A PR Disaster: How Social Media Could Make or Break a Company

 As a company or an organization it is important to prepare your team for the worst of worst.. I mean the WORST. We've had so many companies have had mishaps happen and us as the public have noticed that they were not prepared for the mishap. *Cough Cough* Ticketmaster probably has to be the biggest PR disaster that has occurred within the last few years. If you're a "Swiftie" you'll know exactly what I'm talking about. But enough about Ticketmaster, they're already in enough heap as it is. 

It is several reasons why implementing a communication crisis plan would benefit a company:

1. Preparedness: No company is immune to crisis. Being prepared with a communication crisis plan ensures that the company can respond quickly and effectively when faced with unexpected events or challenges.

2. Maintaining Reputation: A well-handled crisis can help protect and even enhance a company's reputation. Effective communication can help manage public perception, address concerns, and demonstrate accountability. 

3. Reducing Damage: Timely and transparent communication can help mitigate the negative impact of a crisis. Without a plan, misinformation and rumors can be spread , causing more damage to the company’s image and operations.

4. Stakeholder Trust: Employees, customers, shareholders, and other stakeholders rely on clear and accurate info during a crisis. A communication plan ensures that consistent messages are delivered to all stakeholders, helping to maintain trust and confidence.

5. Legal and Regulatory Compliance: In some industries, there are legal and regulatory requirements for companies to communicate certain info during a crisis. Having a communication plan helps ensure compliance with these obligations.

6. Internal Coordination: A crisis communication crisis plan helps coordinate internal communication among different departments and teams within the company. This ensures that everyone is on the same page and working towards a common goal.

7. Decision-making Framework: The plan provides a structured frameworks for decision making during a crisis. It outlines roles, responsibilities, and protocols for communication, making it easier for the company to make informed decisions under pressure.

8. Training & Awareness: Implementing a communication crisis plan involves training employees and raising awareness about the importance of effective communication during a crisis. This prepares the organization or company to respond more effectively when a crisis occurs.

9. Continuous Improvement: After a crisis has been managed, the company can review and evaluate the effectiveness of its communication plan. This allows for continuous improvements and refinement of the plan based on lessons learned.

10. Competitive Advantage: Companies that are well prepared and effectively manage crises can gain a competitive advantage. Stakeholders are more likely to trust and support a company that demonstrates resilience, transparency, and effective communication during challenging times.

Implementing a communication crisis plan is essential for companies to protect their reputation, maintain stakeholder trust, comply with legal and regulatory requirements, and effectively manage and mitigate the impact of crises. 

A company that has faced backlash in a recent PR nightmare is a company that we all know and love. We love to get all of our cheap fashions from this site. We all love this site because you could get an entire new wardrobe for maybe $150 or maybe even cheaper depending on how you shop the website and add coupons. You may know them as the fashion website Shein based in China. Shein has already had a few PR nightmares to whereas people questioned that Shein has been stealing designs from up and coming designers and making them their own without crediting them. They also were under heat for the work conditions that their workers are enduring. Reportedly, during the COVID-19 lockdown the company were only paying their workers $3.82 per HOUR! Who could honestly live off of that wage? How are they even surviving? Also, reportedly last year, some has said that factory workers are doing 18 hour days with no weekends, on salaries of just two cents per item. It has also been said that employees were FORCED into just taking off one day PER MONTH.. Why hasn't any of the workers reported Shein for the unfit and unfair work conditions? Why do you guys think the workers continue to slave through these unfit work conditions? 

In Summer of 2023, Shein invited some fashion influencers from TikTok to the factory amid all of the unfit workplace allegations to divert the attention of the heat that Shein was under. Shein thought inviting the influencers would stray away the attention of the backlash of the factory as a harsh work environment. But it only made things worse. The influencers toured the factory as if it was a stellar work environment. The public relations team thought this stunt was a bid to divert the attention and heat they were receiving about their questionable practices. If the public relations team would have practiced #3 & #7 on our list of why implementing a crisis plan would benefit the company. Reducing damage would have helped the company if they would have did the factory tour correctly. Instead of looking to build social media and consumer engagement it should have been a mission to better the company's reputation. Instead of inviting fashion influencers the better alternative should have to invite people who environmentalists, labor activists, or journalists - to come for a campaign directly addressing its business practices. These influencers would have been more credible in addressing relevant issues, leading to a more authentic view of the company’s practices.

As social media engagement climbs, so does the value of influencers, with deep pocketed fast fashion brands offering large monetary incentives to those willing to accept a blow to their reputation. As we talked about before in my blog kids, key opinion leader vs. influencers, fashion brands should steer clear of key opinion leaders that are not led by values, but are motivated by cash. No one can predict a crisis, but everyone should be ready for one, every possible thing that could go wrong should be well though out and a possible solution should be thought out for it. Companies such as Shein need to work inside and out, rather than conducting PR stunts, as they will end up causing more damage and tarnishing their brand, especially in a age where controversy can go viral in an instant.