Effects of negative PR on a brand. The primary task entrusted upon a PR resource is to keep a company’s image clean and positive and, to steer clear of any negative news. Negative PR in media is something that every organization faces off and on. However, companies can regain their footing if handled tactfully, whereas mishandling of the issue may permanently damage the public perception. Negative publicity affects how your clients view your business so much so that this could result in financial losses. In today’s time and age, people associate different businesses with their brands. Bad reputation has the potential to damage your brand equity in the long term. Inaccurate information in promotional marketing messages can result in customers having a negative perception of a business.
A brand must acknowledge bad press, and if at fault, must fix the problem, broadcast the fix, and monitor carefully so the problem doesn’t recur. If not at fault, they must counter honestly with facts. Plenty of times, a brand is caught off-guard and the media picks up on something which the brand is not aware of. If this happens then the brand should respond immediately and transparently, to show their concern, to the public. An organization’s character is measured by its action once an apology or statement has been issued. The key for every brand is, to regain and build the trust of clients, employees, and the public et large.
Publicity and reputation have a direct impact on the performance of any business. Hence, it is important for a brand to ensure that it enjoys a positive reputation most of the time. In today’s world, consumers have become more discerning and have numerous options to choose from. Negative publicity can result in a business losing its customers to competition. Due to the presence of stiff competition, it is important for brands to take care of their public perception. They must undertake all possible ways to overcome bad publicity. This is because incase of negative publicity this brand will find it difficult to attract the best talents in the job market. Not only that, the current employees of the brand also feel demotivated, which, in turn, ends up having adverse turnover hence poor productivity. APA