Joy Gendusa, CEO of PostcardMania, an advertising agency, asked her employees on a Zoom call to work in the office during hurricane Ian, calling the storm a “nothingburger, ” according to the Washington Post.
Downplaying Hurricane Ian
Let’s take a quick look at some of what Gendusa, the PostcardMania CEO, said:
“Bring your pets, bring your kids, bring everybody to PCM.”
“Obviously you feeling safe and comfortable is of the utmost importance, but I honestly want to continue to deliver and I want to have a good end of quarter.”
“And when [the hurricane] turns into nothing, I don’t want it to be like, ‘Great, we all stopped producing because of the media and the maybe that it was going to be terrible.’”
The Company Hit the News
When news of the CEO’s statements hit social media, Gendusa and the company became instantly famous for all the wrong reasons, and the media frenzy was relentless.
According to the Washington Post, several employees felt underappreciated and exploited and feared if they spoke out publicly, they would be retaliated against.
The Breakdown of Bad Optics
The Delivery: The PostcardMania CEO was neither physically there nor had she said she would be with the employees. Was this a matter of the CEO being willing to potentially risk her team’s safety – but not her own – for the sake of profit?
Many companies struggle with employee morale and engagement with a distributed, virtual workforce. But it’s an especially hard sell if you’re asking employees to do as you say, not as you do.
The Mixed Messages: Do you care about safety or profits?
Consider this language from the CEO’s Zoom message:
“Obviously you feeling safe and comfortable is of the utmost importance,” followed by: “but I honestly want to continue to deliver and I want to have a good end of quarter.”
“And when [the hurricane] turns into nothing, I don’t want it to be like, ‘Great, we all stopped producing because of the media and the maybe that it was going to be terrible.’”
The tone seems to point to a clear answer: Revenue is valued most.
The pandemic has taught us to be more compassionate and empathetic toward others. We shouldn’t see remarks like this, especially while still navigating through COVID-19.
The Apology: After receiving social media backlash, the CEO closed Wednesday and Thursday and offered two days of paid time off for those working remotely or volunteering at a shelter.
However, Gendusa’s apology rang hollow to the public. It’s good that the CEO changed her mind, but it felt reminiscent of when another CEO, Tony Hayward of BP, was forced to apologize for complaining publicly that a massive BP oil spill despoiling the U.S. Gulf Coast was an inconvenience for him, and he just wanted his life back.
The Positive PR Attempt: In an attempt to turn the story around, PostcardMania issued a press release showcasing the help it offered to families in need after Hurricane Ian. But then it went on to list its staff’s 2022 philanthropic activities, which would make sense during a standard PR blitz. But issuing this immediately following the negative press draws more attention to the recent coverage and potentially prolongs the issue by creating a related newshook.
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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