Crisis Communications

A. The best way to respond to any crisis is to first acknowledge the situation. Of course, every situation will vary in what can be discussed openly due to legal concerns, but brands that either lie or cover up a situation only make the matter worse. As far as addressing specific crises, you’ll want to act fast with your agency, legal counsel, and company leaders.

A. First off, the best crisis communication strategy never needs to be used. We never want a crisis to take place and would rather just plan for it—but we know as PR practitioners that they happen. The key components of a crisis communications plan include understanding spokespeople for a crisis and how they will communicate, having a crystal clear understanding of messaging and ensuring those spokespersons stay on point, understanding the threat and severity of the crisis and the impact on the business, and doing everything to mitigate the situation in a timely manner.

A. Addressing negative content about a brand on social media amid a crisis can be challenging. It is also very difficult to ascertain the right response without knowing the brand and the crisis at hand. Inaccurate content is easier to address during a crisis. Negative content may be a consequence of the crisis and that is tough to avoid. However, inaccurate content and misinformation can and should always be addressed.

It is best to consult with an experienced PR practitioner in the event of a crisis. Bear Icebox is fortunate enough to have senior-level leaders who have been through a number of crisis situations across a variety of industries.

A. It is crucial to keep PR and communications efforts afloat during a crisis. Most likely, the efforts will pivot to containing the crisis and, later, determining a path forward to create goodwill and positive stories that reach the target audience impacted by the crisis.

A. This is where your key messaging will really need to be polished and up to date. Get your organization on the same page immediately. In the meantime, make sure no one is posting or sharing anything that has not been approved or discussed.