The Biggest PR Fails Of 2023 (& The Lessons Learned!)

In this guest post, Media-Wize’s Anthony Caruana and Kathryn Goater take a look at 2023’s biggest PR stuff-ups and, more importantly, the lessons to be had…

Every year, companies, brands and people give us a masterclass in how to not engage with customers, the media or, indeed, the rest of the human race. And 2023 is no exception. From Elon Musk to start up founders, there are stories about how to ensure you annoy the largest number of people possible while trashing your reputation.

Authors Kathryn Goater & Anthony Caruana

How do you make a $19B company? You start with a $44B company and then let Elon Musk buy it. Musk’s off-again/on-again purchase has resulted in his $44B investment tanking to less than half its value with no signs of improvement on the horizon. But one of his most interesting moves was creating an automatic responder to email sent to X/Twitter’s media inbox at press@twitter.com. Email and you received a simple, one-character response: a poop emoji. Thankfully, an adult seems to have fixed that now and you get a “Busy now, please check back later” response.

Treating the media with disdain is a sure-fire way to ensure any coverage that comes is less likely to favourable. While Musk continues to enjoy great success in some of his endeavours, his personal brand is being diminished through his management of X/Twitter and the way he handles media relations.

GiveTree’s founder, Sam Joel, cranked the Yuck-O-Meter up to 11 with comments he made to public relations manager, Hannah Moreno. With comments like “Get off your period. Get good. Earn your salary with skill not pr lol. Pathetic.” As well body-shaming and other crude social media posts, Joel has shown himself the door and resigned – presumably before he was booted by investors.

In a year when interest rates have steepled and inflation has hit everyone’s expenses, millionaire property developer Tim Gurner told us the problem was that too many of us like avocado and are overpaid and underperforming. Gurner suggested job losses that pushed the unemployment rate to 40 per cent would help make people a little more appreciative of the shrinking value of their wages. Of course, that’s easy to say when your property empire was kicked off with a generous infusion of funds to make his first investment.

In another case of where people should be careful with public statements, is the headmaster of an exclusive Sydney boys’ school, John Collier. He said the man accused of brutally murdering Lilie James, the water polo coach of St Andrew’s Cathedral College where Collier previously worked was someone who “committed a monstrous act which was in complete contradiction to what everyone who knew him observed in the rest of this short life.” The alleged murderer died by suicide two days after Ms James’ death.

In each of these cases, the person making the comments showed no emotional intelligence or empathy nor any understanding of how their comments would be perceived. When making public statements it’s wise to avoid using significant public events to further your own agenda and to consider community sentiment and the wider social barometer. PR experts understand that news hacking can be a valid tactic but when it’s used in such an ill-advised manner it can lead to swift backlash.

Perhaps the most significant public event this year was the referendum. Many brands aligned themselves with one side or the other of the public discourse. There can be a significant downside for brands that align with popular causes and enter the political fray. While, in some cases, they might be aligned with majority support, there is a risk that they will alienate many and put their leaders into positions where they must justify their stance.

This was something Budweiser discovered in the United States when the company engaged in an advertising campaign that angered conservatives. The resulting backlash came in the form of a product boycott by many consumers and a massive hit on the company’s share price.

Leaders and brands need to think very carefully about the statements they make. Treating the media without respect and making comments that are devoid of empathy are a recipe for reputational disaster that will haunt them for many years to come beyond 2023.

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