Narratives, Networks, and the Evolution of Paracrises: Evidence From X (Twitter) Discourse on the Adidas SL72 Campaign

ABSTRACT This study examined the developmental processes of paracrises and reputational threats amplified on social media, through a case study of the Adidas SL72 sneaker campaign, a faux pas‐type paracrisis. Unlike crises that directly threaten organizational survival, paracrises are reputational threats that primarily impact corporate social responsibility and may escalate into full‐blown crises if mismanaged. Using a multidimensional approach, we analyzed tweet volume, sentiment trends, narrative dynamics, and key actors using time‐series analysis, BERT‐based sentiment and topic modeling, and social network analysis (SNA). The findings identified four phases of the paracrisis—Incubation, Peak, Management, and Resolution— marked by distinct shifts in tweet volume and public sentiment. Four narrative clusters, emotional (disappointment and shame), critical (reasoned critique), action‐oriented (calls for boycotts), and speculative (distrust), shaped the paracrisis discourses. Action‐oriented narratives peaked during the peak phase, generating high engagement and potential reputational risk. SNA further reveals evolving actor roles, from activists in the early phases to legacy media contributing to the institutionalization of discourse. By elucidating how the digital public constructs and amplifies narratives across phases, this study offers analytical insights into the dynamic of social media‐driven paracrises and provides implications for understanding and informing organizational responses in the digital era.