To Duke University,
You had a moment. A real moment. One that could have elevated your leadership, your voice, and your commitment to your students. Instead, you chose branding.
When a character in HBO’s The White Lotus wore a Duke sweatshirt during a scene dealing with suicide, you didn’t take a breath. You didn’t pause to reflect on the gravity of the moment or what it could mean for your students quietly battling their own mental health struggles. You responded with a press statement—quick, corporate, and cold.
You were upset about your logo.
But let’s talk about what that scene represented for millions of people watching. It wasn’t a marketing misstep or bad product placement. It was a mirror. One that reflects a hard truth: suicide is the second leading cause of death among college students.
That sweatshirt wasn’t just fabric—it was context. The kind of context students live in every day, too afraid to speak up, too overwhelmed to keep going, and too often unheard by the very institutions tasked with protecting them.
This was a chance to say something that actually mattered.
You could have turned this into a rallying cry. You could have acknowledged that while the scene was painful, it captured a very real issue affecting campuses across the country—including your own.
You could have called on HBO to work together, to provide resources, to make that moment more than shock value.
Instead, you chose to protect your brand like it was more sacred than your students’ lives.
Let’s be clear: your frustration isn’t entirely misplaced. Universities should have a say in how their name is used. But the irony is hard to miss! You're upset about representation, when the real crisis is reality.
Your students are breaking, and instead of stepping up with compassion, you stepped back with a PR play.
You say the scene doesn’t reflect who you are.
But ask yourself: What are students supposed to see when they do reach out for help? Is there enough staff? Is there funding? Are there safe spaces to talk? Are students with suicidal thoughts met with empathy or a referral list and a wait time?
You missed the opportunity to show what it really means to reflect your values.
You could have said, “We saw this scene. It was hard. It hit close to home. And while we didn’t give HBO permission to use our brand, we’re not going to pretend the problem doesn’t exist. In fact, we want to use this moment to remind our community that we care, and that we’re here.”
That statement? That would’ve said more about Duke than any logo ever could.
Instead, you drew national headlines over a sweatshirt. And now, students who saw themselves in that character might think their school cares more about optics than outreach.
Mental health is messy. It doesn’t always come wrapped in a school-approved talking point. But when you meet that messiness with honesty and empathy, something powerful happens: people feel seen. Students feel safe. And institutions stop being afraid of reflection and start becoming part of the solution.
So Duke, next time you’re handed a moment like this, take it.
Because your students are watching.
And this time, they deserved better.
