PR crisis is a PR opportunity ...!

Crisis Management has literature filled with the lists of do s and dont s and countless checklists. Heath ( 1997:289 ) states that if a company is engaged in issues management before , during and after a crisis , it can mitigate - perhaps prevent - the crisis from becoming an issue by working quickly and responsibly. 

Seymour and Moore ( 2000:10 ) use an extremely interesting metaphor to point out two forms of crises.

The Cobra - It is a 'sudden' crisis , a disaster that hits suddenly and takes the company completely by surprise and leaves it in a crises situation. 

The Python - It is the 'slow-burning' crisis which is a result of a collection of issues that steal up on the company one by one and slowly crush it.

While managing a crisis situation , talking to the media is what requires great deal of tact and knowledge. The 5 C's effective communication model is what has been suggested for the spokesperson  to follow. 

This model explains the 5 attribute which the spokesperson should exhibit on the behalf of his organization . They are Concern , Clarity , Control , Confidence and Competence. 

How ever well a crisis is managed from an operational perspective , it is how an organization communicates about the crisis that makes the real difference. The right kind of communication strategy can indeed transform a crisis into a PR opportunity.


Watch this brief video which elucidates how the right kind of communication can save your life.

This was just a generic example of how can a situation be managed. Approaching crises in Public Relations requires exactly the same kind of thoughtfulness , wit and spontaneity. The ever popular Shilpa Shetty controversy at Celebrity Big Brother , tarnished her image in India for reasons more than one . But , her publicist Dale Bhagwagar was at her rescue and very smartly created an opportunity out of the crisis she was in ,using the PR machinery.