PR Crisis Case Studies in Real Time

Open any public dealing textbook and the section on crisis management will include examples of how organisations have demonstrated best or worst practice. And, its not just the textbooks, as recent incidents (eg tiger Woods or Toyota) have seen plenty of advice from PR experts through online and loving media. But, just as with the dead tree versions, these shell studies are simplistic fictions. Heroes and villains are the main narrative, with a modernist approach reinforcing a recommended crisis management strategy. theres just one way to communicate during a crisis careless(predicate) of the organisation, the situation, the social context or the signifi cornerstonece of the incident. This is the Tylenol way presented as the right approach thanks to the swift action taken by Johnson & Johnson. The in truthity (as previously clarified at PR Conversations as a misleading myth) isnt allowed to get in the way of the lesson. After all, it promotes a way that PR, and organisational management, can be in control and preserve spirit through a few simple steps.Every case carry reinforces the mantra Exxon Valdez is presented as the epitome of poor crisis management too slow to respond. alike Coca Cola and the Belgium mass hysteria case. Whilst the Pepsi needle in a can crisis is hailed, Perriers benzene example is criticised. The nature of textbooks is that authors synthesise cases into blue to understand advice that students can repeat in assignments, and practitioners can recall if they eer find themselves handling a crisis. Its a comfort masking of how to, what not to do, common mistakes and miracle cures.In the social media world of 247 global connections, the right way is repeated only at warp speed. pick out it fast becomes tell it before you know anything. Tell it all means let the media and its rent-a-quote experts speculate about worst case scenarios. Be open means unlimited social media engagement (regardless of what the level-headed or other r amifications may be). Have the CEO (or celebrity if a personal faux pas has occurred) lead communications with mandatory appearances on chatshows, a tour of news stations, and a YouTube apology.Mea culpa the universal panacea Im sorry if anyone resisting the calls is bullied until they comply. The pound of flesh must be paid. They have to apologize publicly even if whats occurred is a matter of private relations or affects only a few people who could be communicated with directly, where contrition would be far much sincere and genuine. Everyone is a critic retweeting endlessly, without checking the candor of any source. Citizen journalism enables individual examples to be retold and extrapolated, without any attempt at verification if used by journalists and treated as absolute concomitant by social media networks.Crisis case studies in real beat have the appearance _or_ semblance pocket-size different to those that have been carefully crafted for retelling in the textbo oks. There is little evidence of the public relations profession reflecting or considering how cases could be handled differently in a post-modernist, complex and chaotic world. A few authors, such as Dawn Gilpin and Priscilla Murphy (Crisis Communications in a colonial World), challenge the simplification of turbulent reality.Isnt it time that their views were at to the lowest degree presented alongside the only way propaganda that is taught on PR courses and espoused in some(prenominal) academic and practitioner texts? And even more important shouldnt more of us be speaking out against those PR and media experts influencing public and node expectations with naive views based on an unrealistic belief that all crisis situations can be easily managed and controlled? Lets have more real life PR case studies that actually reflect the real time nature of managing contemporary crises. And we all might learn something new.