National food chain
Crisis and reputation management: mitigating a union-led campaign against a major UK brand
Background
A national restaurant chain faced union backlash over ending staff benefits. Our task was to minimise negative media coverage and provide a fuller, accurate picture of the organisation’s staff support.
What we did
We clarified the situation with the client’s leadership, correcting inaccuracies and highlighting their support as one of the most comprehensive packages in the country. We briefed key journalists, including a major newswire, ensuring accurate, balanced reporting to mitigate negative coverage.
Impact & Results
The newswire article was much more balanced and factual, leading to fewer syndications. Journalists already published updated their coverage, ensuring balance. Ultimately, this led to what could have become a months-long campaign with repeated cycles of negative headlines fizzling out within a fortnight.