We’ve spent the past several years studying and grappling with how Public Relations can bring success to fresh produce marketers. One thing we know beyond a doubt is that our industry can win and be better at PR if we are able to avoid using tactics that brands fall victim to out of laziness or desperation. So, as we bid farewell to an action-packed 2016, we’d like to call out a few cringe-worthy Public Relations Fails (#PRFails) that remind us every day what NOT to do when communicating on behalf of the fresh produce brands we love so dearly.
#PRFails of 2016
Passive-aggressive Pitching
This email physically hurts me as a PR professional because nurturing relationships to build a brand’s image is critical. A passive aggressive email mixed with an impersonal salutation is the last way to get an influencer to care about your brand. In fact, it will likely become an example of what not to do. We often forget that not only do influencers talk amongst each other, but they also have significant social media followings. This email ended up on an influencer’s Instagram story for all 60K of her fans to see. Thankfully, she didn’t expose the person or brand, but that doesn’t mean this couldn’t have been a potential crisis.
Lesson: Ensure that those speaking on behalf of your brand understand your brand values and speak to them in all external communications.
Leadership Behaving Badly
I can’t possibly address 2016 PR fails without speaking about the election nightmare resulting from Donald Trump’s leaked interviews and debate behavior. While Trump’s victory suggests that his approach wasn’t a total PR failure, it’s no secret that his candor got him some serious flak from the media. Without these blunders, the future President could have focused more on the issues instead of defending his ill behavior. For Trump, his brand and his personality behind closed doors became one-in-the-same.
Lesson: Leaders need to be media trained and prepared prior to all on or off camera interviews, and should be conscious of behavior during a digital age where anything can be videotaped or recorded and posted to social media.
Capitalizing on Current Events – Tactful vs. Tasteless
In what might be the biggest #PRFail of 2016, San Antonio-based Miracle Mattress posted a Facebook video advertising their “Twin Tower Sale.” Without any knowledge that the team had posted it, the company’s CEO was forced to issue an apology and the content was removed as quickly as possible. However, so many people had already shared it and it went viral in the worst possible way – the store was forced to shut down as a result of the negative press.
Lesson: If you’re going to leverage a current event or pop-culture reference, run it by your communications and leadership team. Having a crisis communications thought leader will ensure that you’re not crossing the line from tactful to tasteless.
It’s important that we step into 2017 with an emotional intelligence and awareness that everyone is a content creator now. PR has become a massive discipline since we are all able to publish content through social media – comments on a brand’s Facebook page, videos of our experiences with food, and blog posts just like this one! A consciousness of this makes the difference between a brand that proactively and successfully tells its story versus one that struggles to keep up with what everyone else is saying.
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