How to Handle PR During a Time of Tragedy

By Emma Stevens

Death is a very sensitive issue and should never be taken lightly. This last week basketball legend, Kobe Bryant, died in a helicopter crash. As the University of Oregon’s Senior Instructor, Kelli Mattews, posted on her social media accounts, “Free social media advice: if you’re managing a brand’s social media, turn off your promos and scheduled content today. People mourn, media help us process and understand. Brands need to shut up.” This is a good reminder, for agencies and PR professionals who have pre-written posts scheduled, to put social media on the backburner. 

Further, I want to consider the best approach for PR professionals to take during a time of tragedy. My first tip is to remember that PR’s core value is humanity. You should never forget your ethics as a PR professional, especially in times of crisis. TMZ released the information regarding Bryant’s death before the family was notified by emergency personnel. This is unconscionable. The ethics here are not complicated – no one wants to find out their loved one has died by seeing it on the news. Thankfully, TMZ has been widely chastised for their behavior, but the damage was already done. In my opinion, TMZ’s PR team made an error that won’t be soon forgotten. As PR professionals we must always consider how the information we’re putting out to the world will be received, and by whom. It is not our job to hurt people unnecessarily in the name of getting publicity.

Additionally, I would be mindful of what you post a tragedy has occurred. I noticed that multiple companies posted beautiful tributes to Kobe Bryan, followed almost immediately by a product endorsement. It’s not hard for the audience to figure out that the tribute was made in large part to promote a product, which means you’ve undermined your original message.

Further, I want to highlight Vanessa Bryant’s response to the tragedy. I am sure she worked with a PR team to post her statement and I believe it was done beautifully. Bryant’s PR team gave the family time to grieve and process the tragedy that occurred. Also, the PR team helped construct a statement that addressed the family’s grief and loss while also promoting and supporting Kobe’s legacy, MambaSportFoundation.org and a GoFundMe for the families affected. This felt extremely appropriate and well-constructed. It exemplified the basics of PR crisis work: address the situation and lay out what will be done to recover from it. 

Side note: I work for PeaceHealth running the company’s Twitter account. I decided to not post a tribute because it was not within my brand’s scope. This is okay. Additionally, I did not schedule or post any content for that day. Instead, I focused on my community and our basketball team, both of which were grieving Bryant’s loss openly. I engaged with the team’s content and showed my support. This felt both authentic and appropriate.