Lies, Leaks, and PR Disasters That Could Have Been Avoided
When a book about the history of modern day mishandling of PR crises is written, it will include examples from both the corporate and political scenes.
From the corporate scène. the sagas of Boeing, Wells Fargo, Volkswagen, the tobacco industry, the National Football League and BP are sure to be included. There was one common thread to all of their problems: They were made worse by not telling the truth.
Prime examples of making a PR crisis worse was the handling of Boeing’s 737Max problems, Wells Fargo fake accounts, Volkswagen cheating on government emissions tests, the tobacco industry executives swearing that they didn’t know that their products could cause devastating illness, the National Football League denying that concussions can cause brain damage and BP’s handling of the Deepwater Horizon oil spill.
From the political scene, prime examples were President Nixon resigning because of his involvement in Watergate crimes, President Clinton because of his involvement with Monica Lewinski and President Trump who was impeached twice, once because of abuse of power and obstruction of Congress, the second time because of his involvement in the Jan. 6 insurrection.
Now President Trump is involved in anther crisis. How did a journalist get added to a Signal group discussion with top Trump officials discussing a U.S. military strike on Houthi rebels in Yemen? The great majority of the intelligence community says that the meeting divulged classified information. Members of the Trump administration are split. Some say the information discussed was classified, others, including the president say it did not include classified information.
Despite the dueling sides, one thing is clear, the situation is a true PR crisis that has been made worse because the most basic rules of how to react during a crises was broken – tell the truth, don’t let bad information trickle out and don’t blame others, all of which have made what could have been a one day story by saying, “it was a mistake to invite Jeffrey Goldberg, editor-in-chief of The Atlantic, to the meeting and we are taking steps that such a situation never happens again.” The incident came to light when Mr. Goldberg wrote a story titled, “The Trump Administration Accidentally Texted Me Its War Plans." After those at the meeting said that the information was not classified, and attacked Mr. Goldberg, calling him names, he released the full text of the meeting.
All of the above crises provide two things 1) They provide semester-long courses in how not to handle a PR crisis and 2) How to make a PR crisis worse.
PR crisis strategies are the most similar programs offered to clients, even though I was the first PR practitioner to say decades ago that “PR crises are not like clothing; there is no one size fits all and each need different strategies.” So this essay will not follow the usual PR crisis proposals. Instead its theme is “How Not To Make a PR Crisis Worse.” And it’s very easy to do so.
So, below are 11 top-line not-to-do specifics. Not following them can result in making a PR crisis worse.
Do not panic if a negative story about your client appears. What to do: Unless the article is about a major happening, wait a day or two before responding. That’s because most negative articles have a short shelve life. Responding too fast might result in giving a one or two-day story legs. The exceptions are if the article contains illegal activities, injuries or loss of life. Then consult with the client’s attorneys to formulate a response.
Never ignore a journalist’s inquiry. What to do: Immediately notify your client about the inquiry and together craft a reply. Ignoring the reporter’s question usually results in the reporter’s thinking that you are stonewalling or hiding something and can result in more aggressive journalistic tactics. But you don’t have to reply until you have researched the facts of a situation. Tell the reporter that you’ll have a statement after you research the facts.
If a reporter says he’s on deadline and must have an immediate response to a question, do not rush a reply.
What to do: Rushing a reply usually leads to providing incomplete information, meaning that often it will have to be retracted as new details are uncovered. Instead, tell the reporter that you will get back after researching the question(s). Remember: A journalist’s deadline is not your problem.Don’t let yourself become victimized by a media feeding frenzy during a prolonged crisis.
What to do: If the crisis is of long duration, don’t let bad news trickle out. Get it all out ASAP. An occasional interview with the CEO, especially at the beginning of a crisis, is an option, but not recommended. News and statements can be posted on a website. Also, consider email interviews with beat reporters from time-to-time.When speaking to the media, always tell the complete truth. Why: Misleading or lying to journalists will result in additional negative coverage as reporters try to ascertain the truth.
Never answer a question with a "no comment." Why: Explain why you can’t answer the question. Answering “no comment” can be interpreted as being fearful of telling the truth.
Don’t answer "what if" questions. Why: Doing so can open up a new line of questioning by reporters.
Never try to shift the blame for a crisis.
Why: Doing so always results in additional negative coverage because reporters will report on responses of the accused entities or individuals.Don’t only rely on your friends for advice. Why: During a PR crisis seek advice from colleagues who you might not like or do not normally work with. A fresh eye sometime sees things differently that account handlers too close to a situation might not see.
Do not agree to have your client do a taped TV interview during a crisis. Why: Taped interviews can be edited before televised in a manner detrimental to your client.
Always consult with the client’s corporate attorney before issuing a comment to the press about a crisis. Why: There is only one objective during a PR crisis: Protecting your client and not making matters worse. That’s why it’s important to clear all responses to the media with the client’s attorney.
Young PR practitioners should never let higher-ups pressure them to mislead reporters during a crisis—or at any time—because long after the crisis fades, those reporters will still be around. So it’s important to stay on good terms with them. Because in the future you may need their help.
