Faint of heart? Avert your eyes. This is the dark side of Crisis PR.
Other side getting under your skin?
Take a deep breath. Hold it for 5 seconds. Calmer now? Good.
Let’s think this through. What do you really want to achieve?
A burst of anger may make you feel better — for a moment. But the rage returns, and the cycle repeats. You’ve accomplished nothing.
It’s much sweeter to get even. Avoid cheap shots. They’re quick and easy, but they seldom stick or inflict real damage.
You must play the long game. That takes commitment, time, and strategy.
Define the other side’s weak points. Better yet, his single weakest point. Go there. It’ll hurt him the most.
This is the flip side of our business. Usually, Crisis PR strategists protect reputations from damage and restore luster to tarnished ones. Their lesser-known role is undermining reputations of others. The more effectively they do it, the quicker the other side sees the wisdom of settling to make the pain stop.
Litigation is good. Publicizing it to exert pressure is even better.
Examples abound.
- A big entertainment company wanted to use a small firm’s trademarked material. So it took it. Didn’t ask permission, let alone pay for rights. The small firm fought back, filing suit and publicizing it around the world. Shaken by the harsh spotlight shining on it, the big company folded its cards and settled.
- An investor sued a well-known wealth manager for mismanaging his money and losing nearly all of it. The financial media loved the story, and the wealth manager’s well-polished image suffered. Other clients shied away, and business dried up.
- Infighting created a schism in a nonprofit. Each side was competing to serve the same audience. Backbiting was nasty. Those getting beaten up by the media sought our help. What to do? Steer the media to a storyline that’s more favorable to you and undermines your opponents. The other side lost its initial edge and never recovered.
Define the other side’s weak point. Attack there.
For a deeper glimpse into our world, see our book on Amazon, A Lawyer’s Guide to Crisis PR: Protecting Your Clients In & From the Media.
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You can reach Roger Gillott and Eden Gillott directly at 310-396-8696.
Gillott Communications is a Los Angeles-based public relations firm that specializes in high-stakes Crisis & Reputation Management with more than 50 years of expertise in strategic communications, corporate public relations, and working with the media.
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