Communication Crises: Vying for Attention, Who cares About the Victims

Yesterday morning I was communication and digital communication with a Public Relations executive.

She specialises in managing crises - from a communications point of view.

She detailed the tactics one follows, before, during and following the crisis inducing event; how one identifies and then focuses on stakeholders and stakeholders' communication channels. And she gave me examples of what happens in such cases. How the stakeholders often pich up cudgels and staves in favour of the victims (real or purported).
The victims are usually the employees of the corporation.

Let's take the example of a corporate "reorganisation" -- i.e. firing of employees en masse.


As I listened to her describe the stakeholders involvement, during & post event ,  realised a number of things.
Two stand out: they illustrated the utter folly of self-centred selfishness of all actions involved

1) Consumer organisaitons rallying in favour of Boycotting the corporation (to teach them a lesson): obvious boomerang effect, especially for the smaller subsidiaries  of multinationals. Hitting the company where "it hurts the most" safely results in the loss of more jobs as the corporate numbers no longer add up.
So, more lay -offs.

 But, does anyone care - other than the employees and their friends and families? Which brings me to the second realisation.

2) No stakeholder actually cares about the stakeholders; unions, consumer organisations, local municipalities, etc, outdo one another in their  efforts to captivate attention and push forward their own agenda - basically their own awareness and PR campaign.


Stakeholders couldn't care less about the victims. If ever anything good comes out of any of the usually vociferous mobilisations pursuant to a crisis inducing action, it is fortuitous.


Had the stakeholders been really interested, the would have campaigned long and hard to attract global attention - even for a legendary 15min! Hit corporate equity where it hurts most: the corporate image. Research and come up with real dta; present said data. Go global, try to go viral with it. And put the vistims first.

Ain;t gonna happen.
Victims are alone... except for happy coincidences. Maybe.

Let us, at least, drink to the health of these victims. More than their job, in many countries they also lose their medical care.