Question Analysis:
Possible Ideas:
Legend:
SV = Supporting Viewpoint
OV = Opposing Viewpoint
Sample Paragraphs:
(OV1)
Critics may argue that there is no such thing as ‘bad’ publicity as any form of attention is good for public figures. Indeed, I acknowledge that the attention received will inevitably boost their social standing and this can eventually lead to a form of income generation. To exemplify my point, famous influential public figure, Kim Kardashian, catapulted to fame in March 2007 with an allegedly leaked sex tape she made with her then-boyfriend, Ray J. Even though a sex tape is a huge invasion of a person’s privacy and can cast people in a negative light, Kardashian gained a lot of attention and became even more famous. She eventually came to a settlement with Vivid Entertainment for a reported $5 million for the video. Months after the leaked sex tap, the reality television series “Keeping Up with the Kardshians” debuted on television, prompting allegations that the release of the tape was a marketing ploy to enhance the popularity of the reality show. Up till 2021, Kardashian and Ray J are believed to still receive an annual sum of $360,000 each as royalties for the video. Such an example demonstrates that as long as the attention garnered achieves its intended aim of creating more conversational ‘buzz’ around the individual, it will ultimately allow the involved parties to profit. If such forms of publicity were to be considered ‘bad’, there would not be so many individuals who willingly place themselves in the spotlight, regardless of the possible embarrassment it can cause for a layman, just to have a shot at fame. Thus, despite the fact that I am of the opinion that there are negative forms of publicity, for certain individuals who thrive on controversy, there can be no such thing as ‘bad’ publicity.
(SV1)
However, as the saying goes, it is important not to count the chickens before they hatch. Whilst such supposedly negative attention can allow individuals to leverage situations to their benefit, not everyone has the means to salvage them. There are many factors at play, and one of them includes the impact the media attention has on an individual’s career. Unlike certain public figures who profit because of widely publicised scandals and controversies, there are individuals who have careers that are based on their ability to maintain an untainted image. For instance, a widely-known controversy about publicity backfiring on an individual would be the case of Taiwanese model Heidi Yeh in 2015 where she signed on to do an advertisement for a Taiwanese cosmetic clinic. The advertisement featured Yeh in a family portrait setting with a man and three children, and the couple looked noticeably different from their children. According to Yeh, her contract stated that the advertisement would only be featured in newspapers and magazines endorsed by the clinic. However, it ended up being posted by another clinic as well. The photo also went ‘viral’ and was circulated online. The attention garnered did not help the model at all and instead, backfired on her because she could not get any more job bookings. Many of the companies thought that she was lying when she claimed she had not done any cosmetic surgeries as she was heavily associated with this infamous advertisement. The last update was that she was trying to sue the clinic and the modelling agency for damages. As a result, publicity not done well can directly impact a person’s career trajectory, particularly for careers that rely heavily on physical appearance and public image. Therefore, there is such a thing as bad publicity for these individuals, especially when being in the limelight causes a direct blow to one’s career and ability to generate income.
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