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Tag: crisis PR

Social Media in a Crisis

May 9, 2017January 31, 2023 Clairemont InternBlog, Public Relations, Social Media + Influencer Engagementcrisis communication, crisis management, crisis plan, crisis PR, United Airlines crisis

Written by Sissy Rodriguez, junior at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.

The unprecedented rise in social media over the past decade has turned traditional crisis communication on its head.

Social media has become the new avenue for “breaking news.” No longer does a business have the luxury of composing a news release or holding a press conference within the first few hours of a crisis. Companies now are responsible to answer to the public within minutes, even seconds, or risk the wrath of social media permanently tainting its reputation.

Take United Airlines’ recent public relations disaster that began with a bystander posting onto Twitter.

In response, United defended its decision to prohibit the passengers and posted a cookie-cutter response to the growing number of irate Twitter users. The response did not resonate well with the Twittersphere; rather than the scandal dissipating since United Airlines was technically in the right, people recognized only United’s poor crisis communication strategy.

This situation isn’t uncommon. In fact, one study revealed that now more than 25 percent of crises spread internationally within one hour, thanks to social media, and it takes an average of 21 hours for companies to respond externally. Now more than ever, it’s vital that businesses have crisis communication plans already in place specifically addressing social media.

Have a plan.

Does your company have a strategic plan if a crisis were to erupt over social media? If not, it’s time to come up with one. Include:

  • Roles and responsibilities for key communicators within the organization.
  • Up-to-date contact information for executives or department heads.
  • Clearly defined approval process for any and all social media posts.
  • A list of all social media accounts–and passwords!
  • An outline of the organization’s social media policy.

Keep your eyes peeled.

When a crisis hits, it can only take minutes to trend on Twitter. However, there are ways to be proactive. Using environmental scanning tactics, your company should be constantly monitoring the social buzz. Using websites like Keyhole will allow you to automatically track any mentions of your organization or relevant hashtags. This can allow you to abreast of developing issues getting traction on social media.

Communicate internally.

In addition to implementing environmental scanning tactics, make sure you’re actively engaged in communication within your organization. The last thing a company needs during a crisis is two employees contradicting each other with misinformation. Make sure everyone is on the same page with what they can (and cannot) say regarding the crisis.

Join the conversation.

Many social media users will directly mention a company with a complaint or an issue. Don’t ignore these and don’t respond the same way to everyone. Even if the user is in the wrong, people simply love to know they’re being heard. Remaining in line with your organization’s tone and voice, craft a professional, warm and honest response. Even if you don’t quite have an answer for someone yet, try a response such as “@user- we are so sorry X happened, and we are looking into Y now.” It’s not possible to completely control the message when it comes to social media, but remaining active in the conversation can at least allow you to steer it in the right direction before a problem escalates.

Bottom line: Prepare for uncertainty. Social media is now a critical part of crisis communication strategies, and a strong guideline of best practices to utilize social media will help your company weather the storm–and maybe gain a few followers along the way.

For more tips on handling social media during a time of crisis, check out the PR Council’s Guide to Integrating Social Media In Your Crisis Communications Strategy.

 

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On the Record: Crisis Communications

On the Record: Crisis Communications

February 24, 2016January 31, 2023 Sarah HattmanBlog, On the Record, Public Relationscommunications plan, Crisis Communications, crisis PR, Flint Michigan, PR plan

Crisis communications is a vital element to any PR plan. However, all too often it’s more of an afterthought than a key component of the strategy. I sat down with Stephanie Llorente, founder of Prep Communications, who says crisis communications is all about preparation, preparation, preparation.

https://clairemontcommunications.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/02/On-the-Record-Crisis-Comm.m4v

 

How do you prepare for crisis incidents? Connect with us on Facebook.

 

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Is Negative Publicity All Bad?

