PRIA President: social media is a ‘train smash about to happen’
President of the Public Relations Institute of Australia, Terri-Helen Gaynor, says many professionals fail to understand the damage social media can do to their brand.
Gaynor, speaking at the Mumbrella360 conference, cited last week’s social media backlash involving Eddie McGuire to show how big names fail to see the damage they can do to their business.
“I live in the real world and I wake up every morning to a train smash about to happen, or one that has happened,” said Gaynor. “Why? … It’s about egos and the individuals that get bigger than the organisation and the game,” she said, making reference to recent comments by a number of leading media personalities such as Rebecca Wilson.
Head of the PR industry body, Gaynor stressed that professionals needed to learn it doesn’t matter who they were and that social media is simply another form of communication.
“I can usually spot in a client’s team who’s going to be the issue, who’s going to be the one to get this organisation in trouble,” said Gaynor, who is also the CEO of PR agency Reputation.
Gaynor said it was unfathomable that some big-name brands have failed a social media policy. She said all professionals should avoid making comments in public that they wouldn’t say in person.
“Would Eddie have said what he said to Adam, if Adam had been in the room? Absolutely not,” referencing last week’s controversy over remarks made by Collingwood President Eddie McGuire in regard to player Adam Goodes.
Gaynor said that consumers aren’t stupid and that brands, be they individuals or companies, must be accountable and take responsibility.
“Say sorry quickly, clearly and sincerely,” she said.
Damon Meredith
topics
Terri-Helen Gaynor
And never, ever, try to fudge it, like Eddie did, by blaming tiredness and “a slip of the tongue”,etc..
User ID not verified.
Are Rebecca and Caroline Wilson sisters?
User ID not verified.
No. Caroline is the daughter of the former president of the Richmond Football Club in the AFL and Rebecca is the daughter of the legendary News Ltd overseas correspondent Bruce Wilson. Poor subbing to link the two highly respected jopurnalists just because they have similar family names.
User ID not verified.
train smash? who they were? they’re no longer who they are? garbage.
so the main lesson here is dont say something offensive or racist, if the people you are talking about can hear you?
right.
User ID not verified.
derp
User ID not verified.
Interesting article. Train wrecks are the norm in a society that lacks shock value. I would be surprised if it wasn’t a publicity stunt.
User ID not verified.