Nubank's exposure in June as a supporter of the video production company Brasil Paralelo, identified as a disseminator of revisionism and denialism (such as the attempt to discredit Maria da Penha, responsible for the law protecting women against aggressors) and was even demonetized by the Superior Electoral Court (TSE) for spreading false news, provoked a tsunami of negative comments on social media and the not-so-discreet flight of customers – many insisted on publicizing the reason for the account closure, feeding back and keeping the crisis high
One of the critical points was the announcement of an event by the producer by the co-founder of the bank, Cristina Junqueira, on your Instagram account – the executive, yet, ended up leaving the board of advisors of the website Ranking of Politicians, what Brazil Paralelo has among its supporters. The issue is that a personal statement or opinion has the strength of an institutional communication, thanks to the propagating power of social media. Article ofApril BCGaddresses the theme and shows the value of discretion in a polarized world, in which leaders and executives have become more careful to take on positions related to the values advocated by the company so as not to be surprised by initiatives that are antagonistic to the positions taken – how to support statements for or against more sensitive issues
Studies by the consultancy indicated that it does not emerge an image of companies that distance themselves from their values, more about "companies that recalibrate when and how to make their voices heard in an era of political polarization and viral echo chambers on social media". "Companies are also adopting a more sophisticated approach to generated communications", spending less time promoting your commitments and more time building yourbusiness case (…) ”, point to the article. They are also "documenting their actions and explaining their positions directly to the employees, clients and other important stakeholders…), learning to avoid terms that have become politically charged, subject to misinterpretations or that irritate key segments of their customers…and building stricter mechanisms to address thorny issues and mitigate public relations risks
No Nubank, the crisis causedcompany responsesaying not to support the channel Brasil Paralelo, analyzing the action as "damage control", that would not need to happen if there were more care in the actions of its leaders. It also contaminated the internal environment, with not-so-positive comments from employees circulating on corporate social networks, reinforcing the external crisis. According to theportal Intercept, internal messages from the bank's management pointed to the need to review communication policies of senior leadership, but they came out in defense of Junqueira
In addition to minimizing the post, the internal communication reinforced the plurality of ideas and took a stand against "censorship" and "intolerance" from those who opposed the brand's association with the cultural activism of the producer, as well as against alleged violence against those who "promote different viewpoints". It also highlighted how one of the sources contributing to the problem is "internal leaks" regarding its communications. "Anyone who resorts to leaks"…should look for another workplace.”
The case highlights some issues. One, that the culture of leadership seems somewhat contradictory to the innovative image and discourse of the startup that opened the doors to the digital revolution of the Brazilian financial system. To what extent do disruption and conservatism contradict (or not) each other? Another, how bank communications to employees admit, the lack of preparation and a more clearly defined policy on public speeches. One more, a certain innocence in assuming that internal discussions that do not involve strategic secrets, such as product planning or algorithm development, remain restricted to the company environment
Of course, it is not the first time that executives stumble in the corporate world. By word of mouth, some cases became anecdotes, like the thanks from the then president of Corinthians to the Brahmas that Antarctica sent as a gift or the press conference from Souza Cruz when one of the spokespersons let slip a pack of Marlboro (a cigarette brand from the competitor Phillip Morris). Less funny are cases like the dismissal of an executive from Locaweb who insulted a soccer team on his personal social media profile
From a reputational standpoint, in which the positive aspects are stimulated by integrated communication policies encompassing all stakeholders and all their points of contact, the example indicates a possible greater attention from the bank to, let's say, communication with the financial and capital markets, of having the appropriate social profile for their executives – what, today, weighs more alongside end consumers than million-dollar sponsorships and activations at various events, segment where the brand usually has a presence
The definition of clear rules and a more refined view on what to say or not on social media, in order to benefit the company, also scores many points in terms of reputation. A well-built reputational strategy, taking into account the balance between the image that a company and its leaders have of themselves, and how they can be seen by others, certainly helps to prevent (or mitigate) the crisis more effectively
