We constantly see examples of public relations gone wrong in the news, cases where organizations neglected crisis prevention and are left to fight the resulting fires. In an article for Crisis Manager, titled 10 Hidden Ways to Sink Yourself in 2010, Jeff Chatterton uses real examples to demonstrate ways your organization can find itself in crisis. One of my favorites:
Watch your competitors burn with glee (aka ‘afflicted competitor syndrome)
When “Balloon-Boy” Falcon Heene was dominating the CNN feed one afternoon last fall, I received a phone call from one of the largest manufacturers of ballooning equipment in North America. Obviously, this manufacturer had NOTHING to do with the Heene family… that contraption was entirely home-built. Nevertheless, by the time I received a phone call, the company had received over fifty (!) media requests for interviews.
If your competitor does something dumb, don’t assume it reflects ONLY on them… especially if you share a territory, a technology or a customer base. No matter how awful your competitor is, their bad day can quickly become yours as well.
Failing to prepare for the sins of others can lead to an unwanted need for crisis management!
The BCM Blogging Team
https://www.bernsteincrisismanagement.com/