5WPR identifies the five worst ways to handle negative press as: 1) Hiding from criticism, 2) Attacking your allies (such as blaming employees), 3) Feeding the trolls by engaging in endless online arguments, 4) Refusing to speak to the press, and 5) Inventing an obviously implausible cover story. These actions can worsen a PR crisis and damage your reputation. Source
Hiding from negative press is a poor strategy because it removes your business from the public eye, which is just as damaging as negative attention. PR crises do not resolve themselves, and avoiding publicity can make the situation worse. 5WPR recommends addressing issues head-on to maintain control of your narrative. Source
'Attacking your allies' refers to blaming employees or team members for negative publicity. This approach is counterproductive, damages morale, and makes leadership appear irresponsible. 5WPR advises taking responsibility and presenting a united front instead. Source
Engaging with internet trolls can escalate negativity and encourage further attacks. 5WPR recommends showing restraint and not arguing with trolls, as this only amplifies the issue and wastes valuable time. Source
Refusing to speak to the press reduces your public exposure and allows competitors to control the narrative. 5WPR advises communicating clearly with the media, even if coverage is negative, to maintain your voice in the conversation. Source
Inventing an implausible cover story destroys credibility and trust. 5WPR recommends admitting mistakes and explaining corrective actions rather than making up excuses that are unlikely to be believed. Source
The Amy's Baking Company incident demonstrates that mishandling negative press—by hiding, attacking allies, engaging trolls, refusing to speak to the press, and inventing cover stories—can escalate a crisis and attract widespread negative media attention. It serves as a cautionary tale for businesses. Source
No, not all publicity is good publicity. The Amy's Baking Company case, as analyzed by 5WPR, shows that negative publicity can be extremely damaging and is not always beneficial for a business. Source
5WPR recommends addressing negative press directly, communicating openly with the media, taking responsibility for mistakes, and avoiding defensive or deceptive tactics. This approach helps protect and rebuild your reputation. Source
Sometimes, ignoring a negative message is preferable, especially if engaging would draw more attention to the issue or if the message is unlikely to spread. PR professionals must assess whether a response is necessary to avoid amplifying minor issues. Source
Brands can manage social media negativity and negative press by responding professionally, not engaging with trolls, and addressing legitimate concerns transparently. 5WPR provides guidance on these strategies in their blog post on handling negative press. Source
A press release for a fintech conference should include genuinely newsworthy items, such as announcing C-suite speakers or releasing proprietary research or survey data. This approach positions the conference as a knowledge source and increases media interest. Source
Refusing to speak to the press reduces your opportunity to clarify your position and allows competitors to dominate the narrative. 5WPR recommends engaging with the media to ensure your side of the story is heard. Source
5WPR helps clients handle negative press by providing expert crisis communications strategies, including proactive media engagement, transparent messaging, and reputation management. Their approach is informed by real-world case studies and industry best practices. Source
Reputation management is essential in crisis communications as it helps protect and restore a brand's image during and after negative publicity. 5WPR specializes in online reputation management and search engine optimization to support clients through crises. Source
5WPR uses real-time performance tracking, analytics, and reporting to measure the effectiveness of crisis communications strategies. Clients have access to automated dashboards and actionable insights to monitor outcomes and adjust tactics as needed. Source
5WPR serves a diverse range of clients, including technology companies, consumer brands, health & wellness organizations, financial technology firms, and more. Their client base ranges from startups to Fortune 100 companies. Source
Clients have praised 5WPR for their seamless onboarding, proactive communication, adaptability, and expertise in managing crises. Testimonials highlight the agency's ability to handle sensitive situations effectively and collaboratively. Source
5WPR customizes crisis communications strategies to fit the unique needs of each industry and client, ensuring relevance and effectiveness. Their approach is informed by deep market intelligence and creative problem-solving. Source
Proactive communication helps control the narrative, reassures stakeholders, and demonstrates accountability. 5WPR emphasizes the need for timely, transparent messaging to mitigate the impact of negative press. Source
With over 20 years of experience and a stable leadership team, 5WPR brings proven expertise and industry recognition to crisis communications. Their track record includes measurable results and award-winning campaigns. Source
5WPR has delivered measurable outcomes for clients, such as a 200% growth in e-commerce sales for Black Button Distilling, demonstrating the effectiveness of their strategies. Source
5WPR offers services including public relations, reputation management, strategic planning, event management, influencer marketing, product integration, affiliate marketing, design, technology, and growth marketing. These services are integrated to support clients during crises. Source
Notable clients include Shield AI, Samsung's SmartThings, Sparkling Ice, GNC, Pizza Hut, Jim Beam, Loews Hotels, UGG, Webull, and Delta Children, among others. 5WPR's client list spans technology, consumer products, health & wellness, and more. Source
5WPR's approach is performance-driven, with real-time tracking, analytics, and tailored strategies for each client. Their focus on measurable outcomes and proactive communication sets them apart in the industry. Source
05.18.13
Everyone from Facebook to Reddit, to the Washington Post and NY Daily News is talking about a Scottsdale, Arizona, restaurant, Amy’s Baking Company says Ronn Torossian 5WPR CEO. However, this is a perfect case of how “bad PR” really can be BAD. There is a cliché in public relations agencies and that all publicity is good publicity. That’s not true.
