Has Corona Changed the PR World?

In this article

The easing of the early COVID-19 lockdowns prompted this review of how companies communicated during that period.

The Corona crisis has had varying impacts on the economy, and thus on PR agencies. Some agencies are struggling to survive because their clients are in trouble, while others are experiencing few issues. During this time, PR agencies made headlines with both creative new ideas and clumsy mistakes.

Responsibility as a Key to Success

Classic PR or marketing campaigns are seen by the public as insensitive or even opportunistic during crises and can cause significant reputational damage. Companies have therefore shifted to posting current information about opening hours, services, and protective measures for employees on social media. In times when people are making sacrifices to protect others, they expect the same from companies. Merely adhering to existing laws is not enough; a stance is expected.

Opportunism is Punished

Adidas provided a striking example of how not to handle a crisis. They announced they could no longer pay rent, a move that triggered criticism. However, this announcement came just days after celebrating a record year in 2019, which did not sit well with the public.

The well-known Corona study in Heinsberg also faced a lot of criticism for hiring a PR agency. Among other things, it was criticized that no professional PR agency was commissioned. The PR agency was also accused of not being transparent.

Burger King Knows How to Do It

Burger King handled it better. In a simple post, they encouraged their followers to order from various fast-food chains to help save them from ruin during the lockdown. This showed that they wanted to take responsibility during the crisis and even think about the existence of their competitors.

Burger King has previously launched various such PR stunts successfully. For example, Burger King Argentina did not sell Whoppers for a day last year and referred their customers to McDonald's instead, as McDonald's donated all their proceeds that day to cancer research.

The Human Side Becomes More Important

The fundamental work of PR agencies will hardly change due to Corona. However, the attitude of companies, especially towards social or political issues, is becoming increasingly important due to the pandemic. Creative and new ideas in PR work are more important than ever to bring the 'human side' of companies to the forefront.