MARTHA'S CANDLE AD GOES UP IN SMOKE

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A friend's photo shows you their life. A brand post can look similar, except there's a product to buy.

When personal photos and advertising share a caption, the sales pitch becomes part of the message.

Martha Stewart, 85, posted a Halloween photo wearing torn clothes and dirt on her face, holding a sign reading “I am hungry help me!!” Her caption: “My QVC candles are perfect for Halloween!!!”

That is quite a journey from setting the mood to setting your reputation on fire.

After a backlash, Stewart deleted the photo. Her initial statement said she was “distressed” that people were offended and described the costume as intended to raise awareness of homelessness.

That was her explanation, not an established effect of the post. It was not an apology.

A fuller apology followed: “My earlier statement didn't go far enough.” She called the costume “insensitive and not funny” and said, “I am very sorry.”

Halloween costumes come off. The hardship being imitated does not disappear when someone washes off their makeup.

Pairing that imitation with a candle pitch makes the contrast especially stark: someone else's struggle becomes scenery for something you're selling.

In our imagined scene, Lil'meme attacks a luxury candle display with a fire extinguisher. Finally, a home accessory with a reputation setting.

The useful lesson isn't that humour needs banning. Aim it at power, pretension and bad decisions, not people living through hardship.

Before posting, ask who gets the laugh and who becomes the prop.

Source: https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c8zxle6qq4q0o

Repost if your candle safety checklist includes the caption.

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