Whether or not it’s a reality, everything can feel like a crisis these days. And, in some ways, that is fair given increased public polarization and the rise of citizen and non-traditional journalism on new media platforms, where facts are not required. While it’s easy to feel defensive after every negative social post or critical article, not every bump in the road constitutes a true PR or reputational crisis. Understanding the difference is critical for managing resources, maintaining credibility, and responding appropriately.
Defining a true PR crisis
A true PR crisis threatens a company or individual’s long-term reputation, causes financial fallout, sales impact, employee retention or disruption of operations. These incidents often receive widespread media coverage, damage stakeholder or customer trust, involve legal implications, and may threaten public safety.
Some crises stem from uncontrollable events. The global Covid-19 pandemic upended countless industries, especially tourism. Airbnb quickly realized that their reputation and public safety were at risk. As business halted, travelers sought refunds and hosts faced lost income. CEO Brian Chesky responded promptly, explaining refund decisions with empathy and assuming responsibility. He backed words with action – a $250 million relief fund for hosts. Airbnb focused on long-term trust, went public in late 2020, and remains a tourism giant today.
Eliminate the guess work
The difference between a valid crisis and a perceived one is subtle but crucial. In today’s fast-paced media landscape, predictive analytics are fundamentally transforming crisis communications. When employed strategically, they enable crisis counselors to move beyond instinct and toward precision, helping organizations respond not just quickly, but more intelligently.
Leveraging real-time and historical data on media coverage, social engagement, and content performance, predictive models can assess whether an emerging issue is likely to escalate or dissipate. This is critical in determining how, or whether, to respond.
Consider this hypothetical: A major airline experiences a technical glitch that delays dozens of flights. The communications team is unsure whether this incident will remain a localized inconvenience or explode into a reputational firestorm. With predictive analytics, the team can immediately analyze several key indicators against benchmarks to determine the impact of the situation:
- Media sentiment: Are news articles neutral, negative, or sensationalized?
- Social velocity: Is conversation volume spiking, holding steady, or dying down?
- Influencer engagement: Are high-profile accounts or verified journalists amplifying the story?
- Audience spread: Are mentions clustered in aviation forums, or is it gaining traction with national news outlets and travel influencers?
If data reveals that most engagement is contained to a Reddit travel thread and a handful of regional outlets, with no uptick in negative sentiment, the team might opt for a light-touch response, focusing on customer service channels. But if analytics show rapid engagement growth on X, Facebook, or Instagram, with celebrity travelers weighing in and a hashtag beginning to trend, then a proactive media and digital response plan can be activated immediately.
Predictive models can also pinpoint which audience segments are most engaged; for example, if younger TikTok users are posting angry content about a fashion brand’s controversial ad, but Facebook audiences remain relatively unaware. This allows crisis counselors to concentrate resources where they’ll have the greatest impact rather than deploying a broad, inefficient response.
Predictive analytics don’t replace human instinct – they enhance it. At rbb, our Risk & Reputation Advisors pair seasoned expertise with proprietary tools that cut through the noise and illuminate what really matters. Our custom analytics help us act with precision; whether that means reassuring clients that a story won’t escalate or guiding decisive, proactive media strategies to stay ahead of the narrative. It’s one of the ways rbb turns data into a distinct advantage.
The best crisis responses today are not only reactive but also anticipatory; grounded in insight, foresight, and data. Because the goal isn’t just to weather the storm. It’s to emerge stronger, more resilient and more trusted than before.
At rbb, we have the proven track record of helping our clients do just that.