Brand disasters of 2022: what we’ve learned from Optus, Qantas and Splendour in the Grass
Brand strategist Nikki Weaver writes on how Optus, Qantas and the Splendour in the Grass Festival all provided us with great case studies on how not to handle a PR catastrophe.
It’s been a tough year for big brands, and despite having entire PR teams at their disposal, many of them seem unable to effectively manage a brand crisis.
Sure, big budgets and high profiles bring bigger risk and larger, more public mistakes but this year, Optus, Qantas and the Splendour in the Grass Festival all provided us with great case studies on how not to handle a PR catastrophe.
It’s too early to say whether Optus will ever recover their credibility after the data leak scandal, however my guess would be that such a serious matter won’t be easily forgotten by the public, especially those whose safety was compromised.
Spot on Nikki. Your 5 golden rules don’t just apply to a PR crisis. This list is relevant to anyone who engages with customers. Mistakes happen, it’s how you handle them that matters.