CPRS Crisis Communication 4 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: What is a 'rumor mill' risk in crisis communication, and how is it best countered?
- Misinformation spread by media; countered by suing outlets
- Unverified information circulating among publics; countered by rapid, accurate, transparent communication (Correct answer)
- Internal gossip among employees; countered by surveillance policies
- Competitor disinformation; countered by legal injunctions
Correct answer: Unverified information circulating among publics; countered by rapid, accurate, transparent communication
Information vacuums during crises allow rumors to fill the void; consistent and transparent communication is the most effective countermeasure.
Question 2: In SCCT, which response strategy is most appropriate for a crisis caused by a product defect the organization was unaware of?
- Denial — the organization has no responsibility
- Diminishment — minimize attribution of crisis to the organization (Correct answer)
- Rebuild — offer full apology and compensation
- Bolstering — remind publics of past positive actions
Correct answer: Diminishment — minimize attribution of crisis to the organization
Accidental crises (like unknown product defects) involve low attributional responsibility, making diminishment strategies such as justification or excuse more appropriate.
Question 3: What is the significance of the 'golden hour' in crisis communication?
- The one-hour window after market close to issue financial disclosures
- The first hour after a crisis breaks, during which the response sets the tone and narrative (Correct answer)
- The optimal time of day to hold a press conference
- An award given to exemplary crisis communicators
Correct answer: The first hour after a crisis breaks, during which the response sets the tone and narrative
The first hour after a crisis emerges is critical — early, accurate communication helps control the narrative before misinformation spreads.
Question 4: Which of the following is an example of 'second-order crisis'?
- A product recall causing a factory shutdown
- Mismanagement of the original crisis causing a new, separate reputation crisis (Correct answer)
- A crisis affecting a second organization in the same industry
- A follow-up crisis that occurs six months after the initial event
Correct answer: Mismanagement of the original crisis causing a new, separate reputation crisis
A second-order crisis arises when poor handling of the first crisis creates an entirely new reputational problem, separate from the original issue.
Question 5: When a PR practitioner recommends using 'surrogates' during a crisis, what does this mean?
- Hiring actors to play company executives at press conferences
- Using credible third parties to deliver or reinforce the organization's message (Correct answer)
- Delegating crisis response entirely to a PR agency
- Replacing the CEO with a temporary spokesperson
Correct answer: Using credible third parties to deliver or reinforce the organization's message
Surrogates are credible external voices — experts, community leaders, or satisfied customers — whose endorsement can enhance message credibility.
Question 6: What is 'reputational threat spillover' in crisis communication?
- Negative public sentiment spreading from one organization to similar organizations in the industry (Correct answer)
- A crisis escalating from local to national news coverage
- Reputation damage spreading from social media to traditional media
- A crisis affecting both the brand and its advertising partners
Correct answer: Negative public sentiment spreading from one organization to similar organizations in the industry
Reputational spillover occurs when a crisis at one organization negatively affects the public perception of peer organizations in the same sector.
Question 7: Why is it critical to document all crisis communications and decisions in real time?
- To provide material for a future book about the crisis
- To support legal defense, accountability reviews, and improve future crisis plans (Correct answer)
- To meet social media archiving requirements
- To enable real-time analysis by artificial intelligence systems
Correct answer: To support legal defense, accountability reviews, and improve future crisis plans
Real-time documentation creates an accurate record for legal protection, internal review, regulatory compliance, and post-crisis learning.
CPRS Crisis Communication 4
What is a 'rumor mill' risk in crisis communication, and how is it best countered?