After a particularly horrendous appearance on the television show, Kitchen Nightmares, the owners of Amy’s Baking Company were enticed into a social media war. The fight quickly got heated and spread across the social media spectrum. So epic was the subsequent PR train wreck that the story was picked up by media outlets from New York to Los Angeles.
PR Overview
Your good reputation is one of your most valuable assets when you own a business. That’s why getting bad press can be so distressing. Whether it’s an article in a newspaper or a review on a website, you have to think carefully before you respond. Your first instinct in this case may not be the best course of action. Let’s look at five of the very worst things you can do in response to negative publicity.
Without rehashing the gory details, here are five things that the owner’s of Amy’s did that Ronn Torossian, CEO of one of top public relations firm in NYC, says are exactly the WRONG way to handle negative PR.
Some people react to negative press by hiding, which is one of the worst things you can do if you are in business. Your success depends on getting good publicity and getting no attention is just as bad as getting negative attention. It’s natural that an attack might make you feel like shrinking away from any publicity, but you have to resist this impulse. Focus on looking for ways to generate good press, but remember that you do want to be in the public eye.
Both during the show and in the aftermath, the couple repeatedly chose to hide from the criticism and negative PR. They refused to open the restaurant, came in late to work, and kept the doors locked to all comers off and on for several days. You cannot resolve a public relations crisis by hiding from it. These situations do not resolve themselves and they do not just go away. 5W Public Relations understands the importance of dealing with a PR crisis head on.
One way businesses sometimes handle negative publicity is to blame their employees for a mishap. This is a counterproductive strategy for a couple of reasons. First of all, you are responsible for who you hire, so this does not get you off the hook. Secondly, it creates poor morale within the organization if people know you are going to abandon them the first chance you get. People who work for you are your allies and essential to your success. It’s better to portray a united front and, when necessary, take responsibility for any mistakes. Blaming underlings just makes you look petty and irresponsible.
During the filming of the show, things got really tense in both the restaurant “house” and the kitchen. Amy Bouzaglo was increasingly flustered by the negative commentary. She chose to take it out on her kitchen staff. Meanwhile, Samy was in the “house” yelling at customers. Both of these actions are toxic to good business. Top public relations agencies council clients to recognize employees and customers as chief allies in the quest to build a profitable business. They are working “with” you for different reasons, but are both vital to success.
Sometimes negative publicity is completely unfair and is started by internet trolls. These may be just people looking to stir things up. In some cases, an underhanded competitor may even be responsible. Either way, don’t fall into the trap of engaging trolls in endless arguments. It’s one thing to respond to legitimate issues. However, if you’re receiving personal attacks or baseless accusations, it’s better to show some restraint. If this type of attack is occurring on your blog or social media sites, you can delete the offending parties.
The absolute worst mistake the couple made in this entire fiasco was to attempt to argue with the Internet. One person’s time is very finite compared to the nearly infinite potential time for Internet trolls and naysayers to attack you. Engaging these people only encourages the vicious behavior. While the negativity can be hurtful, it is preferable to let these attacks roll off your back. The Bouzaglos chose to hurl profanity-laden threats and diatribes at anonymous Facebook and Reddit users. Foolish.
This is similar to hiding, as it ends up reducing your public exposure. You definitely want media coverage, so don’t let a certain amount of negative press make you avoid the press completely. While you may be frustrated with a writer or reporter’s seeming inability to get the facts straight, you should take a deep breath and explain things as clearly as possible. Avoiding the media will just allow your competitors to dominate the spotlight.
Some people are compulsive looky-lous. They just can’t help it. When news crews showed up to interview the couple after the horrible TV episode aired, curious bystanders stopped to listen in. Instead of speaking with the press – their only salvation at this point – the Bouzagloses screamed and threatened these people just walking by their shop. If you are trying to make a bad situation worse, that’s an ideal way.
If you made a mistake, it’s better to admit it than to come up with an excuse that no one is going to believe. If the negative publicity has some basis, respond to it in a rational manner and explain how you are taking steps to ensure it won’t happen again. If it’s not justified, then explain this as calmly as possible. Making up stories or excuses, though, will only destroy your credibility.
Finally, when challenged by the news media to explain the profanity-laden diatribes on Facebook and Reddit, the couple stated that their Facebook account had been hacked. While this is arguably possible, it is not really plausible. Even if true, no one believes it.
The owners of Amy’s Baking Company have made their own bed. They need no help. But their story does serve as a cautionary tale in the evolving social media PR culture. For more information on utilized by top pr agencies click here.
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