They say there’s no such thing as bad press, but that’s not strictly true. Brand awareness increases, but brand credibility and trust will plummet. We’ve seen evidence of that recently after car manufacturer Jaguar’s incredibly terrible rebrand. They got loads of negative press after a series of poor adverts, leading to their share price dropping and many people claiming to never buy cars from them again.
The bottom line is that you do not want bad press! But what happens when you receive negative press coverage for whatever reason? It could be because of a bad rebrand, or perhaps someone has spoken out against your company. Whatever the cause, here’s what will stop the negative press from causing permanent damage to your brand:
Don’t act on impulse
Impulsivity is the biggest marketing blunder a business can make. Never act on impulse when there’s bad press; it usually leads to more mistakes and even worse PR. When your business is in the news for the wrong reasons, it’s only natural to want to speak out right away. Unfortunately, this usually leads to the wrong things being said and holes being dug.
Instead, take a step back and analyse the situation. Look at what the bad press is about, collect your thoughts, and address the situation. Ensure people know you’re aware of it before making an official statement. You can’t let emotions get the better of you, or it will make the situation spiral out of control.
Change the narrative
News websites and broadcasting services will try to create a narrative around your business during bad PR. Your task is to take this narrative and change it. Otherwise, the public will go along with the media and believe everything they say. It’s a tough task, but you should start by addressing the facts and clearing up any misinformation.
Be open about everything as you address the media and explain what actually happened. Even if the stories are 100% true and your business is in the wrong, you can still alter the narrative by apologising. Present a sincere apology to anyone involved and provide genuine solutions to the issue. This may involve paying compensation or changing the way things are done in your business – regardless, it shows you’re trying to make amends, which shifts the narrative and paints your business in a better light.
Counteract bad PR with good PR
Bad PR can be something as simple as some bad reviews for your product/services that make their way into the press. One individual’s bad experience with your business could be enough for news agencies to publish stories. So, you should counter bad PR with good PR. A public relations firm will help with this, and the idea is to feed positive new stories to publications highlighting some of the good things you’re doing.
It can’t be too obvious, which is why seasoned PR professionals are needed. This is also something you do after the initial fallout once you’ve managed to adapt the narrative. Some positive news stories over a few months will change the perspective of your business and boost brand credibility once more.
Bad press will do long-term damage to your brand if you ignore it or let it fester. Take action to stop it from hurting everything you worked to create. The right approach following a PR crisis can turn it into one of the best things for your business in the future!
