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In an ever-evolving social media age, it can feel as if there’s always a new celebrity or influencer scandal that commands public attention. In August alone, notable celebrities and influencers entered career-damaging lawsuits, accidentally started a riot and were brought back to life. And that’s just the tip of the iceberg—drama on maximalism-design-Tok likely ended an influencer’s career this month.
Social media is creating layer upon layer of drama that, in some cases, has real-life consequences. And if you’re particularly unlucky or careless, what seems like an online attack could have legal ramifications.
We’re at an apex of crisis response and reputation management. Here are some key insights into the future of crisis communications and what we, as the professionals shaping the brands of public figures, should be doing about it.
A response should be months, not days, in the making
If you’re putting together a crisis response after the reporter reached out to ask for your statement, you’re already too late. Planning for a crisis should always start well before the issue comes up. This way, you can work with the brand to manage the story as soon as possible. This will help mitigate the backlash and rumors that will inevitably start once the public is made aware of the issue.
For instance, when it came out that there were allegations made against Lizzo by former dancers, she didn’t release a statement until nearly 24 hours after the fact. By then, the damage was already done. Negative opinions were already formed and condemnations circulated widely on TikTok, Threads, X (formerly Twitter), Reddit, Instagram—you name it. A concert festival got canceled and Lizzo is no longer in the running for the Super Bowl 2024 halftime show because of the backlash.
Regardless of how the case turns out, Lizzo’s reputation will likely never be the same. While the potential harm caused might have meant damage to Lizzo’s public image regardless of when a statement was made, we’ll never truly know given the amount of time it took for her to speak up.
It’s impossible to predict the future, yet it isn’t impossible to be prepared. Whether it’s a public callout, viral criticism on social media, being made into an unflattering meme, being linked to a problematic influencer or a number of other crises, it’s important to plan for any and all scenarios that could possibly arise.
Hire a crisis management team before you have a crisis. Part of their expertise should lie in identifying concerns and potential crises. If your brand has all the pieces in place before a crisis hits, then it’s more likely you’ll be able to ride the wave instead of getting swallowed up by it.
Be prepared for the court of public opinion
Whether you’re representing a celebrity selling out arena shows or an influencer on their way to one million subscribers, not a single person or brand is immune to the court of public opinion. Information is traveling faster and faster via social media and, at the same time, public patience is thinning when it comes to wrongdoing. Public figures must be aware of how their perceived brand can shift in a mere moment’s notice.
That said, it’s crucial that you don’t allow the public’s response to dictate and muddle your plan forward. Public opinion is increasingly reactionary, however, that does not mean brands can afford to be reactionary as well.
Yes, every celebrity should do their research, know what people are saying and be aware of the discourse while working through a crisis. However, what people are saying shouldn’t affect your brand response in such a way that it drives an impulse decision—making things worse, or elicits an uncontrolled, unintended emotional response. You and the brand you represent should be mentally prepared for what the public could say before they say it. Most of all, don’t let what the public says tarnish an unused, valuable crisis tactic.
Genuinely apologize
While it isn’t in your brand’s best interest to react or lash out due to poor public perception, when appropriate in a crisis, a public figure should be able to offer a genuine apology. Admitting full ownership of wrongdoing can go a long way to earning forgiveness and repairing damage.
A recent example of an apology that could have gone better is the one made by Kai Cenat’s PR team after the influencer incited a riot in New York’s Union Square. While Cenat’s team, AMP Group, did own up to wrongdoing, Cenat didn’t take responsibility.
A better, more powerful apology would’ve been Cenat himself saying those words. Coming from his PR team, the apology seems disingenuous. Since then, Cenat has lost followers and has been unseated as Twitch’s most-followed account.
If the brand or public figure you’re working for is moving forward with a prepared apology, it has to be sincere and come from a place of genuine understanding. From there, that apology should be followed by meaningful, appropriate action. In a world where the public’s perception can change at the drop of a hat, anyone who considers themselves a brand should be able to effectively plan and execute a genuine apology.
Keep building and learning
Social media is fluctuating constantly, and so should the crisis communications strategies you choose to implement. Staying stagnant in an age driven by technology means falling behind. It’s not hard to pinpoint potentialities, and investing in a crisis plan will always pay off.
No brand is untouchable and there is always an opportunity to learn and implement a better crisis strategy. Do the research, watch trends and be on top of it. When a brand is properly prepared, a crisis can be handled, remedied and put behind it instead of it becoming their reputation forever.
