💚 Unpopular opinion (or is it?): Elphaba from Wicked didn’t need magic… she needed better PR.

I’ve got three watches of Wicked: For Good under my belt, and my Wicked-themed Christmas tree has been up for two weeks. So walk with me on this:

Elphaba was not the villain. She was a classic case study in what happens when narrative control slips away and the loudest voice becomes the only voice.

Let’s break down this crisis comms disaster:

🟢 1. Bad branding from the jump

She was literally called “Wicked.” Not “misunderstood.” Not “policy-reform–minded changemaker.” Not even “the green girl with a strong moral compass.”

Nope. Straight to Wicked. Madam Morrible knew exactly what she was doing.

🟢 2. Zero rumor control

One person (okay, a whole government) tells the wrong story about you and suddenly you’re a flying-monkey-wielding menace. This is what happens when you don’t control your narrative early. Someone else will happily do it for you.

🟢 3. A media rival with GREAT optics

Glinda had the hair. The sparkle. The crowd appeal.
This is what we call a mismatch in brand positioning.
If your counterpart looks like a living Pinterest board, you’re already fighting uphill.

🟢 4. No crisis comms plan

Elphaba kept reacting instead of anticipating. She let misinformation spread. She hid and avoided. Also, she did not get ahead of the story.

Sis needed a holding statement, a proactive press tour, and maybe a People magazine exclusive titled: “I’m Not Wicked, I’m Just Disappointed.”

Honestly? I’d even settle for a GRWM nails edition where she exposes the Wizard.

🟢 5. The real truth?

She actually… cared. About ethics. About equity. About not harming innocent animals.

But without a clear message, strong allies, and a strategy, the perception overshadowed the reality.

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💡 The PR takeaway:

Being right is not the same thing as being understood. If you don’t shape your narrative, your audience will fill in the gaps, often with the worst possible version.

Good storytelling isn’t about spin. It’s about clarity, context, and getting ahead of the narrative before someone else writes the headline for you.

Sometimes the difference between “wicked” and “misunderstood” is just good comms.