‘I like to plan but need to spin on a dime:’ How to create strong messages in crisis

Societal issues like the COVID-19 pandemic and the response to the murder of George Floyd have changed how many see and treat other people.

Those changes have impacted all aspects of society, including business.

Brands are faced with communicating responses to social issues in addition to handling matters directly related to their work.

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And society’s voices – including those on social media – have had unprecedented power to both damage and repair corporate reputations.

“It’s something that isn’t broken in an organization, but it’s some external stimulus in our employees, or stakeholders are looking to us to take a stand,” Forbes Chief Communications Officer Bill Hankes said during the “Meaningful Messages in an Age of Perpetual Crisis” seminar at the Ragan’s Future of Communications Conference in New York City. “Our job really is to help guide our organizations in articulating a position that previously we would not have to do.”