Great Examples of Effective Crisis PR Management

Every organization, big or small, has to deal with an embarrassing situation once in a while. Such situations put a huge question mark on their reputation and credibility but PR experts say that even the worst crisis can be handled efficiently and the situation can be turned around. What is needed is a combination of smart thinking and quick action. There are many examples of excellent crisis management in PR where companies have faltered, done some smart thinking, and recovered classily, getting away with their reputation unscathed. While some companies use online press release sites to share positive news about their organization, others do it using other promotional mediums and tools. Here are some interesting examples of how organizations have moved quickly to manage the PR crisis and deftly defused situations that could have potentially created huge embarrassment for these organizations. The Southwest Airlines Incident Southwest Airlines is a highly respected brand in the airline industry and trusted by its customers. They were rated as the safest airlines in the world until 2018 when this incident happened. On April 17, 2018, Southwest Airlines Flight 1380 took off from New York’s LaGuardia airport in New York but the explosion of an engine forced the aircraft to make an emergency landing in Philadelphia. The explosion resulted in the death of one passenger. Many passengers recorded the footage of their experience creating serious doubts in the mind of people about the safety claims of the airlines. How They Responded: The best thing that happened under the circumstances is that the plane landed safely without causing any more casualties or serious injuries to the passengers or crew. CEO Gary Kelly and his team sprang into action immediately without wasting any time. They swiftly made accommodation and travel arrangements, initiated counseling measures, and put in place several support systems. They worked to deal with the crisis with a clear plan. • Kelly reached out to the family and passengers. • They took out all ads from social media. • Passengers who chose to stay back were informed that support was available 24/7. • Passengers were given $5,000 without any condition. • They were also gifted $1,000 travel vouchers. The airline was applauded for the way in which they handled customers, the media and the investigation. The Crockpot Incident The NBC series ‘This is Us’ reported a mysterious death that a house fire sparked by a slow-cooker, Crockpot, had caused. This led to a fear of using the cooker among consumers. How They Responded: Crackpot made a Twitter account named @CrockPotCares to assuage the feelings of their customers and others. Messages were sent out that their products are rigorously tested for safety. Consumers could DM them on Twitter for any queries. The company strongly emphasized the fact that they had been in business for 50 plus years and sold over 100 million Crockpots with not a single complaint of the nature stated in the NBC show. NBC also stepped up to clear the brand’s name.