Crisis Communication for the PR Agency

communikaytrix — Wed, 19 Aug 2009 18:50:06 +0000

Like many PR pros, I sat cringing when I watched the debacle of the PR agency promoting a social media book who made the grossly elementary mistake of spam emailing a roster of journalists and bloggers and not even bothering to BCC. But the firm is enduring enough shame at the hands of Twitter and blogosphere, and it isn’t my agenda to humiliate my industry peers no matter how offensive I think the mistake is.

However, I do think this is a great opportunity to talk about crisis communication and relationship repair.

As I watch the situation evolve I’m seeing a turn in the reactions of people. While the initial fury was over the gall of the mass email/BCC, media and PR people alike are now asking why on earth the offenders haven’t spoken up.

If the offenders had spoken up in the first place, I’m pretty certain the situation wouldn’t have escalated quite so severely. Those of us who weren’t aware it was happening might never have known. But the viral nature of the Internet is full speed ahead as we await a response. Right now, silence is about the same as “no comment,” and it’s giving people no choice but to assume they can’t be bothered or even worse, simply don’t care.

At this point, I’d suggest the agency CEO draft a letter of apology to all the reporters and send it out as quickly as possible. I’d continue by suggesting he comment on the blogs of the bloggers and reporters who have covered this, and also contact them directly with a request for a personal conversation to explain and make good. In addition, considering the traction it’s getting on Twitter, I’d take the opportunity to respond there too, as well as reach out the people Tweeting about it.

Like anything else in the world, an apology and speed of responsiveness go a long away in preventing a situation from escalating. What else do you think the offenders could do to make good on this gaffe?

Rachel Kay

photo credit: Daquella Manera

The Art and Foolishness of Tying PR into Tragedy

communikaytrix — Mon, 03 Aug 2009 20:15:25 +0000

Doug Haslam, one member of the social media-savvy PR authorities over at SHIFT Communications, tweeted the other day about the potential horror of pitching a client for comment in response to a tragedy.

Richard Laermer and Kevin Dugan, the minds behind the both feared and respected Bad Pitch Blog, have posted on more than one occasion about the insensitivity (and often stupidity) behind leveraging a disaster to promote a client.

I completely agree that stretching a pitch beyond the realm of reason to garner coverage by jumping on a tragedy is one of the poorest PR tactics around.

That being said, I also believe there are times when your expert might offer much needed insight and education, and I believe it’s important that PR people feel empowered to seize those opportunities when it makes sense. Michael Jackson’s death created a devastating blow to his fans but also begs many questions about drug dependency and proper protocol for the prescribing of drugs. Could your hospital’s anesthesiologist shed some light on the chemical properties of the drugs found in Jackson’s system? I think so.

What about a devastating plane crash? Is it appropriate to offer a luggage company for comment? Absolutely not. But an aircraft engineer might be able to comment on any technical issues that may have lead to the accident.

Just like any pitch, it’s important to ensure the expert and angle are appropriate and that you offer information of value and importance to readers. What do you think? Do you think it’s ever okay to tie into a catastrophe to secure mention of your clients? Do you have any examples of a time when you were able to offer value for a news outlet in response to a tragic occurrence?

Rachel Kay

photo credit: irishcameraman.tv

CommuniKaytrix - Upfront Commentary on PR, Social Media and Communications » crisis control

Crisis Communication for the PR Agency

The Art and Foolishness of Tying PR into Tragedy