In times of crisis (part 1/2)

This edition covers crisis communications, but I couldn't write about it without acknowledging the very real and urgent humanitarian crisis in Gaza. Israel has manufactured a famine against a civilian population, and created aid collection points where people get killed trying to collect the small amount of aid available. There's plenty of aid available on the border. The situation Israel has designed is dehumanising and unacceptable. Please take action- it all counts and it matters. The blockade of aid must end. The genocide must end.

The past couple of years have produced many case studies of crisis communications to learn from.

• Since 2023, McDonald's, Disney and Starbucks all faced massive boycotts that have affected stock prices and revenues globally.

• In Q4 2024/Q1 2025, many US companies started to roll back their DEI initiatives voluntarily and faced backlash.

• In April, Duolingo's CEO announced that they're shifting to become an AI-first company. He walked back his statement a week later, but the damage was done.

• In June, Spotify's CEO announced an investment in an AI military startup. Artists started moving off the platform.

• In July, a CEO was caught having an affair on camera at a Coldplay concert- a different kind of crisis, but not necessarily a corporate one (I'll explain why). 

Let's not forget the film industry...

Films (as much as they are art, they are also a business) have crises, too.

• Remember the Olivia Wilde/Harry Styles debacle when her directorial debut Don't Worry Darling came out? The issues on set overshadowed the story about the film.

• Blake Lively and Justin Baldoni's feud is another one. A movie with an important message was tainted by one PR disaster after another, damaging not only Lively's reputation but the box office potential of the film. 

How to end up in a crisis

In previous editions, I spoke about the power of branding and how it can soften the blow of a crisis. But that power still has limitations; if a brand doesn't follow through on its promise and if it's not consistent in the message it delivers, its reputation can suffer.

All these companies/productions have mismanaged their crises. And it's not because they don't know how to handle a situation, but it's often because ego gets in the way of making good business decisions. They stop thinking about the audience/consumer/customer and start thinking about a few with vested interests, and develop tunnel vision as a result.

Not all crises are created equal

Crisis management is not fun- I've handled my fair share over the past two decades. It's stressful and unpredictable. But there are ways to mitigate them and avoid them snowballing into full-blown crises. 

This edition ended up lengthy (and hence overdue), so I split it into two parts. But you won’t have to wait two weeks for it! Part 2/2 will come out on Monday, where I will share a crisis communication framework you can put into action for your brand. I'll also share why Astronomer's CEO having an affair isn't a crisis. In the meantime, dig into all the links I shared above and subscribe to Cinemarketing if film marketing interests you.

Happy Strategising,

Nagham