How to save brand reputation through a crisis

Crisis communications is essential for all businesses and never more than now with companies restructuring in the face of the global credit crunch. Crisis communications is designed to protect and defend an individual, company, or organisation facing a public challenge to its reputation. Whether it’s a labour dispute, industrial accident/incident, boycott, or product recall there needs to be a clear corporate response.

“The Chinese use two brush strokes to write the word “crisis.” One brush stroke stands for danger; the other for opportunity. In a crisis, be aware of the danger, but recognise the opportunity.” President John F. Kennedy.

While a badly managed crisis can leave a brands reputation at rock bottom, if a company’s crisis communications planning is rigorous then some positives can be gained from even the worst event.
At Loop PR we prefer not to encourage companies or organizations to simply fire-fight during a crisis and then mop their brows when it passes. As a minimum we help companies to realise the potential benefits of addressing the below as well:

1. Demonstrate it has changed the process or behaviour which led to the damaging event and that it is already working to ensure it doesn’t happen again
2. Provide adequate restitution for the harm caused (sometimes these are determined in the courts regardless – if not acting on the ‘front foot’ sends out a good signal)
3. Be prepared to work openly and honestly with regulatory bodies to find sector-wide solutions and protocols to prevent and mitigate similar events … become the flag bearers for a new way of working
4. Offer a recovery plan to demonstrate to other stakeholders - especially the investment community if the company is publicly traded - that its business and operations will be made whole again.

Over the course of the next few weeks we will approach all elements of crisis communications to help you better prepare for a crisis. Articles to follow will include: the crisis manual, the role of the senior management team, ground rules and principles, preparing for a press conference, tips for dealing with the media and who’s who of brands who suffered by taking their eye off the ‘social media’ ball.

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