Silence Is the Most Expensive Cost in Growing a Personal Brand

The real strength of a personal brand is the ability to turn controversy from risk into reach.

And honestly, staying silent is the most expensive move you can make.

Look at the recent clash between Luo Yonghao and Hua & Hua.

For any creator or brand, the real danger isn’t the controversy itself —

it’s missing the window that controversy opens.

Moments like this are nationwide attention spikes.

You can’t buy this kind of exposure, no matter how much you spend on ads.

And the truth is simple: if you can catch it once, you win once.

I first heard about Hua & Hua years ago through airplane magazines

and giant ads in airports.

Those channels are expensive and limited.

But this time, the spotlight was completely different —

everyone online was watching, waiting, talking.

That’s the kind of moment that can push a brand far beyond its usual circle.

Handled well, it could easily become a win–win:

maybe you win the argument,

or maybe you lose the argument but win the audience.

Either way, you gain something.

But going silent?

That just looks weak —

and to the audience, it even feels a bit guilty.