Always communicate in a crisis

For this week's #StratCommsintheNews Managing Partner Julian Macharia explains how the laws of nature always apply - particularly in a crisis.

US musician Macklemore recently cancelled an October concert in Dubai over the United Arab Emirates’ role “in the ongoing genocide and humanitarian crisis” in Sudan. The UAE's failure to respond has created a vacuum and into that vacuum has flowed a stream of new articles about a grave subject that had long fallen below the radar.

In the last few days alone, the brilliant Declan Walsh has written 1,000 words on Sudan in the New York Times, The Economist has done a cover story, briefing and spectacular data visualisation. And the ever-prescient Alex de Waal got an impassioned piece into the London Sunday Times.

By not responding to Macklemore, the UAE has allowed those who desire peace and food for the people of Sudan to get the country back onto the front pages. We can learn from their mistake and from the communications savvy of those trying to keep Sudan in the news.

When facing a crisis, it is important to communicate as soon as possible, no matter the situation. The wait and see approach has never really worked - yet more so in this digital age. You don’t even need to have all the facts, what you want to do is to acknowledge there is an issue, show that you are processing it and that you are doing everything to find out what happened.

This works whatever the crisis.

Quick communication buys you more time and demonstrates both respect and concern. Vacuums create space for misinformation, fear, rash decisions and your credibility. And in this case it allowed advocates for Sudan to get their message across.

The UAE foreign ministry offered no immediate comment on Macklemore’s public statement, nor did the city-state’s Dubai Media Office. Organisers last week announced the show had been cancelled and refunds would be issued without explaining why. The event organisers, the Government officials, the City authorities have all failed to communicate, leaving room for others to control the narrative.

In this example, it's the "good guys" that have filled the vacuum but it works the other way around to.

If one of your branded cars is involved in an accident, don't shut down. First of all, it's your moral responsibility to inform colleagues so they don't find out about it on social media. And then you should inform the wider public what you are doing: trying to find out what happened. This buys time and it buys respect.

Nature abhors a vacuum.

Advocates for the people of Sudan have exploited this fundamental rule of nature to get Sudan the attention it needs. A catastrophe is unfolding in Sudan. The UAE's Macklemore mistake has allowed Sudan to get back onto the world's radar.