Tuning the public relations machine for crisis

Companies around the world seem to have down-shifted their usual mass-market, flashy-ad campaigns to opt for more targeted and subtle forms of communication. This comes as no surprise, with almost every crisis in the past giving rise to two trends: companies begin squeezing their communication budgets and shifting their spending away from expensive communication campaigns to more cost efficient public relations activities. At the same time, they scramble to protect and preserve their image by calling on the “spin doctors” or public relations practitioners to reassure shareholders and consumers. Both trends ultimately lead to a greater demand for effective public relations (PR) services. One example of turning to PR in crisis was when Australian company James Hardie Industries was accused of poisoning homeowners with its asbestos filled products. The first thing JHI did was hire spin doctors to try and divert audiences’ attention away from its unethical practices. During the