The Try Guys Try Cheating: Social Media Influencers in Crisis

The Try Guys are social media influencers who were in crisis when member Ned Fulmer cheated on his wife and affected their brand. The Try Guys’ followers took to social media to express their thoughts and give advice about the Try Guys brand. This study explored the relationship between social media influencers and their followers, how those influencers talk about their personal brand during a crisis, and how followers aid in reputational repair. The theories were parasocial interaction and Situational Crisis Communication Theory. A content analysis of posts and comments on Instagram, Twitter, and YouTube was conducted. The findings showed crisis frames in the Try Guys’ posts were different from their followers’ comments. The Try Guys focused on justification, ingratiation and victimage, whereas the followers scapegoated the woman involved in the affair instead of her married boss. Implications for public relations, social media, and parasocial interaction are offered.