Column
Crisis communication: protecting your brand
A crisis can be described an intense, immediate tension. It’s a critical event, which if not handled in
an appropriate and timely manner, or is ignored, can turn into a business catastrophe. Let’s be clear
– a crisis is different from an issue that needs to be managed. Issue management is about facilitating
communication. It’s anticipatory, focused and responds in a planned manner to ameliorate emerging
trends or changes that can potentially threaten the foundation of a business.
Issue solutions are strategic, negotiated and reached behind
the scenes, not on public stages or on social media platforms.
Crises come unannounced with a bang, and require
immediate action. They can have unforeseen impacts that
seriously jeopardize the company’s assets, profitability and
brand loyalty. When a crisis occurs, quick and detailed
communication is critical to minimize tarnishing a company’s
image. A crisis communication plan allows a company to bolt
from the starting gate, fast and strong.
The problem is that no one wants to plan for a crisis. Business
owners assume a ‘Doubting Thomas’ position – i.e. “It won’t
happen. Why invest time and money in creating a crisis com-
munication plan that will only gather dust?” Well, a crisis
communication plan is insurance. While no one wants to pay
an insurance premium, when disaster strikes, insurance cover-
age is essential. Bottom line: preparing a crisis communication
plan is a sound business investment. Below are some guide-
lines to assist in designing such a plan.
Leadership matters – put a leadership face to the crisis.
In 2008, when Canada was in the throes of a Listeriosis
outbreak, Michael McCain quickly linked his face to the crisis
and publicly acknowledged that his company failed. “Maple
Leaf is accountable,” he said. “Here’s our action plan.”
Contrast that to the delayed action of St. Michael’s College
School when allegations of student sexual abuse arose. It
remained silent and didn’t offer its stakeholders any public
face for the scandal of November 2018. The response was
slow and accountability was lacking.
Be proactive, transparent and accountable.
Acknowledge the incident, accept responsibility and
apologize. With ‘citizen journalists’ instantly uploading content
to blogs and social media channels, reputations can be ruined
in nanoseconds. The tenets of any crisis communication are
to be proactive, transparent and accountable. So acknow-
ledge the incident, accept responsibility, apologize, take
action, communicate your message and move on.
Cooperate: The message and the media matter.
Putting one’s head in the sand is not an appropriate strategy
when facing a crisis. The Canadian Association of Journalists’
ethics guidelines hold journalists accountable for their
professional work. Journalists strive to provide truthful, fair
12 | May 2019 | GRAPHIC ARTS MAGAZINE
and balanced reporting that gets at the truth and protects the
public interest.
McCain’s message was truthful, clear and readily offered to
media outlets. Maple Leaf recalled products well beyond
those that had tested positive for the Listeria bacterium,
contacted all of its direct customers and warehouses and
some 87% of warehouses in the Canadian food chain. St.
Michael’s skirted media questions and blamed privacy
concerns for its lack of communication.
Preparation matters.
When St. Michael’s finally showed its face to the public, its
reps came across as ill prepared and nervous. When McCain
appeared before his accusers, he appeared polished,
knew exactly what the message was and didn’t mince
his words while looking directly into the camera. Planning
and preparation pay off.
Brand matters.
Stakeholders and customers own brands. Businesses don’t.
St. Michael’s lack of transparency and its inertia created a
festering wound that broke a trust relationship with its clients.
Maple Leaf took swift action to recall products. The recall
went well beyond those products that had tested positive
for the Listeria bacterium. To admit to all its customers,
warehouses and distributors that it had failed, provided
its stakeholders with a sense of security that actually
strengthened its brand image. The bottom line is that every
business needs a crisis communication plan that fits its
business needs.
So, once a crisis happens:
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Act immediately
Tell it all
Tell it fast
Tell stakeholders what you’ve done and are doing
Tell stakeholders when it’s over
Get back to work
Caterina Valentino, PhD, is an Instructor at the Ted Rogers School
of Management at Ryerson University and the Faculty of Health
Disciplines, Athabasca University. She can be reached at
[email protected].
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