10/05/2022
: By now, you’ve probably heard of The Try Guys debaucle. One of the founders, Ned Fulmer, was having (apparently rather visibly) an extramarital affair with one of the shows producers, for quite some time. The rest of the group (shown here), found out in Sept, and have been ”Trying” to fix things ever since, including publishing an explanatory video yesterday “earlier then planned,” due to the escalation in headlines and just plain bad buzz, not to mention brand damage.
Here’s a few things they are doing right…do you agree?
1. Talking to HR and Legal to confirm the facts and options.
2. Not moving forward with Ned, obviously.
3. Continuing to focus on producing good content and planning for the future, ie next year and beyond.
4. Being transparent with their fans and the public about the timeline, their position, and next steps.
5. Openly expressing appreciation and support for their staff.
A few things I’m questioning:
1. Re-editing videos? Unless there was a legal or sponsor mandate for this, I don’t see the point. Everyone knows Ned was in all the videos.
2. Was the punishment worth the crime? Of course, having an affair is very bad, but not unheard of. In this case, Ned’s affair was especially bad because his wife Ariel was part of the branding and the act. If not, I wonder if the remaining trio would have reacted to this degree.
3. Maybe not reference $? I think the trio should not have mentioned financial loss in yesterday’s video. They are already perceived, and are, a million dollar brand, so the mention of money backfires, in my opinion.
What are your thoughts about The Try Guys? Is Ned’s affair at the level of a brand crisis? Are they taking the right steps to fix their brand?
Ned Fulmer's indiscretions didn't just ruin his 'wife guy' image, they ruined a business.