Bad press can be sudden, disruptive and potentially devastating. Any brand on the receiving end of social media backlash, a misinterpreted campaign or an unfavourable news story is likely to think the worst – but negative press doesn’t have to spell disaster. In fact, when handled strategically, it can be an opportunity to reframe your narrative and come back stronger.
In this blog, we’ll discuss how to turn negative press into positive PR success, and how this could be the unintentional making of your brand.
What is negative press?
Negative press refers to any public communication that damages a business’ reputation, including negative media coverage, poor customer reviews, social media criticism and viral scandals or product failures.
Detriments of this kind often lead to a loss of customer trust, financial decline, long term reputational damage, and reduced employee morale.
News travels fast, particularly when it’s bad, and no matter how technical or crafty your attempts may be to cover your tracks, you can never completely erase something once it’s online. That’s why offering a proactive and transparent response is the best way to deal with a PR crisis.
The cost of ignoring a crisis
Despite feeling under intense scrutiny, responding to bad press is part of the recovery process and will help with damage limitation. If you don’t set the record straight first, others – that being the media, critics, and consumers – will make their own judgements for you.
There’s also risk of serious financial and legal consequences in a PR crisis. In some cases, especially where regulatory or ethical breaches are involved, silence can be interpreted as negligence – opening the door to investigations, fines, or lawsuits. Failure to address serious issues like consumer safety concerns or data breaches can transpire into costly legal action, so confronting the issue head-on should limit financial fallout.
What to do if your business receives negative press?
Honesty is the best policy
Owning up to your mistakes earns people’s trust and respect. Although it may feel exposing and vulnerable, holding your hands up when you’ve done wrong shows you’re not shy of taking accountability.
KFC’s iconic chicken shortage in 2018 is a great example of how taking ownership can get people back on your side. Rather than dodge responsibility, the brand ran a cheeky “FCK” Ad, acknowledging the mistake with humour and humility. The public loved it, and the brand quickly regained goodwill. In most cases, avoiding the problem is much worse than if you were to address matters straight away.
Identify the root cause
Surface-level responses no longer cut it as customers and the wider public expect details – which means answers. What went wrong? Was it a policy failure, product flaw, or internal miscommunication?
Addressing and then fixing the root issue shows that your business is serious about improving its operations, and is taking preventive measures to ensure history doesn’t repeat itself.
Open communication
Remaining silent during a spell of bad press speaks volumes and leaves time for inaccurate assumptions to spread. It might be via a social media announcement, a press release or a company blog, whatever your preferred method of communication is, a well-timed apology can calm public outrage and mediate the situation.
As long as the message is clear, consistent, and compassionate, those effected are likely to appreciate the transparency and timely communication, regardless of what caused the crisis.
How to change a negative to a positive
Even the most damaging press can be flipped into a positive with the appropriate crises management.
Look for the good
It may be difficult to find the positives when you are in the thick of a scandal, however, there will be ways that you can shift the spotlight to your strengths if you look hard enough.
Automobile manufacturer, Volkswagen, managed to redirect public perception after their “Dieselgate” emissions manipulation. Having found irregularities in tests designed to measure carbon dioxide emissions, the company faced widespread investigations, fines, and reputational damage. In response, they invested heavily in electric vehicles and sustainability messaging to create a new identity around innovation and accountability.
Leverage storytelling
A campaign which inspires, motivates and moves can work wonders, even if the damage is considered brand destroying. Take Nike, for example, who’s reputation was tarnished after their poor working conditions were uncovered.
The backlash they received as a worldwide company was, as expected, off the scale, and yet they managed to reconnect with the public through a campaign which captured real employee stories and community programmes. It was emotional and human centred storytelling, which resonated with their audience and allowed for the realignment of brand values.
Feedback for improvement
Negative reviews are free advice disguised as customer complaints, so whilst it shouldn’t be the aim to receive them regularly, they can be turned into opportunities for change.
If a product or service is under fire, make it better and keep your audience involved every step of the way. Publicising updates, especially when it’s based on customer feedback, shows that you’re taking on board their advice and evolving to the needs of the people.
Recruit influencer support
When trust is shaken, partnering with respected influencers, industry experts, and loyal customers can help restore it. Third-party voices play a vital role in changing opinions and winning over the public, all because of who they are and what they stand for.
Authentic advocacy is often more influential than a long-winded communications plan, providing it’s the appropriate figure for the campaign and brand.
Don’t let negative press define you
What can feel like a major setback doesn’t have to be the end story. When managed carefully and strategically, even the most challenging PR crises can be turned into opportunities for reflection and growth. The key is to respond swiftly, take ownership, communicate openly, and show a genuine commitment to making things right.
We can help you find the right words and the right way forward when dealing with a reputational hiccups all the way through to full-scale crises.
