Is Bad Publicity Useful in PR?

In the olden days of the pre-social media era, there used to be a saying that “all publicity is good publicity”. For a while, this seemed to be true, especially for celebrities in which case it’s better to be notoriously known rather than remain invisible.

However, if you’re selling a brand, product or service, bad publicity is not a useful PR strategy. Therefore, the old saying “there’s no such thing as bad publicity” is inaccurate. Here’s why:

1. Bad publicity damages your reputation Negative press can erode trust and loyalty in a brand, leading to lost customers and partners. Rebuilding a tarnished reputation can be a long and expensive process.



2. Not all awareness is good While bad publicity might raise brand awareness, it’s associated with negativity. People are more likely to remember the bad aspects than the brand itself.

However, if you’re willing to take some risk, here are some rare cases where bad publicity may have a silver lining:

1. Unknown brands For completely unknown brands, negative publicity can create some awareness, though it’s a risky gamble.



2. Turning the tide If a company quickly and transparently addresses the negative press and takes corrective actions, it can potentially lessen the damage and even show good character.

Nonetheless, these are rare exceptions. Most of the time, it’s better to focus on positive PR that builds trust and a strong brand image. Here are some foolproof PR strategies to consider:

• Crisis communication plan Having a plan in place for how to deal with negative press can make a big difference in how well a company weathers the storm.



• Transparency and authenticity Being honest and upfront with the public during a crisis can help to rebuild trust.

Turning bad publicity around

Regardless of how carefully you navigate yourself, mistakes still happen inevitably. While bad publicity can be a blow, it’s not a knockout. Here are some steps you can take to turn things around:

1. Own the issue Avoid making excuses or deflecting blame. Take responsibility for what happened and acknowledge the impact it had. This shows humility and that you take customer concerns seriously.



2. Be truthful and transparent Don’t try to downplay the situation or spread misinformation. Be upfront about what happened and explain the steps you’re taking to address it.



3. Offer a sincere apology If you were in the wrong, a heartfelt apology can go a long way. Show empathy for those affected and express your regret for the situation.



4. Take action to fix the problem Don’t just apologise, take concrete steps to prevent the issue from happening again. This demonstrates that you’re learning from your mistakes and committed to improvement.



5. Communicate effectively Get your message out clearly and consistently across all channels. Be proactive in addressing media inquiries and customer concerns.



6. Show your positive side Don’t let the bad publicity drown out the good things you’re doing. Highlight your positive initiatives and contributions to the community.



7. Leverage your supporters Reach out to your loyal customers, brand advocates and followers. Their positive feedback can help counter the negative narrative.



8. Be patient Rebuilding trust takes time. Don’t expect things to turn around overnight. Focus on consistently demonstrating that you’ve learned from the experience.

As the saying goes, to err is human. It’s normal to be caught in crisis now and then. What’s more important is how you use your less-than-ideal situation as an opportunity to turn things around. By following these steps, you can turn bad publicity into an opportunity to show your character, win back trust, and emerge stronger than before. Better still, get in touch with us to make sure that you won’t ever make that mistake in the first place!