What to learn from the controversy involving Fernanda Torres

Actress Fernanda Torres saw her name embroiled in yet another controversy this weekend after supporters of President Jair Bolsonaro (PL) vowed to boycott the Havaianas brand over an ad featuring the famous actress. The discussion drew attention to another point: the power of the algorithm in building corporate reputation.

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The controversy reverberated after Bolsonaro voters perceived Fernanda Torres’ speech in the ad as “political politicization.” In the video posted to the brand’s social media channels, the Golden Globe-winning actress says she doesn’t want Brazilians to start 2026 “on the right foot.”

This question shed light on a phenomenon that goes far beyond a specific campaign. As with artists and public figures, any communicative gesture began to be quickly interpreted, framed and distributed in digital bubbles reinforcing pre-existing beliefs.

The result is an environment in which brands and public figures can be praised in one group and dismissed in another with equal intensity. For legacy strategist Alê Vazz, who advises CEOs, founders and major brands, this episode reveals a recurring mistake.

According to him, it is not enough to position ourselves in a scenario in which the algorithm favors the extremes and silences the nuances. “The logic of social networks is not to show what is true, but what keeps the user engaged. When a brand positions itself without understanding this game, it does not only speak to the consumer. It speaks to the algorithm,” he analyzed.

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Meeting of Fernanda Torres with Lula and Janja, in 2024

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In addition to the Golden Globe trophy, Fernanda Torres won a bag containing gifts worth 6.1 million reais.

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The end-of-year campaign generated a wave of revolt

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Bia Kicis reacted to Havaianas ad and threw a pair of flip-flops in the trash

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The actress received an honor from the federal government

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The campaign

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Fernanda Torres at the Golden Globes: the actress won a statuette

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Learning

Amid the conflict generated, a strategic question remains that few companies are prepared to answer: how to overcome polarization without becoming hostage to a bubble.

According to Alê, the perception of a brand today is no longer built in a single public space, but in parallel realities fueled by content filters. “There is no longer a homogeneous public opinion. Different audiences consume opposing versions of the same story. When a brand confuses localized applause with general approval, it makes a costly mistake for its own legacy,” he said.

By targeting an audience that applauds, the brand may inadvertently communicate its rejection to another group that is also part of its consumer base. “Positioning without context becomes noise. And noise, in a polarized environment, becomes a crisis. Before any campaign, leaders must ask themselves what that message communicates to those who agree and, more importantly, to those who disagree.”

He argues that the episode should be read less as a specific controversy and more as a study of the risks for companies that operate in polarized environments without clear branding or legacy governance. “A campaign is corrected with planning. The perception that the brand has chosen sides in a divided country erodes something deeper: trust. And trust is not only built with creativity, but also with consistency, uniformity and accountability,” he stressed.

From a strategic point of view, the affair leaves important lessons for the market. Opinion on social media is not a substitute for research on perceptions. It is essential to map different audiences and understand that today’s engagement cannot come at the expense of tomorrow’s reputation. Brands that intend to cross the decades must learn to dialogue with difference, without confusing responsibility and neutrality.

For Alê, the solution lies in a change of mentality. We must leave the logic of the campaign which becomes viral and enter the logic of the story which maintains a legacy. “A brand that wants to exist in 30 years cannot delegate its reputation to the evolution of the atmosphere of fodder,” he concludes.