Is Brooklyn Beckham’s drama threatening the billion-dollar empire his parents have painstakingly built?
Brooklyn Beckham Criticized for Exploiting Family Drama: Experts Warn He Could Ruin the Beckham Empire.
The cold war between Brooklyn Beckham and his famous family continues to be a focus of international media attention. This time, the eldest son of David and Victoria Beckham is facing intense criticism after appearing in a World Cup advertisement for the US food delivery service DoorDash.
The controversy isn’t about the advertisement itself, but about details that are believed to directly target the conflict between Brooklyn and his parents. In the video, Brooklyn appears with a suggestive expression and begins with the line: “Perhaps everyone is wondering why I’m watching the 2026 World Cup at home… It’s a long story.”
He then throws football tickets onto a coffee table and continues with actions that are considered to be “embedded” messages related to his family. One of the details that has sparked the most discussion online is the image of the new clock Brooklyn placed on the table. Many consider this a symbolic gesture because for many years he has been associated with the Patek Philippe Nautilus, worth around £250,000, which was a gift from David Beckham.
Brooklyn Beckham faces intense criticism for using family drama in a money-making advertisement.
Furthermore, the video features a stack of unopened family letters, fueling speculation that Brooklyn is hinting at a loss for words. Immediately after the advertisement was posted, a backlash erupted on social media. One comment, which garnered thousands of interactions, read: “If you hate your family so much, then drop the Beckham name and stop profiting from it.”
Many media experts also disapproved of the campaign. Mark Borkowski, one of the most renowned crisis management experts in the UK, believes Brooklyn is inadvertently damaging his own personal brand.
According to him, the Beckham family has spent nearly three decades building an image of a model family consisting of a football legend, a pop star, and successful children. It’s not just a commercial brand, but a beloved family story.
However, Brooklyn is now contributing to the fracturing of that image: “Brands can be managed, but families cannot. The most heartbreaking thing is that they all seem to be trapped in a story they no longer have control over.”
Beckham’s billion-dollar empire is being threatened by his eldest son, Brooklyn (Photo: Getty).
Another expert, Andy Barr, even suggested this could be “the beginning of the end for the Brooklyn Beckham brand.” According to him, brands are often wary of individuals embroiled in family disputes, especially when that person is perceived as using private conflict as a money-making tool.
Sean O’Meara, director of the media consulting firm Essential Content, called this a “failed PR lesson”: “Public jabs at family members never create public goodwill, especially when it appears in a paid advertisement. This makes Brooklyn seem petty rather than pitiable.”
Ironically, just weeks before the controversial advertisement aired, Brooklyn had shared the difficulties of running his Cloud23 hot sauce brand. He admitted that the business journey is not easy and that he is still learning every day.
It’s worth noting that Cloud23 received significant support from David and Victoria Beckham in its early stages. The power couple frequently appeared to promote their son’s brand before their family relationship broke down about 18 months ago.
A close source revealed that David and Victoria are currently heartbroken by what is happening. Not only the couple, but also their youngest daughter, Harper Beckham, has been severely affected by the prolonged conflict between her brother and family.
Meanwhile, instead of improving his personal image, the latest World Cup advertisement seems to be causing Brooklyn to face an unprecedented wave of criticism. And according to many experts, the money earned from this campaign may not be worth much compared to the long-term damage to Brooklyn Beckham’s name.
