Not all PR horror stories are created equally.
Some are a casual joke at a major business conference – Gerald Ratner and his “cr*p” jewellery comment.
Some are a serious maths vs marketing error – Hoover’s free flights competition.
Some involve a CEO wanting “his life back” after one of the worst environmental disasters in US history – BP’s Deepwater Horizon horror – aka “Diddums“.
Others might simply involve using Ai to create unrealistic expectations of a deeply average chocolate “experience” in a Glasgow warehouse.
They vary hugely.
Some are honest mistakes and others just reek of sheer arrogance.
Either way, it is somebody’s job to clear up the mess.
Typically, the PR team.
“But Greg….we don’t HAVE a PR team?!
“Halloween is on the horizon and somehow you’ve magically inserted a hypothetical horror story into my marketing mind and I don’t know what to do!”
First of all, we’ve all seen the films.
- Don’t go into the basement.
- Don’t split the group up and head off in different directions.
- Don’t ignore a cat that hisses at “nothing” or a dog whimpering as if a Nazgul has drawn nigh.
Meanwhile, back in the real world, it pays to have a plan.
For British comedy fans, you will be relieved to know that it need not be hugely cunning on the Foxometer but you will have to embrace an element of calm vs going full-on Lance Corporal Jones.*
Luckily for you, my brave reader, you can enter the woods fully armed, flashlight in hand, thanks to my free guide on handling a PR crisis.
Click HERE to access it but whatever you do, don’t look behind you, as you’ll only trip up on that root sticking out in the middle of your PR path!
Until next time, sleep easy. Just check under the bed first though eh? Can’t be too careful.