#Scandoval: A Master Class in Using an Outside Crisis

The popular American reality TV series Vanderpump Rules has been airing on Bravo since 2013. Serving as the first spin-off from The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills, the show has garnered immense popularity and even spawned its own spin-offs. The most recent season has caused a stir on the internet due to a cheating scandal that came to light, famously dubbed “Scandoval” after one of the individuals involved. Taking advantage of the show’s popularity and the crisis situation, numerous brands have found creative ways to promote themselves or their solutions.

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“Scandoval” Explanation

To provide some context, Vanderpump Rules is currently in its tenth season and closely follows the lives of Lisa Vanderpump and the staff working at her Los Angeles restaurants. Lisa Vanderpump, a former star of The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills, serves as a central figure in the show. The cheating scandal revolves around Madix, who joined the show as a full-time member in the third season, and Sandoval, a cast member since the show’s inception. Sandoval was initially introduced as a bartender at SUR, where Madix also worked as a bartender and their friendship developed into a romantic relationship. Leviss, who joined the show in its sixth season, became friends with both members of the couple. Recent reports have surfaced alleging that Sandoval cheated on Madix with Leviss. Sandoval has issued several apologies regarding the situation, while Madix has since deleted all her social media accounts. Leviss has also expressed remorse for her involvement and extended apologies to Madix, her friends, and the show’s fans.

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Public Response

The public response to the scandal has been overwhelmingly supportive of Madix. Fellow cast members, friends, and family have voiced their support for her, prompting her eventual return to Instagram. In a post, she expressed gratitude for the outpouring of support. Capitalizing on this public support, numerous brands have sought collaborations with the stars of the show to gain additional promotion.

“Scandoval” and Advertising

Ariana Madix, in particular, has received significant attention following the scandal. She was interviewed by the New York Times and even received an invitation to the White House Correspondents’ Association Dinner. Additionally, she has collaborated and is rumored to collaborate with several brands in the upcoming weeks or months. Examples of her recent partnerships include promoting Bic razors and proclaiming the start of a new chapter in her life, sponsored posts with Raising Cane’s, an advertisement for Bloomingdale’s, a staged move from the home she shared with Sandoval sponsored by SoFi, rumors of a casting on Dancing with the Stars, and a solo interview with Andy Cohen on Watch What Happens Live. Furthermore, Ariana Madix made headlines when she appeared at the “Vanderpump Rules” Season 10 reunion wearing a Boys Lie sweatshirt, seemingly sending a pointed message to her ex-boyfriend Tom Sandoval. Now, she has collaborated with the fashion brand on a special “1-800-Boys-Lie” T-shirt, created in collaboration with Uber. Fans in Los Angeles can exclusively purchase the shirt on the Uber Eats app ahead of the highly anticipated finale of the show. Additionally, she has joined her co-stars Shay and Anthony in an advertisement for Uber One. The “Scandoval” scandal and its aftermath have provided opportunities for brands to align themselves with the show’s stars and leverage their popularity for promotional purposes. Through strategic collaborations and sponsored posts, these brands are making the most of the situation and reaching a wide audience of dedicated “Vanderpump Rules” fans.