Nadia Bartel’s world came crashing down last Thursday after a video was leaked of her snorting white powder at an illegal gathering during Melbourne’s lockdown.
And while the 36-year-old influencer’s public image may be in tatters, experts say there are a few important steps she can now take to rebuild her brand.
Pop-culture journalist Michelle Andrews said on this week’s Shameless podcast that Nadia must ‘symbolically communicate’ to the public she has changed her ways.
Crisis strategy: Branding experts have revealed the steps Nadia Bartel, 36, should take to rebuild her brand following her white-powder scandal
Ms Andrews, who doesn’t know Nadia personally, said: ‘If I was her PR manager, I would be saying you need to symbolically communicate to your fans and the Australian public that that is a chapter that is closed and you are about to embark on a new chapter.’
She suggested that getting a new haircut could do the trick.
‘That could be something as simple as a dramatic hair change. Like, taking a break from Instagram and not posting for a month, and coming back as a “new you” with… a bob, or anything [like that],’ Ms Andrews said.
New hair, new Nadia? Pop-culture journalist Michelle Andrews said on this week’s Shameless podcast that Nadia must ‘symbolically communicate’ to the public she has changed her ways. She could even get a dramatic new haircut to symbolise a ‘new chapter’ in her life
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‘I know that sounds frivolous and ridiculous, but I think that is how important symbols are in a story like this,’ she added.
Ms Andrews also believes Nadia could demonstrate that she’s turned over a new leaf by dropping her ex-husband Jimmy’s surname and reverting to her maiden name Coppolino.
Celebrity publicist Max Markson had similar advice for Nadia during an interview with Daily Mail Australia earlier this week.
Mr Markson, who is described as a ‘black-belt master of the art of spin’, said Nadia should ‘stay on the down-low’ by avoiding celebrity events and keeping off social media until the backlash dies down.
‘Within six weeks to two months, life for Nadia will become normal again, and she can start posting again, do collaborations, and brands will come on board,’ he said.
‘People forgive and forget’: Celebrity publicist Max Markson (pictured) told Daily Mail Australia the ex-WAG should ‘stay on the down-low’ and ride out the storm
‘People forgive and forget, and she will be able to move forward eventually. The more she moves forward, the more they will forget. I believe that time is a great healer.’
In addition to publicly apologising for her actions – which Nadia has already done – Mr Markson recommended that she work with charities in the future.
Aligning herself with philanthropical causes will help restore the public’s faith in Nadia’s personal brand, he explained.
Philanthropy: In addition to publicly apologising for her actions – which Nadia has already done – Mr Markson recommended that she work with charities in the future
Mr Markson, who does not represent Nadia, also warned that the socialite should aim to ‘obey the law’ going forward, so as to avoid any compounding negative press.
‘Don’t go outside your 5km [LGA], don’t go to to parties, don’t go to places where these things happen,’ he said.
Finally, Mr Markson said Nadia should protect her image by being ‘choosy’ about her brand collaborations and the events she attends going forward.
Nadia and three other women were issued with Penalty Infringement Notices for breaching Melbourne’s Covid lockdown last Thursday.
But police say there will be no charges laid relating to drug offences.
‘Four women have been issued with Penalty Infringement Notices following a gathering at a Richmond address in contravention of the Chief Health Officer’s restrictions,’ a Victoria Police spokesperson told Daily Mail Australia on Monday.
‘The incident occurred at a private address on Thursday, September 2, at 4pm.
‘A 36-year-old Windsor woman, a 32-year-old Richmond woman, a 33-year-old Pascoe Vale woman and a 35-year-old Strathmore woman have all been issued with a Penalty Infringement Notice for failing to comply with requirements in relation to a private or public gathering.
‘The monetary penalty for each Penalty Infringement Notice is $5,452.
‘A fifth woman at the address was not charged as she was complying with CHO employment restrictions.’
