Case study on crisis management in public relation
Answers
Communications experts praise Coca-Cola’s recent response to criticisms as an example of first-class corporate crisis management. Specifically, they point to The Wall Street Journal op-ed by Coca-Cola CEO Muhtar Kent.
The company came under a storm of criticism after The New York Times charged that Coca-Cola was funding obesity research that attempted to disprove the link between obesity and diet and shift the problem to lack of exercise. The article says Coca-Cola, desperate to halt sliding sales, financed the new nonprofit Global Energy Balance Network. Critics call it a front group created to espouse misinformation and deflect the role of soft drinks in the spread of obesity and Type 2 diabetes
Corporations under fire can look to Kent’s op-ed for guidance when responding to attacks and considering apologies.
Kent outlines the company’s response and admits the company’s misstep while not exactly apologizing in his op-ed, Coca-Cola: We’ll Do Better. In a matter-of-fact tone, Kent takes the accusations head on, acknowledging the accusations that it has deceived the public about its support for scientific research. He defends the company by saying it is attempting to tackle the global obesity epidemic and has always had good intentions.
The speed at which consumers generate information about organizations is surpassing the speed by which public relations practitioners can monitor and verify the validity of such content, in order to respond before, during, and after a crisis incident.