PR EMERGENCY ROOM
Emergency activation: R65,000 | Initial 48-hour intervention
A journalist is calling. An allegation is spreading. A post is going viral. A customer complaint is escalating. An executive is under scrutiny. A creator is facing public backlash.
When your reputation is suddenly at risk, you may not have days to decide what to do.
Public Relations (PR) Emergency Room by Positioning Partners provides rapid-response crisis communications and reputation management for businesses, organisations and public-facing leaders facing an active or imminent reputational threat.
No existing PR retainer is required.
You activate the service when you need it.
HOW WE WORK
What happens when you activate PR Emergency Room?
We begin by establishing what has happened, what is known, who is affected and where the greatest reputational risks lie. Positioning Partners then works with you to stabilise the communications response during the critical first 48 hours.
Depending on the situation, your emergency intervention may include an immediate reputational risk assessment, senior crisis communications counsel, crisis response strategy, key message and holding statement development, media enquiry assessment and response guidance, spokesperson preparation, stakeholder communications guidance, and social media and digital response guidance. We may also draft priority communications, advise on what to say, what not to say and when to respond, and provide a clear action plan for the next 48 hours.
Every crisis is different. Your response is determined by the facts, the level of reputational risk and the people who need to hear from you.
Immediate reputational risk assessment
Senior crisis communications counsel
Executive and spokesperson briefing
Key message development
Holding statement development
Crisis response strategy
Media enquiry assessment and response guidance
Guidance on what to say, what not to say and when to respond
Spokesperson preparation and an action plan for the next 48 hours
Stakeholder communications guidance
Drafting of priority communications
Social media and digital response guidance
Why work with us
When to activate PR Emergency Room
PR Emergency Room is intended for situations where trust, credibility, reputation or stakeholder confidence may be at risk. Not every negative comment or difficult conversation is a crisis. Part of our role is helping you determine what requires a response, what should be monitored and what should not be amplified unnecessarily.
You may need emergency crisis communications support if:
- A journalist contacts you about a potentially damaging story
- Allegations are made against you, your organisation or one of its leaders
- A social media post, video or complaint begins spreading rapidly
- An executive, founder, influencer or creator faces public backlash
- Old posts, messages or content resurface and begin attracting attention
- A public statement or business decision triggers significant backlash
- A data breach or cyberattack threatens trust among customers, employees, partners, investors or the public
- A customer incident becomes public
- A brand partnership is threatened by controversy involving a creator or public figure
- An employee or former employee makes public allegations
- Confidential information, screenshots, messages or documents are leaked
- False information, impersonation or misinformation begins circulating
- A regulatory, legal or operational matter begins attracting media attention
- A serious incident threatens confidence among customers, employees, partners, investors, followers or the public
The first response matters
A reputation crisis creates an information vacuum.
Journalists want answers. Employees ask questions. Customers speculate. Followers share screenshots. Brands reconsider partnerships. Social media fills gaps quickly.
Respond too quickly without understanding the facts and you can make the situation worse. Wait too long when a response is necessary and somebody else may define the story for you.
Our role is to help you make informed communications decisions while the situation is moving.
What we do
What are you actually paying for?
PR Emergency Room is not a press release writing service.
You are paying for senior communications judgement when the stakes are high and decisions may need to be made quickly.
We help you answer questions such as:
- Should we respond?
- Should we say anything publicly?
- What should we say right now?
- What should we avoid saying?
- Should the CEO, founder or creator respond personally?
- How should we answer the journalist?
- Do employees, customers, partners or followers need to hear from us?
- Should we apologise, clarify, correct or wait for more information?
- Could responding make the situation bigger?
- What happens next?
Businesses and organisations
For companies facing an emerging controversy, damaging media attention, customer incident, employee issue or other reputational threat.
CEOs and executives
For leaders who suddenly find themselves facing media, stakeholder or public scrutiny.
Entrepreneurs and founders
For business owners whose personal reputation and company reputation are closely connected.
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Influencers, creators and digital personalities
For influencers, podcasters, YouTubers, TikTok creators and other digital personalities dealing with viral backlash, allegations, leaked content, resurfaced posts, brand-partnership concerns, misinformation or threats to audience trust.
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Professional practices
For accounting, financial, legal, consulting and other professional services businesses where trust and credibility directly affect commercial relationships.
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Experts and public-facing professionals
For people whose professional reputation, public profile or credibility forms an important part of their work.
You do not need to be an existing Positioning Partners client.
