Why Public Relations Professionals Should Handle a PR Crisis

1. Why Public Relations Professionals Should Handle a PR Crisis In the simplest of definitions, a Public Relations Miami crisis is anytime a company or individual receives any negative or damaging publicity. However, there is a difference between a little bad press and a crisis. In order to constitute a crisis, a situation must usually have a detrimental impact on sales, customer acquisition, or general brand perception. How each person or company defines detrimental will vary. Below are some of the most common types and examples of public relations crises. Lawsuits Lawsuits are almost never good for business. Companies are sued every day over a myriad of issues but, some are more public and more damaging than others. Those that become public will most likely create a public relations issue. Lawsuits can be just as damaging to an individual’s brands as they can to that of a company. Lori Loughlin, most well known for her role as Aunt Becky on Full House, is a recent example

2. of that. She was a well-regarded and respected celebrity. Until she was sued for using bribes to get her child admitted to an elite university and then showed up to court full of smiles and even signed autographs. Many Public Relations Pprofessionals would have handled this situation much differently, advising her to act remorseful, taking the lawsuit against her seriously, and refraining from signing autographs. Many of the other types of events which can lead to a full-blown public relations crisis can also end up as a legal matter if not handled properly. Recalls and Safety Issues In the product-based world, there is often no greater public relations crisis threat than a product recall or safety issue. Not only is it immediately detrimental to a company’s bottom line, it can permanently tarnish a company’s reputation. In April 2019 Fischer Price recalled some 4.7 Million rock-and-play sleepers after more than 30 infant deaths were reported. Fischer Price is one of the most well-known child brands and they are likely still reeling from this massive recall. Recalls don’t just apply to products, however. Politicians can be recalled as well. In December 2019, the mayor of Hialeah, a city within Miami-Dade County, Florida, was threatened to be recalled. Despite not going through, this potential recall created a dire need for proper handling of his Public Relations in Miami area. It is possible that without proper crisis management, the attempt to recall could have been a success. Labor Relations Another common type of issue that can escalate into a legal case and bring a great deal of bad publicity is labor relations. It is quite common to hear about employee strikes due to unfair treatment or safety issues on the news.

3. Though, it is important to note that some companies are large enough to sustain such scandal. There have been multiple labor relations issues surrounding online retail giant Amazon. As previously implied, whether an issue becomes a crisis can be relative to the individual or company. In this case, at least publicly, it would appear that Amazon is no worse for the wear despite multiple labor relations issues the past several years. This is likely due, in part, to their team of Public Relations Professionals. Other companies do not fare so well after such issues. These are just a few of the many types of public relations crises that can emerge for individuals or a company. Whether you need Public Relations in Miami-Dade, like Mayor Carlos Hernández, or find yourself in the midst of some other type of crisis, it is always best to work with public relations professionals. They are the experts at how to handle the publicity and will often have the perspective to see the best way to mitigate damages from any crisis.