Claire Holt on the modern family brand

In an era where celebrity is synonymous with enterprise, the modern family brand has become its own business model. Few have harnessed this more effectively than the Beckhams. David and Victoria became the foundation of a global brand built on more than fashion or football. At its heart was family unity.

But the golden balls image has begun to drop. Family disputes have fuelled speculation of a divide—echoing the kind of narrative we’ve seen before with the Sussexes.

All of this comes as Victoria Beckham films her own Netflix documentary, a follow-up of sorts to Beckham, the series she and David both executive produced. His documentary was image control lesson 101: the tiniest of nods to the Rebecca Loos scandal, all carefully wrapped in a story of resilience, humour, and family unity. This gave the illusion of transparency while reaffirming the family’s curated strength. Brand Beckham endures—or so the message goes. Hmmm.

Audiences buy into the carefully cultivated myths of modern dynasties built on family and perfection—the Obamas, Kardashians, and the Beckhams. But in doing so people become deeply interested in the cracks. The more you sell unity, the more compelling the dysfunction becomes.

The new playbook for family brands under pressure is take control of the content. Editorial authorship has become a reputational defence strategy.

But it doesn’t always go to plan as we saw with Prince Harry’s BBC interview, given in a highly emotional state after losing in court last week. It shows how quickly it can unravel when emotion overtakes strategy.

The actions of one family member can fracture a family brand. When trust is broken or issues enter public view, it doesn’t just damage relationships; it undermines the brand or narrative built over years. What looks like a personal dispute from the outside can have far-reaching consequences—emotional, reputational, legal and financial.

The Beckhams have time to evolve their brand, reflecting the reality of adult children with separate paths. But if they cling too tightly to the myth of perfection, then for me they risk making the cracks louder than the legacy.