Selena Gomez and Hailey Bieber. PHOTO: TYRELL HAMPTON
It seems like every week there’s a new celebrity drama for PR specialists to cringe at. If you haven’t heard of the drama between Selena Gomez and Hailey Bieber, I’m jealous of you. While a bit of celebrity drama is fun to read about, this one has taken over every social media platform on earth. I’ll save you the highschool reminiscent details of the drama between Hailey and Selena. Let’s just say both women have had quite a messy past. Despite this, the general public seems to overwhelmingly be on Selena’s side. So how did she manage to brand herself in such a positive way through all of this?
Tiktok, Twitter, and Instagram are full of “#TeamSelena,“ and “#TeamHailey,” from fans becoming invested in the drama and taking sides. “#TeamSelena,” seems to be a much more popular hashtag. I mean, even the Whataburger Twitter account said “We know you didn’t ask but we’re team Selena.”
While it’s true that Selena has an advantage with the public due to the nostalgia of her Disney career, this isn’t the only reason why she’s favored in this feud. After looking through Hailey and Selena’s social media and hashtag trends, there seems to be one thing that sets Selena apart. She engages HEAVILY on social media. Whether it's with fans or haters, you’ll often catch her in the comment section. Whether this is annoying or not is for you to decide, but there’s no doubt that this makes the public feel connected to her.
It sounds silly, but the engagement Selena has with the public on social media is part of what keeps her name associated with traits like “down to earth” and “genuine.” Hailey's lack of engagement and promotional posting associates her with the infamous 2023 term “nepo baby.” Do we know either of these women in real life? Nope. This is a simple yet powerful example of how online engagement can make or break your brand.
Another example of this is how public Selena has been about her struggles with Lupus, depression, anxiety, and bipolar disorder. Hailey had also struggled with health issues such as blood clots and mini-strokes, but these struggles were much less publicized. Selena’s inclusion of these struggles in her documentary Selena Gomez: My Mind and Me created a feeling of connection with fans. I’m not saying you need to be public about your struggles, but doing so will cause the public to sympathize with you and support you more.
Both Selena and Hailey have beauty brands, Rare Beauty and Rhode Skincare. Rare Beauty, Selena’s brand, has already seen an increase in interest on social media with support for her products. Rhode Skincare…hasn’t really been making as much noise.
Hailey, we totally understand that getting personal on social media can be draining, but give us a little more to work with. If social media engagement isn’t your thing, leave it to us! We can help you brand yourself in a way that creates a connection with the public. We want Rhode Skincare to thrive just as much as you do! Let’s talk.