Hasta La Creative!

Just about every day last week brought a new business partner dropping Paula Deen like a hot potato: The Food Nework; Smithfield Foods; Caesar’s restaurants; Walmart; Target; Home Depot and J.C. Penney. Shopping channel QVC and diabetes drug maker Novo Nordisk also took a “pause” from their relationships with the embattled chef.

So can the Deen brand ever stage a comeback? PR pros say it’s not impossible, but it will take a lot of time and a new outreach strategy.

The difference between Ms. Deen and other celebrities who’ve gone through high-profile crises is that the quintessential hot-button topic of race has come into play. Ms. Deen admitted in a deposition to using a racial epithet. The revelation was followed by two YouTube videos, the hiring of crisis communications pro Smith & Co. and a “Today Show” appearance in which Ms. Dean, in between tearful apologies, insisted she’s not a racist.

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