Crisis communication
A crisis cannot be planned, but it can be prepared for. The first few hours decide: who speaks for the company, what they may say, who signs off statements and how fast it reaches journalists, staff and customers. A company that settles these questions mid-crisis loses time, and speculation fills the gap. So most crisis communication happens before it is needed.
What we deliver
- Risk analysis and scenarios for the most likely crises
- A crisis manual: roles, sign-off process, contacts and statement templates
- Media training for spokespeople, including rehearsing hostile questions
- Support during a crisis: statements, media responses, internal comms
- A post-crisis review and update of the manual
A manual you can use at three in the morning
A crisis manual is not a document for a drawer. It must say who hears about a problem first, whom they call, who decides what is said and who says it. Alongside that, statement outlines for the most likely scenarios — an accident, a product recall, a data breach, an allegation against an employee — so in a crisis only the facts need filling in.
A manual only works if people know it. So we periodically run through it on a practice scenario: it shows which contact is out of date, who is missing from sign-off and how long a first statement really takes.
Fast, truthful and with one voice
A few simple rules apply in a crisis: respond fast even before all the facts are known; say nothing that may later prove untrue; and speak with one voice. “This is what we know so far, and we will update at such-and-such a time” beats a silence journalists will fill from other sources.
A spokesperson must handle hard questions on camera. Media training therefore rehearses exactly the most uncomfortable situations — repeated questions, interruptions, off-topic challenges — so the spokesperson does not improvise in a live interview.
A crisis and advertising already on air
When a company is in a crisis, its own advertising can hurt it: an upbeat spot airing while the problem is in the news looks tone-deaf. Because media buying sits in the same team, we can quickly pause or adjust the campaign within the cancellation terms negotiated at purchase.
We follow the crisis through media and social monitoring to know what is being said about the company, where and in what tone — and adjust the next steps accordingly.
Frequently asked
- Is it worth preparing for a crisis that may never come?
- Yes, because preparation is cheap and improvisation is expensive. A crisis manual and spokesperson training cost a fraction of what a late or wrong response can cost the company. They pay off without a crisis too: a spokesperson who has been media-trained handles everyday interviews better as well.
- Can you help when a crisis is already under way?
- Yes. We first establish the facts and what has already been said, then prepare a first statement and a process for media enquiries. Without prior preparation it is slower, because roles and sign-off have to be sorted out on the go. In a crisis, call the phone number on this website straight away — the form is too slow for that.
- What does crisis communication cost?
- Send the inquiry form for a concrete proposal.
Related services
Media monitoring and evaluation
What is said about the company and its competitors, where, in what tone and with which messages — and what it means for the next steps.
Read more →17Media relations and press office
Press releases, handling journalists’ questions and long-term relationships with newsrooms — so the company is covered accurately, on time and from its own material.
Read more →02Negotiation and buying
The rate card is only the opening bid. We negotiate terms, book the space and make sure the campaign runs as it was bought.
Read more →