Japanese proverb says: “The reputation of a thousand years may be determined by the conduct of one hour”

We’ve all seen it happen at one time or another. A person or company that has spent years cultivating a reputation of trust and stability can undo that perception in the blink of an eye.

This concept has been known throughout the ages and is perhaps best expressed by the Japanese proverb: “The reputation of a thousand years may be determined by the conduct of one hour.” From the ancient Greeks and Romans to modern day leaders and corporations, have taken care to avoid missteps as to maintain their reputation, for the consequences can be dramatic.

Tarnishing a reputation in the blink of an eye

Look no further than Bud Light’s recent controversy in April 2023 when it teamed up with transgender influencer Dylan Mulvaney to expand its customer base. However, a series of missteps put the brand in the middle of a culture war and a boycott.

Bud Light sales tanked by 25% and it lost its top spot in the beer market that it had held for over two decades. The brand has never fully recovered, although part of that is also due to a shift in customer preferences which Bud Light is faring better than its competitors in the light premium beer market.

People remember the bad more than the good

The woes of brands that disappoint customers can be explained by psychology. Studies have shown that people give more weight to negative events and experiences than positive ones in our memories.

Elizabeth Kensinger, a Boston College psychologist, along with a team of researchers found that people remembered with greater detail negative events than positive ones. She argues that this may be a way of guiding our actions to plan for similar future events.

“These benefits make sense within an evolutionary framework. It is logical that attention would be focused on potentially threatening information,” Kensinger stated.

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