Receiving negative press is a little bit like getting a large and poorly done tattoo — it’s permanent, gives people the wrong impression of you and you need to consciously try to keep it covered. With the media permeating our everyday lives, dealing with this not-so-tasteful tattoo seems like a cruel initiation that many PR practitioners must go through.

So, what can these practitioners do after being under the needle of the press?

media update’s Lara Smit is designing the perfect cover up right here:

1. Nip it in the bud

In order to contain bad publicity, your response to it must be timely. Think of it this way: The quicker you take control of the situation, the smaller the mess is that you have to clean up.

Taking control of the narrative early on also ensures that it won’t continue to be reported on and potentially distorted by the media. Therefore, you can control how the story develops in the public eye.

Although it is difficult to predict when negative press will happen, it is important that you keep an eye out in case it appears.

In these situations, it’s wise for PR pros to enlist the services of a media monitoring company. These services will ensure that the practitioner is alerted whenever a negative story about their client’s business arises. Therefore, you will be in the know and can start formulating a response ASAP!

2. Create a press holding statement

A press holding statement is a small comment that a PR pro provides to the media as soon as they are made aware of any negative news about their business. This type of statement is handy because it allows a business to provide a temporary disclosure of what they are aware of and how they are planning on dealing with it.

It is ideal because it:

  • gives you time to collect all the information and reach an understanding of the situation
  • quiets the noise surrounding the bad press by hindering the media and public from making assumptions
  • shows stakeholders that the business recognises the problem and is working towards solving it, and
  • allows the PR pro to formulate an adequate and fully comprehensive response on behalf of the brand.

3. Formulate a response

It’s crucial that a PR practitioner addresses negative publicity. If they do not, it may come across as an admission of guilt or as if they are completely evading the problem altogether. It also allows a business to demonstrate how well they respond to adversity to existing and potential stakeholders.

A perfect response should allow a business to explain their side of the story whilst still taking accountability for their actions. And, as always, honesty is the best policy. Negative publicity may be bad for a company’s image but being dishonest about negative publicity may be completely detrimental.

Additionally, it is very important for a brand to outline what procedures they are following to remedy the situation and describe what precautions will be taken in future to ensure it does not happen again.

It is also critical that all communication with the public and the media is harmonious. So, it’s important that all team members are well versed in the same messaging to make sure there are no contradictory messages being shared.

4. Rebuild your reputation

Negative press can really bruise a brand’s reputation. So, after a blast of bad publicity, it’s important to do some recon and get that reputation back in tip-top shape. And, one of the best ways to do that is by showing that you’ve changed.

Be proactive and take steps to remedy any problems that were exposed through the negative publicity. Reach out to stakeholders and let them know what you are doing to fix the situation and how they will be affected. It’s also important to find more ways to connect with your audiences and rebuild your relationships with them.

Positive publicity is also a must. Surround your brand with positive stories. You’re already giving back to your community and you have your hand in some charity work. So, this is the perfect opportunity to shine some light on the good things that you do. Get the press involved by inviting journos to charity events. This will allow you to change your character in the news narrative from the 'bad guy' to the 'good guy'.

How do you think PR pros can counteract negative publicity? Let us know in the comments section below.

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Want to know what PR pros can do in other crisis situations? Find out in our article, Crisis management 101: What to do when disaster strikes
*Image courtesy of Canva