Why Blake Lively is Failing: 3 Reasons You’re Watching the Press Tour Wrong

Stop selling the "Aesthetic." You don’t need a floral dress. You need a reality check.

I watched the entire It Ends With Us press cycle. I tracked the sentiment. I analyzed the data.

Blake Lively didn't just have a bad week. She had a brand collapse.

While she was busy matching her shoes to her character’s flower shop, she forgot one thing: The audience isn't here for the florist. They’re here for the survivor.

Here is why Blake Lively is failing, and why you’re watching the press tour wrong.

Product Over Purpose

Blake treated a movie about domestic violence like a 2-week pop-up for her side hustles.

She launched Blake Brown (haircare). She pushed Betty Buzz (sparkling soda). She even roped in Aviation Gin.

If you are selling shampoo while talking about a character escaping an abuser, you aren't "multitasking." You are exploiting.

The disconnect was jarring. You can't ask an audience to "grab your friends and wear your florals" for a movie that depicts a woman being shoved down a flight of stairs.

Marketing is about empathy. Blake chose equity.

The "Barbie" Delusion

Blake tried to use the Margot Robbie playbook.

Pink outfits. Themed photo ops. Method dressing.

It worked for Barbie because Barbie is a toy. It worked for Barbie because the "pink" was the point.

Applying the "fun summer blockbuster" filter to a story about generational trauma is a fundamental tonal failure.

The audience felt gaslit. They went in expecting a rom-com because that’s what she sold them. They left with trauma.

When you prioritize virality over the truth of your story, you lose the trust of your community.

The Power Vacuum

The rift with Justin Baldoni isn't just gossip. It’s a case study in ego.

Justin stayed on script. He talked about resources. He talked about the "No More" foundation. He centered the survivors.

Blake centered Blake.

She revealed her husband, Ryan Reynolds, rewrote key scenes. She took "creative control." She distanced herself from the director on every red carpet.

In doing so, she became the story.

Instead of headlines about domestic violence awareness, we got headlines about "The Feud."

She traded the film’s message for a power play.

The Prediction

We are witnessing the end of the "Untouchable A-Lister."

The "Blake and Ryan" brand was built on being the cool, funny couple next door. This press tour broke that mirror.

My take: Blake’s brand won't recover until she stops trying to be a "Creative Director" of her own life and starts being a human.

The audience is smarter than the PR team. They can smell a sales pitch from a mile away.

Do you want an actress, or do you want a billboard?