Depp v. Heard, The Battle of Archetypes & Why Johnny Depp Won

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Brands can learn from the way fans used social media to construct and spread archetypal narratives. Depp’s fans embraced their campaigns, far outweighing Heard’s supporters in emotion and persistence. The memes, fancams, and tweets could not help but influence how the public and press talked about the trial. Nothing sells like heroes and villains, rebels and temptresses, and a good “redemption” story.

• Archetypal patterns quickly cast Depp and Heard’s roles
• Condemned by cancel culture, Depp’s path to redemption was a public challenge
• Heard’s team underestimated the power of memes and fan-created content to influence perception
• The trial underscored how pervasive gender stereotypes influence perceptions of behavior

Johnny Depp has emerged as the victor in the infamous Depp vs. Heard Trial. Depp fans are ecstatic, their commitment to Depp gratified by an official ruling. Heard fans are disappointed but primarily because of the potential fallout on the issue of domestic abuse. Advocates worry that the #MeToo movement has suffered a severe setback. However, the bottom line is that this was a trial of archetypes. Archetypes are like super-charged metaphors that create a lens influencing the meaning of what we see and think. Archetypes are…