Crisis PR vs. Traditional PR: Why Most Agencies Aren’t Built for Scandal
When people hear “PR,” they usually think of glossy magazine features, celebrity endorsements, and carefully crafted brand messaging. But crisis PR? That’s a different world entirely. Traditional PR firms know how to promote, but when a scandal hits, their usual strategies fall apart.
The truth is, most PR agencies are still operating as if the biggest threat to a public figure or brand is a headline in The Sun. In reality, the biggest enemy isn’t just the press anymore—it’s TikTok, Twitter, Reddit, and whatever online platform is currently obsessing over someone’s downfall.
Crisis PR is About Control, Not Just Statements
Traditional firms tend to respond to scandals with a standard PR playbook: draft a neutral-sounding statement, send it to the press, and hope it blows over. The problem? That completely ignores how people actually consume news now.
Most crises are online crises. They’re driven by viral clips, out-of-context screenshots, and an army of TikTok commentators who have built careers from dissecting drama. A single misstep in handling a situation won’t just lead to a bad article—it will spawn hundreds of videos, Reddit threads, and Google results that cement the problem in the public’s mind.
A modern crisis PR firm understands that fixing the narrative isn’t just about crafting a single polished statement. It’s about who sees what, where, and when.
The Internet Never Forgets, So What’s Online Needs to Be Right
There was a time when bad press was literally yesterday’s news, destined to wrap someone’s fish and chips the next day. Now, once something is online, it’s there forever. If someone Googles your name, that’s the first impression they get.
That’s why press removal, editing, and fixing inaccuracies are just as important as crisis strategy. The goal isn’t just to manage a scandal in the moment, but to ensure that the information available to the public is accurate and fair in the long run. Most traditional PR firms don’t focus on this because they don’t have the right contacts or the technical knowledge. They’re used to working with journalists, not with Google.
Tone, Timing, and the Danger of One-Size-Fits-All Responses
Another mistake traditional firms make is assuming that one generic statement will work across every platform. A message that sounds respectable in The Times might come across as cold and robotic if it’s posted on Instagram. A legalistic denial that works for investors won’t necessarily reassure fans.
Audiences expect different things depending on the platform. Crisis PR has to consider:
How does this sound on social media? Will it come across as defensive, out of touch, or just completely tone-deaf?
What’s the audience’s relationship to the person or brand? Are they die-hard supporters, casual observers, or people who already dislike them?
How will this look in Google results a year from now? Is it something that will age well, or will it be weaponised later?
Traditional firms often miss these nuances because they’re used to talking at audiences, not with them. They focus on messaging rather than perception. Crisis PR isn’t just about what you say, it’s about how people interpret it.
Why Crisis PR Needs a Different Approach
The reason most PR firms aren’t built for scandal is simple. They were trained to promote, not to protect. They know how to get people talking, but they don’t know how to make people stop talking. They focus on reputation building but not reputation damage control.
A modern crisis PR firm understands:
Social media is just as powerful as the press—if not more.
Most scandals unfold online, so if you don’t understand Google, you’re already losing.
Press removal, corrections, and managing search results are just as important as a public response.
Different audiences need different messaging. A blanket PR statement won’t work.
If you’re in the middle of a PR crisis, choosing the right team matters. You don’t want a firm that just writes a press statement and hopes for the best. You want a team that understands the platforms where reputations are actually made—or destroyed.