From An Under Fire Executive:
“Dear Mo,
I'm the CEO of a well-established company that's recently faced negative publicity due to a product malfunction.
The media backlash has been intense, and our customer trust is dwindling. I feel overwhelmed and unsure of how to address the situation publicly without making matters worse. What steps should I take to manage this PR crisis and rebuild our reputation?”
Well, I’m glad you asked.
First things first, don’t do what Jaguar did.
Last week, Jaguar released what might be the most awful promotional video I’ve ever seen. It had nothing to do with cars or their history as a powerful and luxurious sports car. Just like, they received a lot of backlash.
Instead of responding strategically to the critics (almost every one of their customer base), Jaguar doubled down and their Managing Director Rawdon Glover released a statement claiming Jaguar was disappointed by the "vile hatred and intolerance" directed at their video.
"We don’t want to necessarily leave all of our customers behind. But we do need to attract a new customer base," he added.
Uhh… okay?
If I had been considering buying Jaguar’s new electric car, I’m definitely not anymore.
Heck, people usually buy a car $100K+ car for prestige, and if everyone criticizes and does not like your car, there's no prestige left in it.
Glover’s statement wasn’t just defensive, it validated every critic’s point.
Instead of turning the situation around, he picked a fight with the same customer base that could make or break Jaguar’s new path.
What should he have done instead?
Here are three better options:
1) Be diplomatic, acknowledge the feedback, and turn it around.
“Yes, some of you didn’t resonate with our new approach or promotional video, and that’s okay. The new Jaguar isn’t for everyone. It’s futuristic. It’s different. It’s better. It’s faster. Most importantly? It’s new. And that’s exactly what the video represents. Only the true Jaguar fans will know what that means.”
2) Say nothing at all
Sometimes, silence is the most strategic response. Let the product and the anticipation speak for itself so you can…
3) Use the backlash as fuel
Imagine this: Instead of releasing a statement, Jaguar releases a new series of teaser videos or images showing the car’s “eyes” (headlights) lighting up a futuristic city or outer space with the tagline, “Copy nothing.” (or something else). Jaguar could’ve ridden the wave of critics to create intrigue around the car’s innovation and exclusivity.
So, what’s the lesson here for you?
Right now, it feels like you’ve got a gun to your head.
But as the great Harvey Specter from Suits once said:
“What are your choices when someone puts a gun to your head? You take the gun, or you pull out a bigger one. Or, you call their bluff. Or, you do any one of a hundred and forty-six other things."
Instead of asking how to rebuild your reputation, ask:
How can I use this moment to prove the strength of my reputation?
You’ve got your customers’ attention. Now, how do you keep it? How do you leverage it?
That’s where the real opportunity lies.
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