Please Trust Me: Examining Strategies of Celebrity Apologies and Public Responses

In the context of an era when online apologies are becoming increasingly ubiquitous, this article investigates the apologies of female star and male game blogger on social media to reveal how to effectively rebuild trust and maintain reputations through apologies by incorporating apology strategies and apology responses. The study classifies apology strategies as taking responsibility, explanation, making promise, denial of action, and expressing empathy. Findings suggest that a combination of multiple strategies is more effective, with the integration of taking responsibility, reliable explanations, and expressing empathy being most conducive to rebuilding trust. The denial of responsibility strategy, on the other hand, may trigger counterproductive reactions. The present study provides insights for understanding online celebrity apologies and offers suggestions for maintaining the relationship between celebrities and the public.