By: CommCore Intern Max Nelson
After video of the passenger being dragged off an overbooked United Airlines flight screaming and bloodied last spring went viral, United CEO Oscar Munoz issued a written statement. The quote that stuck was, “This is an upsetting event to all of us here at United. I apologize for having to re-accommodate these customers.” Munoz was immediately blasted by critics on social media and by communications experts for his cold apology. The blowback lasted for weeks, forcing him to in effect apologize for his initial apology. A CEO is an organization’s Communicator-in-Chief; when a crisis hits, a soundbite can make or break his or her image as well as that of the brand.
There is an art to delivering a soundbite that will serve rather than harm your interests.
A couple of tips:
- Look at the situation through a range of lenses: who are my target audiences, and what are they looking for? Whether it’s reporters, employees, shareholders, or customers, the soundbite must address the gravity of the crisis and meet their expectations.
- Come up with a compelling 10-12 second soundbite that you can visualize as a positive headline. That soundbite may well define you and your organization’s brand reputation for the duration of the crisis.