The Aesthetics of Apology: Why So Many Brands Are Getting it Wrong

Imagine this scenario: A social media manager notices the museum or brand that they work for is being called out online. A lot. They’re told to monitor it, and the hate escalates. It’s looking bad. The higher-ups call a meeting. The CEO phones in from Mar-a-Lago, or some other locale where rich people retreat during a pandemic. The team concludes that they should issue an apology. The higher-ups want it to sound earnest. “That’ll mitigate things. . . . But please keep it