PR Insiders

Information about the coronavirus pandemic mostly has been built around straight messaging: wash your hands, stay home, save lives. The term Chinese virus has entered the public lexicon. Marginalizing ethnicities during a public health crisis can trigger xenophobia. In addition, it does not engender needed public engagement.

Since brands are trusted more than politicians, this dark moment is an opportunity for them to shine, argues creative director Mark Sorensen. He offers several ways brands and their leaders can help direct the public to do the right thing, proving that capitalism cares about more than profits.

You know things are bad when a chief communications officer longs for a ‘normal’ crisis. That’s the case for City of Toronto’s CCO Brad Ross as he works to communicate vital messages during coronavirus. At least crises during pre-COVID-19 had a timeline, Ross writes. “Give us a fighting chance. COVID-19 is otherworldly,” Ross laments.

You’ve created your coronavirus messaging plan and advised executives to communicate authentically, transparently and from the heart. Your job is far from over, though. Perhaps the most important thing a communicator can do at this time is to be available and make plans for the day when the coronavirus ebbs.

The pandemic has thrown many of us into a frenzy. Now is the time for PR leaders to proceed with calm and rely on principles and tactics that have served you well throughout the years. Moving forward, creativity, transparency and management skills will be in demand.

While some tenets of sound crisis communication remain, coronavirus has changed many of the best practices and benchmarks, perhaps irrevocably. Moving forward, communicators will need to consider mental health issues and be better able to identify stressors in the social conversation.

We don’t emotionally trust facts; we trust people – or we don’t.  As we process facts emotionally, we trust leaders who move beyond facts to speak in a voice that echoes how we feel, right now. At a time when the public is worried, communicating with the heart can help. Facts alone will not drive people to action, writes Gil Bashe, managing partner, global health, Finn Partners.

With so many communicators seeking to take physical events online, we asked PR pro and video specialist Doug Simon how to get started. We also asked how communicators can make their video and social video productions more engaging.

You’ve distributed messaging to staff regarding COVID-19. Sent emails to customers apologizing for canceling events and thanked those who RSVP-ed yes for their support. In addition, you’ve assured them the show will go on, just at a different date and possibly in the form of a virtual event. But how will you make your virtual event stand out, especially when there’s likely to be an unprecedented amount of them?

As many others are doing, members of the book industry have stepped up during the coronavirus crisis. Here are examples of how authors are working with PR pros to offer solace to a variety of groups during these difficult times.