The end of brand Beckham after icon Victoria is reduced to embarrassing meme?

It’s hard to believe that after more than two decades, highly polished, pristine brand Beckham was shattered in just a few seconds. 

As David and Victoria’s first-born son Brooklyn went nuclear on his “controlling” parents in a shocking statement, VB, the iconic global fashion and beauty designer, was ruthlessly mocked and reduced to an embarrassing viral meme.  

The words “displaced dogs” became the hot new buzz phrase of 2026. And the entire world was left utterly gobsmacked at Brooklyn’s toe-curling claims. 

As the biggest showbiz news story since Wagatha Christie exploded, it not only destroyed a loving family – but also one of the most successful global brands of all time. 

The fact Victoria is “controlling” doesn’t make her a bad mum. And it’s not even particularly surprising – this is a woman who, by her own admission, has eaten the same meal every day of her life and hasn’t touched chocolate for 20 years. 

Most damaging to the brand are the allegations that she ruined Brooklyn’s wedding by “dancing on him inappropriately”, branding him “evil”, and pulling out of designing Nicola’s wedding dress after saying she “wasn’t family.” In short, Brooklyn has painted a very different image of Victoria and David to the one we are presented with in the media and on Instagram.

The real danger threatening the life of brand Beckham is that, if the public starts to believe that the brand image is not truthful or honest, then they are unlikely to keep buying into it.

Will the Beckhams respond?

So, the question on everybody’s lips in my inbox is, how will they respond to his painfully embarrassing accusations – and will they respond at all? 

I would be very surprised if they dismissed the allegations or said anything directly addressing Brooklyn’s accusations. David and Victoria use silence as a strategy; they never complain and rarely explain. They take the lead from the royal family – and now they have their very own Prince Harry. 

If they choose to break protocol and speak out, it would have to be on a huge global platform and that type of platform doesn’t exist anymore (unless they take a leaf out of Harry’s book and sit down with Oprah, but I can’t see that happening). 

Just like King Charles and Prince William, who stayed silent in the wake of Megxit, they can’t possibly deny these sensational claims – it’s too late, the damage is done and any response will look petty and childish. Plus, there’s the threat of igniting round two and angering a volatile Brooklyn even more when he’s probably got more ammunition in his closet.

Saving Brand Beckham

Will they bounce back? Yes. With or without Brooklyn, this isn’t the end of the Beckham brand. At the moment it’s missing a few pieces and the pristine sheen on this “perfect family” has been wiped off for now, something that will devastate David and Victoria who have worked tirelessly to build this £500m global empire.   

So how will they save Brand Beckham? Announce a Spice Girls World Tour? Perhaps a new warts and all Netflix show? Maybe in a few months’ time. 

Today, many people might be wondering how did it all go wrong for one of the world’s most famous families? 

Once upon a time, Brooklyn Beckham was a PR dream. A world-famous family surname, demanding instant media attention, and a head start most personal brands can only fantasise about. 

But after an unimpressive photography book, countless uninspiring cooking videos and a random hot sauce launch – plus a billionaire American wife thrown into the mix – and Brooklyn’s brand is... awkward. 

Suddenly, he was no longer David Beckham’s son but a bit of a laughingstock. The press wasn’t interested in him like they were David and Victoria, and fans mocked him, so the tone in the media changed. It’s no wonder he began to turn his back on carefully orchestrated family photo opportunities, eager to break away, carve out his own career and focus on his own brand. Tragically, the biggest issue with Brooklyn’s sub-brand was that nobody really knew what he was meant to be. Was he a model? Photographer? Chef? Entrepreneur?  

I guess it didn’t help matters that his talented brother Cruz burst onto the music scene with much fanfare – following in his mother’s footsteps. Just hours before Brooklyn’s scathing attack, the Beckhams and their influential friends were busy promoting Cruz’s first gig on Instagram. 

But today, it’s a case of Cruz, who?

What matters most

My heart goes out to them all because despite the tabloid chaos, this is really, really sad. We must remember that behind the glossy pictures and shiny Instagram squares is a real-life family, not just a brand, with four children with their own hopes and dreams. 

Now we know that when they’re not creating content or signing multi-million pound business deals, they are just like any other family. And this should be brand Beckham’s secret weapon. 

They fight, they argue, they fall out, but eventually they kiss and make up and, despite everything, they will always love each other. Unfortunately for the Beckhams, this now looks like the tragic tale of a family that has prioritised fame and fortune over everything else for too long and now need to stop taking photographs and instead focus on what truly matters most. Family. 

Amy Brookbanks is former head of showbiz and TV at the Sun and now senior news director at WPR. Amy is a media and PR expert providing strategic editorial direction, developing innovative media strategies across traditional, online and social platforms and oversees the execution of major brand campaigns.

Further reading

Andy Coulson interview: 'I enjoy doing crisis comms work because I lived it.'

Top media lawyer Louis Charalambous on celeb culture, journalism, PR and the law

Alan Edwards, the godfather of modern music PR