November 24, 2014January 31, 2023 Cherith AndesBlog, Public Relations, Raleigh PR Agencybad publicity, crisis communication, crisis PR, Public Relations, Raleigh PR

Intern McKenzie Muckerman explores the ramifications of “negative PR.”

Miley Cyrus. Urban Outfitters. Uzbekistan. Kanye West.

What do all of these have in common? It’s simple; these entities have all found a way to thrive on negative publicity. Each of them has spun adverse PR in such a way that has allowed them to stay relevant in the public’s mind.

Shock = Value?

Kanye West and Miley Cyrus make their fortune and gain their fame by cultivating and leveraging media attention. For these two celebrities, it’s all about shock value.

Miley did a complete 180-degree turn when she transformed from a wholesome, Disney Channel star to a twerking, scantily clad performer. Meanwhile, Kanye interrupted Taylor Swift mid-speech on stage and instantly skyrocketed his fame factor. Both of these stars have had VMA performances that garnered more tweets per minute than Super Bowl XLVII, aptly named the “Blackout Bowl.”

For these two stars, infamy and fame are synonymous.

It appears that the media thinks that Urban Outfitters adhered to the same marketing formula: controversy = customers. Recently, Urban Outfitters sold a “vintage-inspired” Kent State University sweatshirt sporting what seemed to be fake blood spatter. As expected, a media firestorm ensued.

Media outlets claimed that the sweatshirt was related to the shooting that occurred at the University during the 80s. Urban claimed that the red dye was part of the vintage look and was not intended to resemble blood. Following Urban Outfitters’ scandalous history in the press, the media didn’t hesitate to implicate that this product was just another ploy for the retailer to broaden its exposure. Note, however, that despite the negative claims, Urban Outfitters still garnered significant airtime and news coverage.

Uzbekistan, a small country in the Middle East, was pretty much off the travel radar until the edgy comedy, Borat, hit theaters in November 2006. The entire film portrays an exaggerated interpretation of ethnic stereotypes and casts Uzbekistan in a less-than-favorable light. However, following the film’s release, travel inquiries to Uzbekistan increased by a staggering 300 percent, and the once unnoticed country is now a viable vacation destination.

The Exception or the Rule?

In all of these instances, negative publicity, without a doubt, amplified their spotlight.

However, there are other instances where negative press has ruined a celebrity, country or company. Tiger Woods and BP are great examples of the anguish that bad publicity can bring. Tiger lost millions of dollars in sponsorships and countless fans. BP lost billions of dollars and the trust of investors and consumers alike.

So, this poses the question: Are Kanye, Miley, Uzbekistan and Urban the exception or the rule?

In the grand scheme of things, Miley and Kanye’s actions pale in comparison to the scandalous nature of Tiger’s exploits and the trillions of dollars of unforeseen damage BP caused the environment and the people of the Gulf Coast.

These were “accidents” that were never supposed to happen. Tiger certainly never intended for his affair to come out, and BP certainly never expected to leak 4.9 million barrels of oil into the Gulf.

Miley and Kanye’s actions, on the other hand, created a conversation and likely achieved what they aimed to accomplish.

Changing the Conversation

Regardless if a response is intentionally sought, non-response to negative publicity marks a missed opportunity. Lack of chatter about a brand is the same as getting a three-star rating; you don’t know where the brand stands. When a brand receives negative PR, it’s not hard to identify what went wrong and opportunities for the brand to improve.

Feedback, whether positive or negative provides a platform to identify opportunities for growth, join the conversation and influence the audience’s experience. It is an opportunity to turn the naysayers into brand ambassadors. Anyone that cares enough about a brand to spur bad publicity cares enough to share positive messages as well, and hence, these individuals warrant careful, heart-felt attention.

As you and your company plan for similar contingencies, take the time now to build your crisis communication team and public relations council. Develop definitive strategy and clear, actionable tactics that address possible situations should they arise. In crisis communication, a swift, strong response can transform negative publicity into positive advocacy.

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