Good Good after the ad scandal: How the golf YouTubers can move forward

Good Good, a YouTube golf channel that experienced significant fallout from an ad deemed anti-women, faces a long and challenging road to recovery. Callaway, the brand involved in the ad, severed ties with the channel, and Dick's Sporting Goods removed its products from shelves. Furthermore, the fall PGA Tour event in which Good Good had title sponsorship was discontinued.

Two individuals from Good Good's marketing team were dismissed. Industry experts, such as Joe Perello, CEO of Props, a creator marketing company, and Chris Erwin, founder of RockWater, a M&A and strategy advisory firm in the creator economy, believe the situation is dire and that the channel needs years to re-establish relationships with major manufacturers and retailers.

Other potential risks include the impact on their partnership with Dude Perfect and other unforeseen consequences. However, despite these challenges, Good Good possesses substantial resources, including more than 2 million subscribers and a new president. The channel could focus on its core audience by utilizing paid subscriptions, direct-sold products, and live events.

This period could serve as an opportunity for Good Good to solidify its brand image, promote inclusivity, and attract new audiences. To regain support from female viewers, it might consider shifting its branding towards an 'outlaw' persona or employing humor to redeem itself. On a broader scale, creator economy experts argue that the influencer marketing landscape may tighten up briefly, with marketers implementing stricter ad-approval systems to avoid similar issues in the future.

While this could lead to influencer content becoming less authentic, it is unlikely to have a lasting impact on the growth of influencer marketing, as US advertisers are anticipated to invest $44 billion in creator marketing by 2026.