ABSTRACT
Clearly, Greenpeace got the better of Shell, embarrassing the company and diminishing its brand. And with Shell choosing not to engage in the fight, Greenpeace will continue to hammer at the company and others as a way to influence public opinion. Make no mistake, this could happen to you. While it most likely won’t be Greenpeace, it may be another activist group, a disgruntled customer, a competitor, or a super PAC (I’m teasing, but you get the point). The costs of doing these types of pranks online are minimal and they’re available to most Internet users. Therefore, brands must be prepared for the inevitable attack, especially if they are involved in controversial business practices.
