COVID Impact: Scheduled Communications
by Connor McLean
on March 27, 2020
This past week, Ole Miss sent an email encouraging its alumni network to name the university as a beneficiary in their wills. The timing could not have been worse. That email, in light of the global pandemic and the growing national death toll, was universally, rightfully, and brutally mocked on social media and in online outlets.
So what went wrong? Rather than assuming that sending the email was just a terrible judgment call (though asking to be included in a will is never a comfortable conversation), let’s examine the far more likely reality. That email was probably a scheduled communication, drafted in recent weeks, that’s been waiting in a queue. In the midst of a crisis, an idea in an editorial calendar becomes a potential PR scandal without the proper adjustments.
Miraculously, PR scandals throughout the COVID-19 outbreak have been few and far between. Most organizations recognize the gravity of the situation and are being careful and strategic in their internal and external communications. The faux pas, as Ole Miss’s error demonstrates, are more likely to be caused by carelessness and oversights, not ignorance or callousness.
Other companies should take note of this mistake and learn from it. If you are responsible for an organization’s corporate communications, fundraising emails, or social media channels, take this opportunity to audit whatever communications you have planned and make sure they follow these guidelines:
Many large organizations plan their content weeks or even months in advance, and there was no way anyone could predict how widespread and impactful COVID-19 would be. That being said, those unfamiliar with the ins and outs of the communications industry don’t know how long a lead time some of these materials have. And they won’t be forgiving when companies fail to tailor their materials to the crisis at hand.
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