Facebook’s Crisis PR Out of Touch, says PR Expert Dobson

NEW YORK, March 28, 2018 -- “Leadership to protect brand image is a benchmark of good Crisis PR, yet arguably the most advanced social networking giant, Facebook, met public outcry about massive data transfers with tepid initial response more reflective of mid-20^th century duck-and-cover style than wired-in 21^st century public relations technique to engage and be present in early media coverage,” said PR expert Brian Dobson of DobsonPR.com.

“At the heart of the issue is a sense of betrayal felt by Facebook loyalists who entrust their secrets, preferences, personal information and thoughts to Facebook but learned the company was selling their information like a few apples on a roadside stand,” said the former Dow Jones and Reuters journalist who headed PR at two major companies before forming his PR firm. 

“Crisis begets crisis as Facebook’s trouble snowballed on news Cambridge Analytica used Facebook user data to help focus social media efforts in President Donald Trump’s successful election campaign and was compounded by the delayed response of Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg,” said Dobson.  

“In Crisis PR speed is essential, but Facebook’s slow, tepid response with CEO comments and a few newspaper apology Ads in the US and UK has Facebook chasing the news as Congressional hearings are gearing up, the Federal Trade Commission is beginning a probe, Attorneys General of 37 states are stepping in and the UK Parliament wants answers about data transfer hitting its elections,” he noted.

“Facebook missed the message of recent high profile crises.  In recent years, Toyota seemed initially disengaged as consumer fears mounted regarding gas and brake pedal troubles, BP’s CEO had to step down due to his initial casual response to a major oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico, and Mattel mishandled initial response to the leaded paint on toys issue.  Each crisis worsened due to slow corporate response,” said Dobson, who has experience in a range of corporate and product crises.

“When the public thinks a company is evasive during crisis, trust is lost and brand reputation is damaged. The impact is far less negative if managers are candid about troubles," added Dobson as he offered five tips for companies to prepare for crisis:

1. Form a Crisis Committee of top officers with authority to find and resolve problems;
2. Use the Socratic Method of Q&A to correct trouble before it grows to crisis levels;
3. Control early news coverage. Act swiftly and effectively to communicate with consumers, media, regulatory agencies, employees, suppliers, distributors and shareholders.
4. Keep accurate media lists and maintain proper outreach interaction so when crisis hits you know the key players in media, and
5. Communicate concisely, consistently and clearly and limit media contact to the CEO and PR professionals. 

Leaders in the tech world are reaction as Apple’s CEO Tim Cook voiced opinion that “well crafted” government regulations may now be appropriate, Elon Musk, who deleting Facebook pages for Tesla and SpaceX, he said.

Before forming Dobson Communications, Dobson headed PR at a Fortune 50 global consumer products company and was a member of its Crisis Committee. He entered PR at the New York Stock Exchange during a crisis, after being a journalist at the AP-DJ newswire of Dow Jones and Reuters, where he wrote the daily stock market commentary.  

Based in New York City and Ridgefield, Connecticut, and online at www.DobsonPR.com, Dobson Communications has managed a variety of brand building PR campaigns in several sectors, and has handled PR in major crises for companies including a major Japanese pharmaceutical and nutritional products company, Japan’s lead supplier of blood, a major US food company and other clients in crisis situation, in addition to marketing and brand building PR. For information contact Barbara Green at 203-613-2222, or [email protected].

Contact: Barbara Dobson, 203-894-9240, [email protected]