Another 365 days around the sun provides another opportunity to review some of the biggest communications flops of the year. 2024 is no different. While you would think that some of the biggest brands and organizations worldwide would learn from the lessons of past PR failures, we can only hope that companies will uphold better communication standards in the future.
Here are the most significant crisis communication blunders of 2024 and the PR lessons you can learn from them.
CrowdStrike’s Software Update Failure
Only a few times in history has a single piece of code managed to wreck computer systems worldwide. The latest example is CrowdStrike.
The cybersecurity firm released a faulty update to its Falcon Sensor Software, which caused a global IT outage affecting 8.5 million computers across various industries. The disruption led to significant operational challenges, including the cancellation and delay of thousands of airline flights. The root cause was a configuration file logic error, bypassing the company’s quality control mechanism.
Aside from the technological disruption, the incident spiraled into a PR disaster. The company faced criticism regarding its crisis management and for being slow to issue a public apology. Early communication also lacked empathy and transparency. With a delayed response, CrowdStrike received negative perceptions and lost the public’s trust. As a result, CrowdStrike’s reputation suffered, and its stock plummeted 35% from its peak.
There are many takeaways from this crisis. In addition to routine testing of the company’s quality control processes, a detailed and comprehensive crisis communications plan with template responses to possible scenarios would have helped provide a thorough and efficient response to the outrage.
Boeing’s Lack of Public Safety
Boeing has faced its fair share of bad press over the years, and 2024 was no different.
In early 2024, one of its planes lost a door plug while the aircraft was mid-flight. While this terrifying situation could be the nail in the coffin for any brand, this incident for Boeing was not isolated. Between two deadly crashes and a Boeing United Airlines flight losing a panel in-air, it has consistently faced issues with its aircraft.
Following an audit, the FAA reported “multiple instances where Boeing allegedly failed to comply with manufacturing quality control requirements.” Boeing’s lack of concern for passenger safety presents a massive problem, and one would hope the company would work hard to regain consumers’ trust following this PR failure.
Unfortunately, Boeing handled the response exceptionally poorly.
Boeing’s initial statement was criticized for its brevity, lack of technical detail, and lack of empathy. In addition, CEO Dave Calhoun avoided live press briefings and released a pre-recorded statement instead. Calhoun and two other key stakeholders resigned (with substantial payouts, of course). However, Calhoun’s resignation wouldn’t go into effect until the end of the year, 10 months later. This signals a lack of commitment to business change and opens doors for additional PR issues in the meantime.
Companies that rely on short-term optics like this will not accomplish their PR goals. A transparent and comprehensive statement on the technical issues and the CEO’s immediate departure would be more effective.
It’s also important to note that even the best PR pros worldwide cannot fix years of safety issues. Restoring Boening’s reputation would require significant business changes from the top down.
Bumble Rebranding Misstep
Rebranding can be a powerful tool if executed correctly and aligned with market shifts, but it can also end in disaster. Bumble is the latest prime example of how a rebrand can alienate customers and hurt the brand.
Early 2024 brought a new CEO and new software updates to Bumble to widen its appeal. This also included a new anti-celibacy campaign involving a nun and billboards using slogans “Thou shalt not give up on dating and become a nun.”
The campaign’s portrayal of celibacy and use of religious references quickly drew criticism for being tone-deaf and misogynistic, as it appeared to condemn women for not engaging in casual relationships with men. Influencer Lauren Salaun captured the poor image of the campaign perfectly, stating, “Bumble is supposed to be a women-friendly dating app, and these ads are telling women how to date and what to do with their bodies.”
After realizing the gravity of its misstep, Bumble did the following:
- Quickly issued an apology through an Instagram post.
- Unlisted the controversial ad from YouTube and took down the offending billboards.
- Admitted to its mistake and recognized that its campaign had unintentionally alienated a significant portion of its user base – those who choose to remain celibate.
- Announced donations to the National Domestic Violence Hotline and other organizations and offered its reserved billboard spaces to them for promoting causes that resonate more authentically with the community.
While Bumble took all the proper steps to mitigate the situation, many users remain unsatisfied. That’s why it’s vital to understand your audience’s sentiments and stay true to your core mission, even during a rebranding campaign or assembling marketing campaigns.
Glasgow’s Failed Willy Wonka Experience
Very few events involve crying children and the police getting called. But that’s precisely what happened in February 2024 at Glasgow’s disastrous Willy Wonka Experience.
The Wonka-inspired event, which was not affiliated with the recent Warner Bros. movie, was marketed as an immersive family adventure. The website promised “mind-expanding projections, optical marvels, and exhibits that transport you into the realm of creativity.”
According to event-goers, families who spent as much as $44 per ticket were met with lackluster attractions – such as cold hot dogs, a few jelly beans and lemonade. The event also featured a presentation involving a villain named “The Unknown,” who would jump out from behind props, leaving many children crying.
The worst part? There wasn’t even chocolate!
Attendees quickly took to social media to voice their outrage and call for refunds. The two-day event was canceled midway through the first day, invoking comparisons to the Fyre Festival debacle. While the event organizer firm, House of Illuminati, issued an apology citing logistical issues and stating attendees would receive refunds, many have still not received full refunds for the event.
As we learned more about the event-planning aspects of the Willy Wonka Experience, marketers and event planners relied heavily on AI to take over some of the event-planning components, including writing scripts for the actors hired for the event.
The takeaway is simple: Event planning is complex and needs to be taken seriously, not replaced with AI.
No one can predict a crisis, but everyone should be ready for one. What actions have you taken to prepare for an unexpected crisis? If the answer is “none,” it may be time to contact us to see how we can help.
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