How to Care for Your Image and Reputation Following a Smear Campaign: Case of Africa Food Distribution

Abstract

Our interest in writing this article is based on the fact that positive reputation is paramount to the development and survival of a company's business. So, we would like to make our contribution on How to care for your image and reputation especially in a situation of denigration of the image of a company. The case that fuels our thinking concerns the company 'Africa Food Distribution' which was the victim in December 2018 of a campaign of sabotage of two of its products in social networks: Armanti rice and Broli. The purpose of this article is to assess how Africa Food Distribution has handled this crisis internally and, at the end, we will try to make our contribution in crisis management relating to a campaign to denigrate the reputation of a company.

First, the literature review allowed us to clarify the themes "Image and Reputation"; then this review of the literature will build us on strategies for restoring reputation in crisis situations.

As a first step, we will summarise the company in question. Then we will take stock of the actual smear campaign, the reaction of the victim, the actions of certain stakeholders such as the government; Finally, we will make our contribution in the conduct to be taken in the event of the implementation of the image restoration strategy and therefore repair the reputation following a sabotage campaign.

Keywords: Reputation, branding, marketing, Broli, Africa Food Distribution