Digital corporate communication and brandjacking and character assassination

This chapter focuses on two related practices, brandjackingandcharacter assassination(CA),advocating for their applied relevance and conceptual worth when studying digital corporate communication (DCC). It provides a comprehensive discussion of both concepts in the corporate context of digital communication. The authors argue that these practices have bourgeoned in association with new technologies used for manipulation and misinformation. In addition, brandjacking and CA have been weaponized by digital activists to put pressure on individuals and companies in the context of cancel culture. The authors examine two case studies: the first, a series of brandjacks targeting McDonald’s, and the second, a scandal with a Boeing CEO that features his CA and subsequent disassociation from the brand. The chapter concludes by discussing implications for DCC research and offering ideas for future investigation.