always been there, but for the first time the allegations are sticking. Her reliance on former glory, rather than forging a new path, only highlights the fragility of her brand in a landscape where authenticity is increasingly valued and perceived.

1. Jennifer Lopez and Ben Affleck in Jenny from the Block music video, 2002.

2. Jennifer Lopez and Ben Affleck on a yacht in St. Tropez for her 52nd birthday. July 2021. Photo: Backgrid.

   
   
   
   

Lopez's recent attempt to revive her early aughts persona, including a rekindled romance with Ben Affleck, showcases the pitfalls of forced nostalgia, especially when the repackaged image was never real to begin with. Bennifer 2.0 was initially met with excitement, but soon began to sour. Like the original, the reboot was less about love and more about the maniac pursuit of fame. Whether propelled by legitimate strategy or the subconscious mind, decisions were made. On August 20th 2024, Lopez filed for divorce from Affleck after two years of marriage and memes of misery. In that short span of time, Jennifer managed to release two self-funded projects centered around their epic love story of the ages. The couple spawned their 2003 flop, Gigli, right before breaking off their first engagement, so upon the recent release of The Greatest Love Story Never Told and This is Me…Now: A Love Story many of us aptly predicted the beginning of the end. Needless to say, self awareness seems to be a past and present pain point for Lopez.

Similarly, Blake Lively, who rose to fame as Serena van der Woodsen on Gossip Girl, has encountered her own share of recent criticism. Lively’s press tactics surrounding the promotion of It Ends With Us, particularly her active choice to overshadow the film’s subject matter with self-promotion, has been met with considerable backlash. Online discussion emerged as tension between the Director, Justin Baldoni, and Blake, who served as a producer on the film, became impossible to ignore.

As the rumor mill swirled, onlookers began to notice the stark difference between their marketing approaches. Baldoni has consistently adopted for earnest public service driven messaging, focusing on the individual and societal impact of domestic violence. Conversely, Lively’s strategy was more akin to a Kardashian pump and dump scheme meets rom-com promo. Centering the conversation on floral fashion and promotion of her beverage line Betty Buzz and newly launched haircare line Blake Brown detracted from an opportunity for meaningful dialogue. As synchronized pro-Blake puff pieces began coordinated release mid-August, the internet took a hard turn in the opposite direction. Damage control continues to be ineffective at changing the tides in her favor. This misstep is all too reminiscent of other poorly received attempts to cross promote social issues with consumer products- you can file Kendall Jenner’s controversial Pepsi ad in this category. In Lively’s case, tone-deaf marketing efforts not only diluted the impact of It Ends With Us, but also invited a reexamination of her past behavior.

1. It Ends With Us spec poster attributed to Justin Baldoni's scraped marketing strategy (2024).

2. It Ends With Us released poster attributed to Blake's marketing strategy (2024).

As drama unfolds in real time, Blake and her problematic forays in lifestyle branding meet a fresh set of eyes. Almost a decade ago, her defunct website preserve.us drew similar criticism for lacking substance and sensitivity to historical injustices. One article entitled ‘The Allure of the Antebellum’ romanticized the southern belle sensibilities of pre-civil war America, closely mirroring the aesthetics and location of her 2012 wedding at Boone Hall Plantation. Controversy aside, Lively’s past attempt to launch a lifestyle brand failed primarily because it was perceived as a bootleg rinse repeat of Goop by Gwyneth Paltrow. Bad knock-offs smell like a cash grab, especially to discerning clientele. Comparisons were also drawn to the many inspired ventures of Martha Stewart, who Blake self-admittedly copied. Preserve.us crashed and burned for many reasons, but primarily because it didn’t forge it’s own path. This first flop is significant in hindsight, but went under the radar due to the limitations of social media in the mid-10s.

Once touted as a taste maker, Lively even hosted the 2022 Met Gala along side her husband Ryan Reynolds. Only 2 years later, Lively now seems distant from the pulse, tethered to the same outdated paradigm as that infamous first Monday in May. In the era of Blake’s rise, Condé Nast still defined culture, print media mattered, publicists could shut down rumors with a single phone call and everyone preferred blondes. In that world, unflattering interview tapes could get snatched, never to see the light of day. Ellen was still hosting the number one show on daytime television. We don’t live in that world anymore.

Stills from Gossip Girl, Season 1.

The irony of Lively’s current situation is particularly striking. Best known for her role as the effortlessly chic Serena van der Woodsen, a character who epitomized the glamorous yet unattainable lifestyle of Manhattan elites, Lively's real-life attempts to channel a similar image fell flat. Her continued ability to sell bon vivant lifestyle products will depend on the fall out from this newly minted scandal. Despite having a-list name recognition and a world class PR machine behind her, Blake is getting put in the hot seat by everyday people. In recent years, platforms like TikTok have given rise to IRL Gossip Girl-esque speculation about everything from world events to public figures. As the power of traditional PR dwindles, it is inevitable that certain stars will loose their sparkle. Just as Serena constantly battled rumors and scandal, Lively now faces viral speculation, showcasing how online commentary has the power to reshape opinion overnight. 

The digital age has armed the public with tools to dissect both persona and public record, leading to a desire for authenticity. The once-effective tactics of controlled press releases and carefully staged public appearances are rapidly losing impact. The recent downfalls of JLo and Blake Lively both underscore the fickle nature of fame in the digital landscape. Looking ahead, the entertainment industry is poised for rapid change. As the internet continues to democratize information and empower audiences, traditional Hollywood power dynamics will shift. The gatekeepers of fame—legacy media, agents, publicists, and studio executives—will have to adapt to a world where the public holds more sway over a celebrity's career than ever before. We will continue to see a rise in stars who gain fame not through traditional channels, but via direct engagement with their audience on social media. As a result, Los Angeles will gradually lose Mecca status over the industry. As Hollywood metaphorically burns, a renaissance of American entertainment will soon follow- the show must go on.