Why Brands need to Embrace ‘The Pool Theory’
Photo credit Etienne Girardet @etiennegirardet
Throughout history, there have been examples of businesses or brands whose failure to navigate a communication crisis led to their downfall. One that is memorable for many, especially in the public relations world, is British Petroleum (BP) and the Deepwater Horizon oil spill in 2010.
On April 20, 2010, the oil drilling rig Deepwater Horizon exploded and sank in the Gulf of Mexico, resulting in the death of 11 workers and the largest oil spill in history. According to the United States Environmental Protection Agency, four million barrels of oil were released into the ocean over 87 days.
Before the crisis, BP had a generally mixed to poor reputation in environmental circles. The company did not have a proactive public relations strategy, so there was very little positive media coverage or reputation-building with the general public about the company before the incident. BP also had not done much to build relationships with the media or the community, so their branding messages were poorly received.
After the crisis, the company immediately came under intense scrutiny and had no reservoir of goodwill from which to draw. Because there was no positive string to pull, most media coverage was negative, focusing on the most significant marine spill in history. BP’s CEO also made some remarkably tone-deaf public statements, including saying, "There's no one who wants this over more than I do. I would like my life back," which was not well-received. Ultimately, BP’s stock collapsed, they faced tens of billions in fines and settlements, and their brand reputation took over a decade to recover.
This is a prime example of why brands that wait for a crisis to begin reaching out to the media or the general public are already too late.
It is also why I am so passionate about a concept that I’ve coined called “The Pool Theory.” In a still pool, something as small as a pebble causes ripples. In a pool filled with floaties, people, and action – even a large stone can go unnoticed. Brands are no different. When your brand is already in motion, a public relations challenge becomes a ripple, not a wave.
Proactive visibility is the best public relations insurance. One of the best – and most well-known – examples of this is Johnson & Johnson, the manufacturer of Tylenol. Johnson & Johnson was a household name for many years and had built a strong brand since it was founded more than a century ago, resulting in lots of trust and credibility. When the 1982 Tylenol poisoning crisis hit, in which seven people died after Tylenol capsules had been laced with cyanide, the company had built up plenty of brand equity and visibility to lead the response.
The company quickly reacted by pulling products nationwide, working with the FDA and media, and communicating transparently. People gave them the benefit of the doubt, and their response became a gold standard in crisis communication. The company’s public trust was restored and even strengthened. Navigating that complex crisis would have been more difficult if they had not been in motion with proactive media and brand reputation outreach.
That is just one example of why every brand needs a communication strategy before crisis control. When brands proactively build relationships with the public and the media, their ability to navigate a crisis becomes much more manageable.
Thanks to email, social media, and other direct outreach methods, sharing positive news and brand messaging has never been easier. In addition to positive storytelling in the press, brands can connect with the public on multiple platforms, offering multiple ways to keep a brand in motion. Strategic messaging is not a luxury; it’s a leadership responsibility.
