It feels cliché to say it at this point, but things happen, and crises are inevitable. What sets successful brands apart is not their ability to avoid mistakes, but how they respond when things go wrong.
There are countless examples of brands getting this wrong, but plenty figure it out and move past the crisis. And then, sometimes, we see brands leverage opportunities in amazing ways that turn the crisis on its head.
Occasionally, the most effective strategy is to embrace the humor of the crisis.
One quick important note: crises are not typically humorous events and shouldn’t be treated with levity most of the time. However, sometimes, there are humorous moments, and that’s where we find some amazing opportunities.
A couple of recent examples show how much your brand can benefit if you think about your crisis slightly differently.
We’re all familiar with CrowdStrike, which recently found itself at the center of a global IT outage. To say the cybersecurity leader faced intense criticism would be an understatement. People across the globe were staring at blue screens for days!
However, a recent award acceptance has given them an unexpected boost. CrowdStrike accepted an award for the “Most Epic Fail.” Their willingness to acknowledge the screw-up seems to have resonated with audiences, giving the brand an opportunity to engage with their audiences in less critical ways while still acknowledging the crisis.
While it may be a personal brand, a similar situation with Olympic gold medalist Suni Lee had the entire TikTok community—along with Olympic fans across the globe—laughing alongside her. TikTok users were sharing their athletic failures, wondering why they weren’t picked for the Olympic Team. Suni Lee disarmed the critics following her balance beam performance with her own post, exclaiming, “Unfortunately, I was selected for the Olympics.”
Embracing the Humor Requires Acknowledging the Mistake
One of the first steps in crisis management is to acknowledge the mistake. This can take many forms, but it’s not a vague confirmation that something happened or pretending what everyone sees is not there.
It also doesn’t mean placing blame or accepting full blame. It simply means openly acknowledging that there was an issue that your brand is now accepting responsibility for understanding what happened and addressing it directly. It’s an act of transparency that can be one of your most powerful tools for getting your brand back on course.
When a brand acknowledges its mistake, it demonstrates a level of accountability that can be both refreshing and reassuring to its audiences. Just as important, it shows that the brand is not above criticism. This one act sets the stage for leveraging brand rebuilding opportunities that may not have otherwise been an option.
When the opportunity arises, embracing the humor of the crisis also opens the door to creative brand rebuilding. For CrowdStrike, accepting the “Most Epic Fail” award allowed them to take control of the narrative, showing that they could laugh at themselves.
This act of humility not only helped mitigate the damage but also gave them a chance to re-engage with their audience positively. What was originally pure anger and blame turned into humor and laughing at receiving such a ridiculous award.
Controlling the Narrative Sometimes Means Changing the Narrative
In the aftermath of a crisis, controlling the narrative is crucial. If a brand doesn’t take charge of the story, others will, and there’s a chance it won’t be in the brand’s favor. This doesn’t mean spinning the truth or manipulating perception, as we’re so often accused of doing. This is about providing context and reframing the issue in a strategic way that aligns with the brand’s values.
Sometimes, as with CrowdStrike, others may provide an opportunity to change the narrative. In their case, the “Most Epic Fail” award became a way for them to highlight some resilience and sense of humor. By embracing the award, they shifted the focus from the failure to their ability to own up to it and move forward, if only for a short while.
Other times, as with Suni Lee, a brand—or individual—has to create the opportunity themselves. Lee took control of the narrative by participating in the TikTok trend, knowing she was putting herself in the not-so-flattering spotlight.
While, yes, she was dealing with some criticism around the performance, this was an amazing move that further endeared her to her fans, who appreciated her ability to enjoy the joke and the trend alongside them. By creating this opportunity, Lee changed the conversation to one that she had control over, which paid off in a big way.
Sometimes You Just Have to Have Fun
In a world filled with endless anxiety and stress, especially during an election year like this, people look for moments of fun, especially if it comes at someone else’s expense. While it might be tempting to get defensive when you or your brand becomes the target of the jokes, sometimes the best approach is to simply join in and have fun.
CrowdStrike’s acceptance of the “Most Epic Fail” award is a perfect example. Instead of pushing back against the criticism, they embraced it and used the humor to reframe the negativity and connect with their audience on a human level. Could this have been another disaster? Most definitely.
But they took a chance and embraced a fear that every single person has at some point in their life. After all, which of us hasn’t screwed up at some point and hoped nobody would find out? This approach not only helped to push the brand through this crisis, but also made the brand more relatable.
Similarly, Suni Lee’s participation in the TikTok meme showcased her ability to have fun, even if that meant laughing at herself. She transformed something most people would run from into a lighthearted moment that resonated with her fans.
In both cases, having fun with the situation allowed them to regain some control of the narrative and continue rebuilding their reputation.
There’s Still Work to Be Done
There are as many ways to handle a crisis as there are crises that happen. Every brand is different, and every crisis is different, so every crisis response plan should be different. The evolution of brand storytelling through a crisis can be tricky to navigate.
Embracing the crisis and engaging audiences in creative ways is an effective strategy for regaining some control over the narrative and working your brand through the situation, but it’s not the end of the road. Even if you successfully embrace the fun and find an opportunity to laugh with your audiences, there’s still work to restore brand reputation and trust fully.
These opportunities simply provide another platform for you to continue your brand and reputation campaigns. Brands have to continue to demonstrate their commitment to improvement and accountability.
This might involve making tangible changes to policies or practices, communicating regularly with stakeholders, and being transparent about progress. Remember, your crisis plan should be tailored to address that specific crisis. However, embracing the crisis and leveraging humor, when appropriate, opens the door to these opportunities. Remember, it’s the ongoing effort that ultimately rebuilds trust.
Embracing the humor of the crisis is a powerful tool. By taking control of the narrative and sometimes having a little fun with the situation, brands can survive a crisis and come out more relatable on the other side.
However, it’s just the beginning. Building trust through a crisis with brand storytelling requires a long-term commitment to accountability, transparency, and authentic engagement.