By: Kevin Winfield, Managing Director of The Jargon Group
There’s an expression that “all publicity is good publicity” with some brands leaning into this mindset and actively trying to be controversial or provocative to generate media attention. However, for most business and the majority of those that work within communications, this tactic is incredibly risky. A brand’s longevity often lies in its ability to foster a positive brand perception with its audiences and in order to do this, must maintain a positive media persona.
Negative press can be extremely damaging for a brand and in an increasingly digital world where everyone is connected to some form of social media platform, a simple mishap or flippant quote can be easily exaggerated, taken out of context and go viral within moments. In this situation, a company’s response to a PR crisis can make or break its reputation.
Assess and Address the Situation
The first step in dealing with negative publicity is to first assess the situation carefully to understand the severity of it. Not all bad press will warrant the same level of response - some issues may fade quickly while others will demand immediate action. If the matter is minor, a simple clarification or corrective action will do the trick but if it is more severe, a comprehensive crisis management strategy might be necessary.
Once you have a greater understanding of the situation, you can address is appropriately. One of the biggest mistakes businesses facing negative media attention is to ignore it in the hopes it will fade away. This can often lead to more speculation that will add fuel to the fire. When a company faces an a media misstep, acknowledging the issue openly can help diffuse frustration. If necessary, a well-drafted statement that demonstrates awareness and empathy can shift the tone of voice and help you take control of the narrative.
Take Responsibility and Provide Solutions
Taking responsibility, if needed, when facing criticism or negative press can often be the first step in a business taking control of the situation and demonstrates a commitment to rebuilding trust with its audience. The public want transparency and honesty and so giving them anything less will often backfire.
Organisations need to take a proactive approach when dealing with negative publicity that may include a sincere apology, clarification (without seeming dismissive or defensive) and demonstrating a willingness to change. Instead of placing blame elsewhere, audiences will often respond better to businesses who are willing to learn and improve from their negative media attention.
Learning from the Experience
It’s important to remember that negative publicity will often fade away eventually (as long as you don’t fuel the flames) and brands are able to rebuild their public perception beyond a crisis. However, it’s also crucial that a company recognises that this situation occurred and instead of trying to erase it from the history books demonstrates a commitment to learning from the experience. This could be a business reshaping its core values, refining messaging or changing internal operations, brands that are more likely to bounce back are those that learn from their mishaps.
Negative publicity is inevitable for any brands but it doesn’t have to have devastating consequences on a company’s overall reputation.
If you’d like to learn more about dealing with bad press and turning that negativity into an opportunity, contact our award winning team on hello@thejargongroup.com
