2014 was full of disasters and mistakes in the public relations world. Each had its own unique flavor and condition making impacts on their respective companies.
We’ve assembled the five biggest PR fails from 2014 and have laid them out.
Did we miss any? Let us know in the comments below!
Malaysian Airlines’ Consecutive Crashes
Malaysian Airlines saw not one, but TWO airplane disasters in 2014. First was the mysterious disappearance of a plane flying from Kuala Lumpur to Beijing, then just three months later another plane being shot down in Ukrainian airspace. Stock prices have plummeted, they’ll be rebranding and getting a new CEO, but not solely because of the accidents. They failed to communicate clearly what was happening during the course of the events; hiding information and lacking transparency that the families of the passengers so wanted at that time. They were outraged, and subsequently the rest of the world, who care about the rights of those family members, were as well.
Uber’s Reporter Problem
This year’s rising star – Uber – was incredibly successful (though controversial) throughout 2014. With one small conversation however, Uber was left with a dent in their reputation. Uber executive Emil Michael allegedly threatened Sarah Lacy, a tech reporter who has typically been critical of the startup, by suggesting they dig up dirt on her. With access to an extensive amount of customers’ personal data, including credit card information and ride patterns, the threats had some clout to them. Though Michael tried to recover from the statement with a clarification of what he meant, he still left Uber in hot water.
CEO Microsoft
Satya Nadella, Microsoft CEO, made the grave mistake of commenting about equal pay between women and men earlier this year. Not only did he do it in a public setting, he did it at a conference celebrating women in the workforce. He faced a mob of perturbed people after he made comments that basically told women to trust “karma” rather than asking for raises. Luckily he quickly apologized to the press, but not after facing the wrath of many angry men and women.
General Motors Ignition Switch
General Motors CEO Mary Barra was under fire earlier last year following GM’s massive recall for a faulty ignition switch. The part had been on GM’s vehicles for over 10 years, and had resulted in at least 12 deaths. When questioned about the recall, Barra seemed to avoid giving clear answers, resulting in a media backlash, which she would later apologize for.
Marius the Giraffe
The Copenhagen Zoo killed and dissected a 2-year-old giraffe in front of a group of visitors, prompting a slew of protests the world over. The killing was carried out despite efforts of protestors and a petition that racked up over 27,000 signatures. The zoo remained unapologetic, explaining that the giraffe wouldn’t be able to breed and would therefore need to be replaced, and that it would make a tasty treat for the lions.
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