Why Blake Lively is Failing: 3 Reasons the Promo is All Wrong

Blake Lively is losing the internet.

It isn’t a slow burn. It is a total PR collapse.

The It Ends With Us press tour is a masterclass in how to destroy a decade of goodwill in ten days.

I have watched celebrity cycles for fifteen years. I have seen the rise and fall of the "relatable" star. What we are seeing right now is something different. It is the death of the Unattainable It-Girl.

Blake Lively thinks she is still in 2012. She thinks she is untouchable. She is wrong.

Here are the 3 reasons the It Ends With Us promo is a catastrophic failure.

1. The "Barbie-fication" of Domestic Violence

Marketing is about tone. If you miss the tone, you lose the audience.

It Ends With Us is a story about generational trauma. It is about a woman being physically abused by her partner. It is a heavy, dark, and necessary conversation.

Blake Lively is marketing it like it’s The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants.

"Grab your friends. Wear your florals."

This was her message to the fans. She turned a movie about domestic violence into a "girls' night out" aesthetic. She tried to "Barbie" a tragedy.

I watched her interviews. She is smiling. She is laughing. She is talking about the floral arrangements on set. She is treating a survivor’s story like a Pinterest board.

Audiences are smarter than they were ten years ago. We have access to information. We have a heightened sense of empathy. When a lead actress refuses to acknowledge the gravity of the source material, it doesn't look "lighthearted." It looks "tone-deaf."

She is selling a lifestyle. The audience wants a human connection.

When you prioritize "vibes" over "victims," you become the villain of the story.

2. The Multi-Level Marketing of a Movie Star

Blake Lively isn't just an actress anymore. She is a holding company.

During this press tour, she launched a hair care line. She promoted her beverage brand, Betty Buzz. She mentioned her husband’s movie, Deadpool & Wolverine, at every turn.

I counted the pivots. In almost every major interview, the conversation shifted from the film's message to her products.

This is the "Hustle Culture" mistake.

You cannot use a platform built on a story of domestic abuse to sell shampoo. It is ethically bankrupt. It feels predatory.

I’ve seen this before. Celebrities forget they are artists. They start seeing every red carpet as a digital storefront.

The problem? The audience feels used.

When I pay $15 for a movie ticket to see a story about survival, I don't want to be upsold on a sparkling mixer. It breaks the fourth wall. It reminds the viewer that the actress doesn't care about the character. She cares about the quarterly earnings.

She is treating the movie like a 130-minute commercial for her life.

Authenticity is the only currency left in the creator economy. Blake is spending hers on hair tin and soda.

3. The "Main Character" Power Play

The rumors of the feud with Justin Baldoni are everywhere.

Usually, PR teams bury these stories. This time, they are fueling them.

Justin Baldoni, the director and co-star, is taking a different path. He is talking about domestic violence resources. He is hiring PR firms that specialize in crisis management for survivors. He is leaning into the work.

Blake is leaning into the "Power Couple" brand.

She brought Ryan Reynolds in to write scenes. She positioned herself as the creative visionary. She sidelined the director.

In the old Hollywood system, this worked. The "A-List" star was the boss. They controlled the narrative. They were the sun, and everyone else was a planet.

But we are in the era of the "Worker."

The public currently has a deep disdain for corporate overreach and ego. When the narrative becomes "The big star bullied the director out of his own edit," the public doesn't side with the star. They side with the underdog.

I have seen the TikToks. I have read the threads. The internet has collectively decided that Blake is the "Mean Girl."

She is trying to win the power struggle. She is losing the room.

THE INSIGHT: The Death of the "Gossip Girl" Archetype

Here is what nobody is saying: Blake Lively is a relic.

Her entire brand is built on being the "Cool Girl." The girl who is effortless. The girl who is funny. The girl who has the perfect husband and the perfect hair.

That archetype died in 2020.

We don't want "perfect" anymore. We want "present."

We are living in a time of intense global stress. We want our stars to be aware of the world around them. We want them to acknowledge the weight of the stories they tell.

Blake Lively is acting like she is still Serena van der Woodsen. She thinks she can charm her way out of a serious conversation. She thinks a witty remark and a designer dress can mask a lack of depth.

It can't.

She isn't failing because of a "feud." She is failing because her brand is "Unattainable Luxury" in a world that is craving "Radical Empathy."

She is playing a 2010 game in a 2024 arena.

If she doesn't pivot—and pivot fast—she won't just lose this movie. She will lose her status. She will become another "Legacy Star" who forgot to grow up.

The era of the untouchable celebrity is over.

If you aren't willing to be human, we will find someone who is.

Is Blake Lively actually "out of touch," or is the internet just looking for someone to cancel?