When handled well, negative publicity can eventually transition from anger to forgiveness.
How a particular firm should respond to negative publicity is generally related to the company, its business strategies, the nature of the publicity and the company's predetermined public relations plan. Most companies outline publicity response initiatives within the PR section of their marketing plan.
Negative Publicity
Negative publicity is essentially media coverage that presents an unfavorable and usually undesired message about your company or brand. This can result from ongoing business activities that the media covers over a period of time. It can also result from specific events that present your company in a negative light. Company or employee scandals, product or service problems or negative experiences shared by customers are among common events that trigger negative publicity.
No Such Thing
There is no such thing as bad publicity. This is a common adage associated with public relations. The general premise of this statement is that it is often better for companies to receive news mention, even if it's negative, than to be ignored. Many companies and celebrities seemingly attract negative attention ahead of promoting new products or services. However, the real truth about this statement is that the way a company handles the negative publicity usually impacts the long-term ramifications. When companies manage negative publicity well, the attention either goes away or can turn positive.
Proactive vs. Reactive PR
Proactive and reactive PR are the two common strategies outlined in a firm's PR plan. A proactive plan outlines positive brand messages the company wants to promote through PR channels. The reactive plan includes an audit of all known issues that could come up in publicity. Developing a thorough reactive plan is one step all companies should take in preparing to effectively handle negative publicity. Additionally, the reactive strategy should address handle negative publicity that is unexpected.
Approaches
A first consideration in a reactive PR strategy is what to do initially. Some companies prefer to issue an immediate statement following negative publicity, while others prefer to wait 24 hours to digest the news before choosing react. Falsehoods or misconceptions are often best addressed with an immediate and direct denial or correction. Silence may show as guilt. Potentially true and damaging issues may require a more calculated response that may include an apology or an attempt to deflect attention from the issue. Ultimately, the key is to regain public favor as quickly as possible. Assertively and genuinely addressing failures and quickly providing a positive resolution to public outcries can help expedite the process of public forgiveness.
