CCP Crisis Communication & Reputation Management 2 â Questions and Answers
Question 1: Which element is most critical in the first hour of a corporate crisis response?
- Issuing a detailed investigation report
- Acknowledging the situation and expressing concern (Correct answer)
- Identifying the party at fault
- Suspending all social media activity
Correct answer: Acknowledging the situation and expressing concern
Expressing acknowledgment and concern in the first hour establishes goodwill and demonstrates organizational responsibility before full facts are available.
Question 2: A 'dark site' in crisis communication refers to:
- A confidential internal communications channel
- A pre-built website ready to activate during a crisis (Correct answer)
- A social media account used only for negative feedback
- An encrypted messaging platform for executives
Correct answer: A pre-built website ready to activate during a crisis
A dark site is a pre-prepared website that organizations activate during a crisis to provide timely, centralized information to the public.
Question 3: The 'steal thunder' strategy in crisis management involves:
- Aggressively countering media narratives with advertising
- Proactively disclosing negative information before others report it (Correct answer)
- Blaming competitors to deflect attention
- Hiring crisis actors to redirect public attention
Correct answer: Proactively disclosing negative information before others report it
Stealing thunder means self-disclosing bad news first, which research shows results in less reputational damage than being exposed by outside parties.
Question 4: Situational Crisis Communication Theory (SCCT) was developed by:
- James Grunig
- W. Timothy Coombs (Correct answer)
- Kathleen Fearn-Banks
- Sherry Devereaux Ferguson
Correct answer: W. Timothy Coombs
W. Timothy Coombs developed SCCT, which prescribes crisis response strategies based on the organization's crisis responsibility and history.
Question 5: During a product recall crisis, which message strategy is most appropriate when the organization bears high responsibility?
- Denial
- Diminishment
- Rebuilding (apology and compensation) (Correct answer)
- Bolstering
Correct answer: Rebuilding (apology and compensation)
SCCT prescribes rebuilding strategiesâincluding full apologies and compensationâwhen the organization bears high attributable responsibility for a crisis.
Question 6: A 'rumor crisis' is best countered by:
- Ignoring the rumor to avoid amplifying it
- Immediately providing factual information to refute inaccuracies (Correct answer)
- Filing defamation lawsuits against all sources
- Engaging only with verified journalists
Correct answer: Immediately providing factual information to refute inaccuracies
Providing clear, factual information promptly is the most effective counter to rumors, as silence can allow misinformation to spread unchecked.
Question 7: Which metric is most useful for measuring reputational recovery after a crisis?
- Earned media impressions during the crisis
- Share of voice vs. competitors
- Pre- and post-crisis stakeholder perception surveys (Correct answer)
- Number of press releases issued
Correct answer: Pre- and post-crisis stakeholder perception surveys
Comparing stakeholder perception surveys before and after a crisis directly measures whether reputational damage has been repaired over time.
CCP Crisis Communication & Reputation Management 2
Which element is most critical in the first hour of a corporate crisis response?