PR experts call it the three R’s of crisis management: Regret, Responsibility and Remedial action.
This is usually the advice given to those caught cheating, stealing or lying.
It appears the strategy can also pay off when a brand is simply admitting it made a bad product and is intent on changing it for the better.
Many were skeptical when Domino’s Pizza revamped its menu and improved its pizza. While quality improvement is certainly not a novel strategy for a brand plagued by negative perceptions, a television campaign based on a candid admission that your product was ‘bad, tasted like cardboard, was mass produced, boring and bland’ was refreshingly honest.
All indications are that it worked.
According to the Wall Street Journal, despite tough competition from Pizza Hut and Papa John’s, the pizza giant boasted its most lucrative fourth-quarter earnings – producing twice as many sales, better margins, and lower interest expenses.
Honesty pays (at least, that’s what Quebeckers say)
Yankelovich asked Canadians which of two statements they agreed more with:
I believe that the best way to get along is not to tell people exactly what you think of them
50% of English Canadians agreed more with this statement compared to 13% of French Canadians.
It’s best at all times to be honest with people
49% of English Canadians agreed more with this statement compared to 87% of French Canadians.
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