How brand communications teams can prepare for – and mitigate – a faster crisis fallout
It was just another Tuesday in PR when I found myself trying to survive a (brilliantly) simulated PR crisis at a PRCA North West event with Polpeo recently. Being critiqued live by a room full of comms professionals and peers certainly isn’t for the faint-hearted – but it’s perhaps as close as you can get to a real-world PR pressure test without the front-page headlines. And I mean, what better way to spend an evening than managing a (hypothetical) brand’s reputational freefall – voluntarily?
All jokes aside, the event was a timely reminder that crisis communications in 2025 aren’t just about having the best playbook – it’s about having the reflexes to spring into action when crisis strikes.
Crisis comms now moves at the speed of social
After all, today’s crisis doesn’t wait for a newsroom. It can break on TikTok, get picked up by X, or be dissected on LinkedIn before the first journalist even calls. For the most part, the brand is no longer in control of the timeline. And if the PR response isn’t quick enough, someone else will likely write your version of events for you.
We recently conducted a search and social listening exercise* into how corporate crises are reported and framed. This involved reviewing crisis-related coverage across nine UK national media titles (broadsheet and tabloid) between January 2024 and June 2025, spanning both earned media (news articles, headlines, and editorial) and shared media (public reactions on X, LinkedIn and Facebook, where referenced or quoted by outlets).
Our research affirmed that UK media narratives evolve at pace – and the tone often sharpens within hours. But while broadsheets tend to frame crises around accountability and policy failure, tabloids tend to drive public outrage by humanising the story and focusing on victims, scandal, and emotion. Either way, the media often perpetuates the worst in such crises – unless you provide a credible and human alternative, and do so quickly.
When it comes to crisis, a brand is often only as good (or poor) as its comms
Of course, when things go wrong – whether that’s identifying a product safety issue, navigating a fire at one of your branches, or handling allegations against a member of the C-suite – the most important thing is to address the impact of the issue itself. As a by-product of this, it can be tempting to hunker down on the comms front. But silence isn’t neutral anymore. Gone are the days where a simple ‘no comment’ can be uttered (just because someone said it on TV, doesn’t make it okay). In 2025, a holding statement isn’t just optional; it’s expected.
But striking the right tone – empathetic, clear, human – from the outset can make or break the communications path to follow. On the flip side, we’ve all seen how wrong it can go. Just take a look at our blog on some of the worst media interviews to spot a few wince-worthy examples. In many cases, these aren’t just PR missteps; they supersede the original ‘crisis’ and actually become the story itself.
What a live simulation taught me
While I’m no stranger to handling challenging media enquiries and pointed Facebook comments, taking part in the crisis simulation was a great opportunity to exercise my reactive muscle as PR crises continue to evolve in the world of multi-channel comms and non-stop news cycles.
In a brand’s hour(s) of crisis, the usual ‘calm’ of campaign planning is replaced by seeming chaos, as social media notifications ping, stakeholders send panicked emails, and you open the floodgates to journalists making their lines of enquiry.
What’s important to remember is that many of the fundamentals of good communication remain the same in a crisis – so a good PR should avoid getting swept up in the pandemonium at all costs. For example, ask yourself:
- Are employees aligned internally before you go external?
- Is your message across communications channels and between stakeholders cohesive?
- Who is your spokesperson – and are they ready to front the crisis response and be thrown into the limelight?
Ultimately, preparation isn’t about predicting what will go wrong. It’s about knowing who does what if it does.
How we help clients stay ahead
Handled well, a crisis doesn’t have to destroy your business’ reputation. In fact, some organisations can actually come out stronger by maintaining credibility and humanity.
At PR Agency One, we provide a strategic voice and a safe pair of hands to support your PR strategy – even if a crisis hits.
We bring experience, insight, and tailored training to ensure your communications teams and C-suite decision-makers are prepared to navigate what comes their way—and quickly.
Get in touch to find out what we could do to support you: https://www.pragencyone.co.uk/about-us/contact-us/
Emily McGowan-Phoenix
Account Director at PR Agency One.
*Appendix – About the search and social listening exercise
Our analysis of UK media coverage across national broadsheets and tabloids from 2024-2025 identified key trends in how corporate crises are reported and framed:
- Broadsheets (e.g. The Guardian, Financial Times, BBC) tend to focus on accountability, systemic issues and leadership response. They quote experts, regulators and corporate spokespeople, and often provide policy context or stakeholder analysis.
- Tabloids (e.g. The Sun, Daily Mirror, MailOnline) favour high-emotion storytelling, personalising blame and elevating victims’ voices. Headlines are punchier, and crises are framed around outrage, betrayal or scandal.
- Coverage often evolves in three phases: 1) factual reporting; 2) stakeholder reaction and blame; 3) long-term fallout or reform.
- Common crisis types analysed: executive misconduct, product safety recalls, workplace culture issues, ESG controversies, and social media backlash.
