Rules Of Reputation Management During A Polycrisis: How To Deal With The Media

From an uncertain economy and the climate crisis to inequality and the transformation of work, the ongoing polycrisis shows that businesses can be hit by unforeseen events at any time. But can a strong relationship between the marketing team and the media help safeguard a brand from long-term damage?

With reputation inextricably linked to the bottom line—some?say?accounting for 63% of a company’s market value—it’s clear that marketing has an indispensable role to play when unexpected events happen. In my last?article,?I discussed prepping your marketing team to be crisis-ready. Here, I’ll focus on the equally important matter of nurturing a strong relationship with the media.

Get that crucial first statement right.

When something goes wrong, CMOs teeter a fine tightrope. An announcement should be given to the media as soon as possible to quell speculation, rumor and misinformation. How do you craft this well-informed statement while the clock’s ticking?

Start by assembling as many facts as you can about the incident, disregarding anything you can’t verify. Meanwhile, monitoring social media can help gauge what the public is saying about the disturbance to shape the emotive tone of the statement—should you offer an apology?

Understand that the media are your allies.

Think of writers as storytellers who can shape a narrative to explain what’s happening. As the maelstrom hits, identify a journalist who you trust and are confident will represent the facts truthfully. (Specialist journalists with knowledge of your sector are always good here.) Then, before releasing your general statement, have a chat with them. This journalist will be your sounding board on how the story might shape externally, and their questions will help you realize how the story might develop if not carefully guided.

Tailor your message to different audiences.

At the start of the century, the typical comms response to a crisis would involve hastily organizing a press conference, with your message transmitted by a hand-picked troop of TV stations and newspapers. Now there are 5,000 outlets that could be considered “newsmakers”—bloggers, podcasters, YouTubers and even social media trolls. This babel of voices means that sometimes only a small sliver of your carefully crafted message will break through.

To combat channel fragmentation, compose different responses: a one-page for news journalists; market-centric versions with different levels of urgency; messages that address the concerns of different parts of the audience; and a five-word response for social media.

Normalize the crisis.

If something goes wrong, adopting an all-guns-blazing position risks inflaming the story. Keeping a cool head may signal this is an insignificant issue they shouldn’t be wasting time on. Above all, though, never remain silent or issue a “no comment” response; media muteness insinuates guilt and evasiveness.

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Craft a message for the crises you live in.

During each crisis, find elements of hope to show how things can look different if you shift your perspective.

This is certainly the case for us at VistaJet. During the Great Recession of 2008-2010, when “sharing economy” startups such as Uber and Airbnb were helping people save money, our marketing refocused from the advantages of flying private to the specific benefits of flying on a shared fleet you don’t need to own. When commercial airlines were grounded during Covid, we offered free flights for repatriation and moving medical products, showing how critical our infrastructure is to everyone, not just the wealthy. During the Ukraine war, we supported our colleagues based in the area with their relocation efforts.

Today’s polycrisis is no different. Look for opportunities to drive a new storyline and share why your business makes a positive difference. A crisis is a time to enrich your discourse and highlight elements of your business that wouldn’t usually be reported on.

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Communicate with honesty, transparency and facts.

The quickest way for any brand to win trust during a crisis is with honesty. As?consulting firm McKinsey puts it, “choose candor over charisma.” If a spokesperson exhibits greater compassion, it can inspire greater confidence.?One 2021 global survey?found that staff was more willing to go “above and beyond” if their leader displayed greater vulnerability.

The stark truth of many crises, though, is that people get hurt. People should always be your prime concern. Put them first and offer a heartfelt message of compassion and support. Attempting to dress up bad news with a spin will make people feel misled or that you’re trivializing their concerns.

Remember the way former BP boss Tony Hayward handled the 2010 Deepwater Horizon disaster? It was the biggest marine oil spill in history, resulting in 11 deaths and 134 million gallons of oil being dumped into the Gulf of Mexico. Yet, Hayward was widely denounced for his lack of empathy, shifting blame onto other employees (telling U.S. Congress that he “wasn’t part of the decision-making process in this well”) and tone-deaf blunders, such as telling media “I’d like my life back.” Hayward’s missteps are a case study on the curriculum of business schools—for good reason.

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Don’t get into a fight.

Tempting as it might be to start debating with whoever is attacking your business, antagonistic reactions can be ruinous. If the other person (whether a journalist or Twitter troll) is overreacting and you mirror their level of emotion, it suggests your company is giving credence to that argument.

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Don’t dignify irrelevant requests with a response.

Unfounded commentary will always slither its way into the media during a crisis. But commenting on them could soon become forever linked with your brand, as news stories are not as disposable as the paper they’re printed on. When the crisis has petered out, online articles will still stick to your brand and remain attached to your SEO history.

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In conclusion

Crises are mentally and physically exhausting. But they also put your brand under the microscope, illuminating its strengths, weaknesses and the truth about how others perceive it. Put simply, they’re the perfect stress test for your company and can help it come out more robust and ready for the next challenge. And that’s a skill all businesses will need in their armory as the polycrisis continues to keep us company.

This article was originally published on Forbes:

https://www.forbes.com/sites/forbescommunicationscouncil/2023/03/31/rules-of-reputation-management-during-a-polycrisis-how-to-deal-with-the-media/?sh=130a607c17eb