MANAGING BRAND REPUTATION RISKS ON SOCIAL MEDIA

Abstract

The article examines brand reputation risk management on social media as a component of modern marketing management. The purpose of the study is to systematize theoretical approaches to reputation risk, identify the role of digital monitoring tools, and develop practical recommendations for preventing and neutralizing online crises. The paper combines a review of research on brand equity, crisis communication, and digital branding with a comparative analysis of case studies involving Tesla, Starbucks, McDonald's, Rozetka, and the YARO controversy. The findings show that the effectiveness of crisis response depends not only on speed, but also on the consistency between a brand's declared values and actual managerial actions. Delayed acknowledgement, denial, and the absence of corrective measures increase reputational losses, whereas prompt public recognition of the problem, transparent communication, use of the same platform where the crisis emerged, and visible organizational changes help restore trust. The analysis also confirms the growing importance of social listening platforms, sentiment analysis, escalation protocols, and cross-functional coordination as early-warning instruments. At the same time, automated monitoring cannot replace managerial judgement, because cultural context and stakeholder expectations shape the interpretation of online reactions. The practical value of the study lies in the proposed framework for brands: continuous monitoring, predefined crisis scenarios, response within the "golden hour", responsibility-taking, post-crisis learning, and integration of reputation management into cross-functional decision making. A cross-case comparison demonstrates the difference between value-consistent recovery, tactical containment, and post-factum damage control. The article argues that in the digital environment reputation management should be treated not as episodic damage control but as a permanent strategic process that safeguards brand equity, stakeholder trust, and long-term market resilience. The proposed approach can also be used as a basis for managerial audits of crisis preparedness.