Public Relations - PR done well can boost an individual's
image or a business's revenue immeasurably; done badly it can have the opposite
effect. Driving Growth based in the UAE
PR, can help businesses use PR to it's maximum effect to ensure the
required positive impact is created.
Making a Bad Situation Worse
Whilst PR in itself doesn't directly undo any damage done by a business, it can negate the effects of the damage, or at least minimise them. Again though, it has to be said that done badly it can actually make the original issue much worse. The following are examples of just such a scenario.
United Airlines
It would be difficult not to include United Airlines in this. The background is that the airline faced having to eject a number of passengers from a flight due to them needing the seats for staff, that's already starting to look less than great. It got much, much worse when one of the passengers chosen to be de-planed refused to leave, and was subsequently manhandled off the plane, suffering injury in the process. The PR disaster that followed made a bad situation worse, with the airline's CEO not doing the best job of making the situation better thanks to some unfortunate wordings in statements. The airline has since settled legal claims with the passenger, for an undisclosed amount. For sure, it will be less than the upwards of $250 million wiped off of its share price.
Uber
Uber, the taxi company, similarly did themselves no favours by trying to take advantage of a strike by a taxi drivers' union who were protesting at Donald Trump's travel ban earlier this year. Uber announced it was reducing the price of fares by dropping the JFK airport surcharge. The online community saw this as effectively crossing the picket line, and many deleted the app from their phones in protest.
Pepsi
Pepsi, the soft drinks giant, ran an advert in April 2017, using model Kendall Jenner. The ad showed Jenner deciding to join a protest movement, and taking a can of the soft drink to a policeman at the demonstration. She handed him the can and he drank, smiling with thanks. The ad did not go down so well with protest groups, claiming it belittled their efforts and portrayed the relationship between police and protesters in the wrong light. The ads was swiftly dropped by Pepsi.
These are three very current examples of how good intentions can be misinterpreted and result in negative PR for a company and, for sure in the case of United Airlines, cause huge financial loss.
If you wish to find out how Driving Growth can help your company with its Public Relations activities, visit them.
Making a Bad Situation Worse
Whilst PR in itself doesn't directly undo any damage done by a business, it can negate the effects of the damage, or at least minimise them. Again though, it has to be said that done badly it can actually make the original issue much worse. The following are examples of just such a scenario.
United Airlines
It would be difficult not to include United Airlines in this. The background is that the airline faced having to eject a number of passengers from a flight due to them needing the seats for staff, that's already starting to look less than great. It got much, much worse when one of the passengers chosen to be de-planed refused to leave, and was subsequently manhandled off the plane, suffering injury in the process. The PR disaster that followed made a bad situation worse, with the airline's CEO not doing the best job of making the situation better thanks to some unfortunate wordings in statements. The airline has since settled legal claims with the passenger, for an undisclosed amount. For sure, it will be less than the upwards of $250 million wiped off of its share price.
Uber
Uber, the taxi company, similarly did themselves no favours by trying to take advantage of a strike by a taxi drivers' union who were protesting at Donald Trump's travel ban earlier this year. Uber announced it was reducing the price of fares by dropping the JFK airport surcharge. The online community saw this as effectively crossing the picket line, and many deleted the app from their phones in protest.
Pepsi
Pepsi, the soft drinks giant, ran an advert in April 2017, using model Kendall Jenner. The ad showed Jenner deciding to join a protest movement, and taking a can of the soft drink to a policeman at the demonstration. She handed him the can and he drank, smiling with thanks. The ad did not go down so well with protest groups, claiming it belittled their efforts and portrayed the relationship between police and protesters in the wrong light. The ads was swiftly dropped by Pepsi.
These are three very current examples of how good intentions can be misinterpreted and result in negative PR for a company and, for sure in the case of United Airlines, cause huge financial loss.
If you wish to find out how Driving Growth can help your company with its Public Relations activities, visit them.
Tags: Abu Dhabi PR, UAE PR, Dubai PR
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