PR In A Time Of Change: Managing Communications Strategy As The Pandemic Continues

IT is likely that fewer than five per cent of commercial organisations worldwide had a planned crisis communications response to a global pandemic before 2020.

Almost every company across the globe scrambled to respond when COVID-19 hit, with nearly every area of business affected whether via direct sales, finances, supply chain or employee and public safety.

Many months later, it is clear that COVID-19 is here to stay for the foreseeable future and every company is working to make the necessary adjustments in order to evolve.

While some organisations sat tight and stayed quiet during the initial outbreak, the response of others was highly visible – both good and bad, in some cases with a direct repercussion on their sales or reputation.

Alongside the PR and marketing challenges of the pandemic, there is now a much stronger visibility of societal issues, and a growing sentiment from the public that all companies should be demonstrating a commitment to positive change.

Now, even the most robust 2019 crisis management and corporate affairs plan can seem outdated and companies need to reassess their communications strategies in order to be fully aligned with today’s normal, and to ensure continued positive public sentiment.

Media House International has published a comprehensive report, PR In A Time of Change, which addresses these issues and outlines the necessary adjustments needed for ongoing communications strategies, whatever the organisation.

Now, more than ever, social media and 24/7 news cycles mean that a crisis risks bringing irreversible reputable damage to a company or individual in a matter of days or even hours.

With that in mind, the more prepared a company can be in advance, the easier it will be to tackle a corporate crisis effectively and efficiently.

The full report can be viewed here.

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