_{Dear Reputation Builder,}

Some moments are meant to shine. Others? To shake you a little.

This month, the two are about to collide.

In the first week of May, the world will watch as celebrities and fashion leaders take over the Met Gala in New York. Days later, Cannes will open its red carpet to the elite of global cinema, culture, and diplomacy.

You might be thinking: “Manuella, I run a business, not a film festival. I don't wear couture to work.”

Well, exactly… This is not about dresses or directors.
It’s about what these stages reveal about leadership—especially in moments when visibility meets tension.

Because no matter your field, your audience (team, market, board, investors, society) is watching how you show up in turbulent times. And here’s the hard truth: the spotlight doesn’t just expose — it multiplies.

Your clarity, your courage, your contradictions.

So I invite you to read this edition not as a commentary on culture, but as a reflection of what it means to lead when the room goes quiet and the world starts watching. Because the question isn’t if your leadership will be tested—it’s how prepared your reputation will be when it is.

Let's grab our ☕️ and get this started ;)

1. What the Met wants to measure

This year’s Met Gala theme won’t play safe. “Superfine: Tailoring Black Style” isn’t a nostalgic throwback or aesthetic homage. It is a callout. A confrontation. A necessary one.

It places institutions, brands, and individuals in a room where culture meets accountability. Well, at least that's what I expect, obviously…

💭 Reflection: What’s the last uncomfortable issue your team faced? Did you stand, shift, or disappear?

2. Cannes and the cost of neutrality

Cannes 2025 isn’t just a film festival. It’s a chessboard.

With Juliette Binoche leading the jury and Robert De Niro receiving the honorary Palme d’Or, the event sends a message: let’s talk about art, yes—but also about power, ideology, and geopolitical stakes.

Because Cannes knows what it represents.

🎥 American and European collaborations at a time of global polarization? That’s no coincidence. It’s reputation strategy at its finest.

But there’s risk.

• What films are selected says what stories matter.

• Who gets invited signals who still holds power.

• What controversies get ignored tells you who’s too big to challenge.

💭 Reflection: Do your decisions reflect awareness of the current “temperature”?
Are you building a reputation that holds up under global, cultural, and social scrutiny?

Got this from someone else? Don't be shy 😎 

3. So what? You’re not on a Red Carpet. You’re still in the spotlight

You may not be hosting celebrities or premiering your life's work to an international jury, but you are in a position of constant exposure.

With your team.
With your investors.
With your audience (and potential client—don't ever forget that).
With the algorithm.
With the media.

That’s the thing about reputation—it’s no longer just about communication.
It’s about positioning.

And in turbulent times, that positioning becomes your protection—or your vulnerability.

Wanna recommend Reputation.Inc? Share this email or…

So I ask you:

✨ What’s your Met Gala moment? The topic you’re still avoiding in the boardroom, or with your team?

🌍 What’s your Cannes position? Are you navigating complexity—or hoping no one notices your silence?

You don't need to wear a gown or win a prize.
You just need to show up—with clarity, courage, and consistency.

Recommended content: 

📖 to read: “When Staying Neutral Backfires” (Harvard Business Review, 2022). Now, you might be questioning the real cost of silence. This article reinforces exactly what we’ve been talking about: when leaders choose neutrality in controversial moments, it doesn’t always keep them safe—it can actually backfire. It brings smart insights on why audiences expect clarity, how silence is often interpreted as complicity, and what frameworks help leaders decide when to speak up. Totally worth your time.

🎧️ to hear: “Is it Safe to Speak Up at Work?,” episode by Worklife with Adam Grant Podcast (Spotify, 2021). Adam dives into why psychological safety matters—not for show, but to drive innovation and real leadership. With stories from Boeing’s Ed Pierson and Admiral McRaven, it’s a reminder that people won’t speak up if you make it risky. And let’s be honest: without that, it’s not leadership—it’s compliance.

📺️ to watch: “The First Monday in May” (Prime, 2016). Old but gold! This documentary helps to understand how the Met Gala blends branding, pressure, politics, and what it teaches us about strategic positioning. Hope you take the best from it ;)

Join the conversation!

I’d love to hear your thoughts on this edition!

I’m always eager to hear from readers and learn about your journey.
Just reply to this email 😀 

It's fantastic having you around here today!

Thanks for reading—see you next month :)

Manuella Borges
The editor

📲 Let's connect on LinkedIn

About the Editor
Manuella Borges is a reputation leader with over 10 years of experience helping companies and executives perform to their best promises. Lover of good stories and curious about the origin of - almost - everything, she is a lifelong student of people, history, philosophy, brands, markets, and business. All these references come together in the series ;)