Time to stop saying "no comment" says PR
A Sydney-based PR practitioner is calling for an end to the “no comment” cliche. Consultant Kayleigh Ford warns:
“Avoid ‘no comment’ at all costs; at best it’s hostile and it can even be perceived as an admission of liability. Basically, this is a response that belongs on criminal investigation TV shows.”
There are two schools of thought on the best way to tackle bad news. When Fairfax announced a round of redundancies, its corporate affairs chief Bruce Wolpe took a break. The result was that although the controversy resurfaced with the departure of CEO David Kirk, the initial redundancies story ran out of oxygen after two days.
But other marketers take the approach of absolute openness. When Aussie marketer Tim Pethick’s Sultry Sally crisps came under fire for their fat content earlier this month, he engaged in extended conversation, including on this site, in an attempt to show he had nothing to hide.
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