The 3 stages of a communication crisis and how to handle each one

In today's era of social media information explosion, recognizing and managing communication crises is not only the job of communications specialists but also a matter of survival for every Business and Brand, especially major Brands.

With information spreading rapidly by nature, social media communication crises easily escalate and damage a Brand's reputation and credibility, threatening a Business's growth and very existence. This article takes a closer look at why it matters to recognize the 3 stages of a crisis and how to handle each one.

Why it matters to recognize the stages of a communication crisis

A communication crisis rarely erupts and resolves itself overnight. It is a process with a beginning and an end. Although it may flare up and subside within a short window, every crisis leaves lasting consequences for the Brand. In 2001, McDonald's faced criticism from vegetarian and Hindu communities worldwide after reports that its french fries contained beef extract. Lawsuits followed, and the Brand ultimately agreed to pay roughly USD 10 million in compensation to the plaintiffs.

For that reason, recognizing the stages of a crisis early and anticipating how it will develop gives a Business greater confidence in handling and preparing for it. Each stage also calls for its own distinct response strategy to contain the spread and minimize the damage. Recognizing the stage allows a Business to apply the response methods that fit it.

The 3 stages of a communication crisis

Origination

In the origination stage, social media communication crises begin with negative feedback or rumor posts on small personal pages, private groups, or unofficial fanpages. Discussions start to break out, and they may name the Brand directly or use variations of the Brand name. These posts are intended to express negative emotions, customer dissatisfaction, or unfair competition.

Because they originate from many different sources, Brands find them very hard to capture and track, or fail altogether to identify and anticipate these latent crisis risks. Recognizing this stage early is decisive in limiting the spread, or in preparing a plan in time for the escalation stage that follows.

In the origination stage, complacency can lead to failing to grasp the seriousness of the issue and to misjudging its impact and the resulting damage. This is the decisive stage for quickly recognizing the problem and beginning to prepare for the escalation that follows.

A well-known case of a Brand recognizing a crisis too late is Samsung with the Samsung Galaxy Note 7 fires and explosions in 2016. Roughly 15 days passed from the first reports of battery failures, fires, and explosions in the Galaxy Note 7 until Samsung announced its decision to recall the entire product line. The incident had a severe impact on Samsung's Brand image. The company suffered heavy financial losses and lost credibility in the minds of consumers. Samsung decided to withdraw the Galaxy Note 7 entirely from the market and recall units already sold, while offering replacements and refunds to consumers.

Escalation

A media crisis is considered to have entered the amplification stage — and to be spreading rapidly — when posts begin appearing on major news and press outlets. Because the press is a mainstream news channel and the place where the public turns for official updates, it has a powerful impact on a media crisis and significantly accelerates its spread.

At this stage, businesses need to stay alert and be ready to coordinate their response with the press in order to manage the narrative being published, maintain positive engagement with the community, contain the crisis, and limit the damage.

Escalation

In the escalation stage, public sentiment toward the brand drops sharply. The overwhelming majority of discussion carries negative sentiment. "Anti" groups and brand boycott communities form on social media, concentrating large volumes of negative conversation. Sales decline as consumers no longer want to buy the products or services. To cope with this stage, a brand needs a long-term strategy to resolve the situation and rebuild its reputation.

In 1982, Tylenol, a Johnson & Johnson product, became one of the most famous brand crisis cases in history. A number of Tylenol bottles sold on the U.S. market had been laced with lethal cyanide. On September 29, 1982, deaths linked to the use of Tylenol were reported. Coverage of the incident spread across the media, creating widespread panic and fear among the public. Tylenol faced enormous risk as consumers avoided buying its products.

Out of concern for safety, Johnson & Johnson decided to recall all 31 million bottles of Tylenol nationwide, incurring heavy financial losses — but the company treated customer safety as its highest priority. Johnson & Johnson did more than recall the product: it worked closely with the police and the FBI throughout the investigation. It accepted responsibility and did not shift the blame onto anyone else. Once it had confirmed the product was safe, Johnson & Johnson released a new Tylenol line with tamper-proof caps. The brand also took the initiative in driving positive industry-wide changes to ensure product safety.

Johnson & Johnson succeeded in restoring customer trust and even strengthened its reputation in the process. Its commitment to safety and social responsibility allowed it to emerge from the crisis on a positive note, while reshaping industry standards to ensure product safety for all consumers.

See also: 8 risk management steps for businesses

How to handle a media crisis and contain escalation

Identify the content and source of the crisis early

Using a Social Listening tool can help businesses detect the early warning signs of a media crisis. Monitoring social media, online forums, and news coverage makes it possible to pinpoint the origin and scale of the issue.

Respond quickly and appropriately

A rapid response is the key to keeping the situation under control. Businesses need a rapid response team that is ready to release accurate information and put consistent measures in place to minimize the damage.

Understand and harness the power of media correctly

During the amplification and escalation stages, understanding how to use media is critical. Building a positive communication strategy and crafting strong messages can reduce the negative impact.

Monitor continuously and anticipate how the crisis will develop

Continuous monitoring and forecasting are the keys to preventing escalation. Track shifts in public sentiment, identify new issues that may emerge, and adapt your strategy over time.

Conclusion

Recognizing and handling a media crisis requires a sharp instinct for information. Crisis management calls for a rapid response and a clear grasp of how to harness the power of media to control the situation and protect your reputation. By understanding the three stages of a crisis, along with the strategies for addressing it and real-world examples, businesses have a reference they can apply to their own crisis management process.

Learn more: The damaging effects of a media crisis