It comes after Bartel apologised for flouting Melbourne’s lockdown by hosting the illegal gathering at which she snorted a line of white powder.
Fined: It comes after Nadia and three other women were issued with Penalty Infringement Notices after attending the gathering at which Nadia was filmed snorting white powder
She wrote on Instagram on Friday evening: ‘Hi everyone, I have let you all down by my actions. I take full responsibility and I am committed to taking all necessary steps to ensure I make better choices in future.
‘To my family and friends, my business partners and the public health workers trying to keep us all safe, I am embarrassed and remorseful.
‘I am truly and deeply sorry. I hope I can earn your forgiveness and, in time, your trust.’
Caught on camera: Ms Bartel was recorded snorting the powder off a $1.50 Kmart plate in a video mistakenly shared to Instagram by her friend and business partner Ellie Pearson
She was recorded snorting the powder off a $1.50 Kmart plate in a video mistakenly shared to Instagram by her friend and business partner Ellie Pearson.
Pearson had meant to send the video to her sister, but due to a cracked phone screen posted it on social media by accident and didn’t delete it until 10 minutes later.
But that was enough time for one of Nadia’s ‘frenemies’ – an enemy who falsely poses as a friend – to download it and send the damning footage to media outlets.
Whoops: Pearson had meant to send the video to her sister, but due to a cracked phone screen posted it on social media by accident and didn’t delete it until 10 minutes later
In the aftermath of the scandal, Nadia was dropped by a major sponsor, vitamin brand JSHealth, for ‘not sharing the company’s values’.
She has also faced trolling on social media, partly for flouting the lockdown but also for snorting the powder off a cheap Kmart plate.
Private and public gatherings are not permitted in Melbourne, where Nadia lives, under Victoria’s Covid restrictions.
Premier Daniel Andrews had warned during his daily Covid-19 briefing on Sunday that Bartel would receive no special treatment.
Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews had warned during his daily Covid-19 briefing on Sunday that Bartel would receive no special treatment
He compared the gathering to the infamous illegal engagement party held in North Caulfield last month, where police issued more than $300,000 in fines to the guests.
‘My understanding that that matter would be treated no differently to the engagement party,’ he told reporters.
‘A number of people were doing the wrong thing.
‘It wasn’t a matter of breaching confidences and calling into question whether people tell us truth when they are contact tracing, and that is worth much more than any fine we might give out.
Ms Bartel (right) has since apologised for flouting Melbourne’s lockdown. She is pictured here with Ellie Pearson, the longtime friend who accidently posted the white-powder video online
‘This video is no different to the engagement party as it’s out there in the public domain and it would be anticipated that every single person at that house will be getting a $5,542 fine.
‘These really are decisions for the Chief Commissioner, but I would be absolutely certain he would want the law applied equally, regardless of whether you used to be related to a footballer.’
He added it was ‘everybody’s business’ and had an absolute expectation that people should be treated equally.
‘Otherwise it wouldn’t be fair, would it?’ Mr Andrews said.
‘I have let you all down by my actions. I take full responsibility and I am committed to taking all necessary steps to ensure I make better choices in future,’ Nadia wrote on Instagram on Friday
‘For those people at that engagement party who have all been issued, as I understand it, except for the kids, they have all been issued with a $5,542 fine.’
He also criticised Nadia’s father, Tony Coppolino, who was seen visiting his daughter at her home on Friday when Victoria recorded 208 coronavirus cases, the highest daily number in a year.
‘I also see on social media other people potentially visiting that house. No visits means no visits,’ Mr Andrews said.
Nadia is a mother of two and entrepreneur who runs the fake-tan company Spray Aus and clothing label Henne.
She is the ex-wife of retired AFL star Jimmy Bartel, a Brownlow Medallist who spent his career with the Geelong Cats.The couple split in 2019 after five years of marriage.
Former relationship: Nadia is the ex-wife of retired AFL star Jimmy Bartel, a Brownlow Medallist who spent his career with the Geelong Cats