This week we shared our firm’s holiday card, the theme of which is to “enjoy the holidays through the eyes of a child.” Many years later, we find ourselves seeing the world through a different lens as Public Relations practitioners. How stories are told, how they are perceived, and how people’s behavior changes as a result all factor into how we view the world today.
Here are, from our perspective and areas of expertise, some of the best and worst PR moments of 2012:
Media Relations
Best Media Relations — The Presidential Debate. The theme of this year’s presidential debate focused on “the facts” and on getting those facts communicated to voters through as many channels as possible, including the media. (For the record, we’re just as glad as the next person that the barrage of political messaging is over, but we did appreciate watching the Binders of Women and Big Bird parodies that played out as a result.) As an example of how dominant this messaging was, CNN employed a Fact Check feature as part of their coverage, keeping this theme consistent within the news cycle. Hats off to both political parties’ communications teams for maintaining the message for so many months, and for keeping the media “on fact.”
Worst Media Relations — The New York Post. The Post’s decision to include a photo of a man on the front page just before he was hit and killed by a subway train has elicited harsh criticism from both the general public and other media outlets alike. The argument: what are the boundaries of ethical journalism? Regardless of the controversy around whether or not the photographer had time to help the man off the tracks, the Post’s editors had time to make a judgment call about whether or not to use the photo. They chose in poor form.
Crisis Communications
Best Crisis Communications Campaign — Local Law Enforcement in Newtown, Conn. In the wake of the recent Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting, local law officers have done a tremendous job in managing expectations of both the media and the general public about what information will be made available, and when. Through clear and consistent communication delivered by the Sherriff’s Department, these officers have taken control of the situation, rather than letting the situation control their crisis response efforts.
Worst Crisis Communications Campaign — Chick-fil-A. By admitting to a reporter that he was “guilty as charged” for discriminating against same-sex couples, Chick-fil-A’s president set in motion a food fight in the form of everything from boycotts to appreciation days that were carried out by proponents on both sides of the issue—not the type of attention a fast-food chain wants. The biggest takeaway from this campaign, as Washington Post blogger Alexandra Petri said best: “Mixing food with politics, as anyone who has attended a Thanksgiving dinner can tell you, is seldom a good idea.”
Social Media
Best Use of Social Media — The 2012 Olympics. Social media took the Olympics by storm this year with more athletes using social media—especially Twitter—than ever before, leading to increased engagement with fans worldwide. Who could resist singing along to the U.S. swim team’s rendition of Call Me Maybe, or trying their best to imitate McKayla Maroney’s “not impressed” face?
Worst Use of Social Media — Celeb Boutique. Celeb Boutique’s misguided #Aurora tweet the day after the Aurora, Colo. theater shooting sparked outrage over its insensitivity. The online fashion retailer, which is based in the U.K. and claims it hadn’t heard the news of the shooting, proved a valuable (and basic, so we thought) lesson: always check why a topic is trending before joining the conversation. Celeb Boutique likely lost thousands of customers that day, not to mention its reputation.
We’re looking forward to what best practices and lessons learned 2013 will bring to the world of PR.