Reputation matters more than ever in a rapid news cycle

Reputation matters. As communications professionals, this fundamental principle remains, regardless of the speed of the modern news cycle.

The recent Heathrow Airport fire and the cyber-attack that Marks & Spencer is dealing with have demonstrated that fact clearly. Contrary to some commentary, how a business or individual responds to a crisis can still be extremely damaging in the long term, even if coverage has died down relatively quickly. This is particularly true for a high-profile business such as Heathrow, especially when the impact of a crisis ‘cuts through’ to the general public. Similarly, when a retailer like M&S is affected for such a long period of time, public sentiment will be severely impacted.

While the news cycle has, largely moved on, it will be no surprise to see a concerted effort from Heathrow to counter the reputational damage that the organisation has experienced in the last week. In any industry, but particularly a high risk one such as airlines, a trusted, pre-existing reputation can be an effective buffer during a crisis, so this should not be a purely reactive exercise. We await to see the true impact on M&S’s reputation.

The mechanics of our current news cycle mean that there will always be a temptation to lay low in the face of a crisis. Far from having a positive impact on crisis management, this is bad practice and can have damaging repercussions.

Some may get lucky in the face of a crisis, but sticking your head in the sand can focus the spotlight if the story does cut through to the public. Heathrow’s CEO Thomas Woldbye has experienced the sharp end of this, having been criticised for going to bed before the decision to close the airport was made. Whether or not this was the right decision or not, it has left the impression that Woldbye did not take control of the growing crisis.

With more media sources reaching a wider audience than ever, the impact on an organisation can be even greater. Larger, more high-profile organisations may be more at risk, but we never truly know what will cause the outrage to fuel a crisis that connects with the wider audience. This is where the speed of an organisation’s response can be crucial – getting on the front foot to manage an issue can limit the spread.

Social media is the wildcard factor in crisis response and the industry is still working out how (and if) it can be dealt with. Poorly timed images can stick around on the internet and influence stakeholders much longer than through a traditional news cycle. Today’s mass media also means that conversations continue long after mainstream coverage has moved on. With so many stakeholders potentially perceiving crises differently to one another, as comms professionals, our statements must be strong, clear and transparent.

Far from making it easier to move on from bad publicity, managing a crisis is now a more complex task, but the fundamentals of effective preparation, clear lines of communication, transparency and strong leadership remain as important as ever.