Crisis Comms 101: How to say “Oops” Professionally
In the world of PR, “oops” isn’t just a word, it’s a lifestyle. Whether it’s a CEO who tweets something that makes the board cringe, a campaign that goes viral for all the wrong reasons, or a typo on a $10,000 billboard (shout-out to whoever approved “public relaitons”), the truth is simple: we all mess up. The difference between a headline and a success story? How you handle the chaos that follows.
Welcome to the glorious art of crisis communication, where humility meets strategy, and caffeine meets survival instincts.
Step 1: Accept the Oops
Rule number one of PR crisis management: stop pretending everything’s fine. It’s not. The first step is acceptance. Gather your team, exhale dramatically, and say it out loud: “We messed up.”
That moment might feel painful, but it’s essential…and, honestly, cathartic. The internet is faster than your ego, so you might as well get ahead of the headlines before X (RIP Twitter) does it for you. Denial won’t save you; owning the mistake might.
Step 2: Contain the Chaos
A PR crisis spreads faster than rumors in a dorm hallway. Your next move? Contain it before it spreads beyond control. Lock down social media access, gather facts, and please don’t release a vague, corporate-sounding statement like:
“We are aware of the situation and will provide updates soon.”
Translation: “We’re panicking.”
Instead, go for clarity over corporate noise. Something like:
“We’re investigating what happened and will share more soon. Here’s what we know so far…”
Transparency beats “legalese panic mode” every single time. People don’t need perfection; they need honesty, and a reason to keep trusting you.
Step 3: Apologize Like a Human, Not a Robot
The apology is where brands either recover gracefully or live forever in crisis comm textbooks. A solid apology has three parts:
Ownership: “We messed up.”
Empathy: “We understand how it affected people.”
Action: “Here’s what we’re doing to make it right.”
Avoid zombie phrases like “mistakes were made” or “we regret if anyone was offended.” Those sound like they were drafted by a lawyer who hasn’t slept since 2008. Instead, talk like a person, not a pop-up notification.
Bad: “We apologize for the inconvenience.”
Better: “We dropped the ball, and we owe our community better. Here’s how we’re fixing it.”
See the difference? One sounds like a printer error. The other sounds like you actually care.
Step 4: Meme Responsibly
Sometimes humor can save the day. Wendy’s and Duolingo practically built their brands on chaos marketing, but not every situation calls for a meme.
If the crisis is small, say, a typo, a tech glitch, or a hilariously bad promotional photo, a little self-deprecating humor can show authenticity and self-awareness.
But if the issue hurt people or crossed ethical lines? Humor is now canceled. Read the room before you post anything that could backfire harder than a “Hot Take Thursday.”
A small problem? Use the meme. Big problem? Use your empathy.
Step 5: Follow Through Like You Mean It
An apology without action is like a group project promise, it means nothing until results show up. If you say you’re going to fix it, you actually have to fix it.
Post updates, share progress, explain what’s changing, and keep people in the loop. The internet’s attention span might be short, but trust can last if you’re consistent. Think of it like rebuilding your GPA after a rough semester…you can’t talk your way out of it (though I wish you could); you just have to do the work.
Step 6: Turn “Oops” Into Opportunity
When the chaos fades, don’t just say “thank goodness that’s over.” Do a post-mortem. What went wrong? How did it happen? Whose idea was that tweet?
Every PR disaster is secretly a masterclass in what not to do. Learn from it. The best brands (and people) turn their oops moments into growth. Because next time? You’ll probably still mess up, but at least you’ll mess up better.
Final Thoughts
At the end of the day, crisis communication isn’t about spin, it’s about empathy and accountability. It’s the difference between saying, “Mistakes were made,” and saying, “We made a mistake, and here’s how we’re fixing it.”
So when your next big “oops” moment hits…and it will…take a breath, own it, and handle it with grace (and maybe a bit of caffeine). In PR, perfection is impossible, but recovery? That’s an art form.
Bri is a senior majoring in Advertising and Public Relations with a minor in Applied Communication. She’s worked for The Walt Disney World Company, the Holland Museum, and currently manages the Kirkhof Info Desk. After graduating this upcoming December, she hopes to pursue a career wherever she sees fit.