PR trend monitor names the most dangerous triggers for communication crises
False reports and misleading information are the biggest crisis drivers in communication. Covering up mistakes and personal misconduct on the part of management also frequently lead to a corporate crisis. These are the findings of the PR trend monitor conducted by news aktuell and PER. 327 PR specialists and managers from Switzerland and Germany took part in the survey.
When asked about the most dangerous triggers for communication crises, one in three respondents named disinformation as the highest risk factor (33%). Almost as many PR professionals are of the opinion that covering up mistakes is the biggest crisis accelerator (32 percent). Personal misconduct at top management level was the third most cited cause (28%).
Shitstorms in social media are the most dangerous crisis trigger for one in four (25 percent), while criminal offenses against the company, such as a cyberattack, significantly increase the crisis potential for a good one in five respondents (23 percent).
Around one in ten see an increased crisis risk if the company is investigated by the public prosecutor's office (13 percent), the products are faulty (12 percent), the company's own employees engage in personal misconduct (12 percent) or data protection is violated (10 percent).
By contrast, most respondents rated natural events as less dangerous: Only a meagre 6 percent fear earthquakes or storm surges as the most dangerous triggers of communication crises. Respondents were least concerned about possible defamation by competitors (3 percent).
The most dangerous triggers for communication crises, according to the survey
- False reports & misleading information 33%
- Covering up errors 32%
- Personal misconduct of management 28%
- Social media shitstorm 25%
- Crime (e.g. cyberattacks) 23%
- Lack of transparency 22%
- Failure of top management 22%
- Compliance issues 20%
- Investigations by the public prosecutor's office 13%
- Defective products 12%
- Personal misconduct by employees 12%
- Data protection violations 10%
- Economic problems 9%
- Poor working conditions 8%
- Poor service 8%
- Natural events (e.g. storm surge, earthquake) 6%
- Defamation by competitor 3%
As part of the PR trend monitor from News Aktuell and Per an online survey was conducted in February 2024 among 327 communications professionals from companies, organizations and PR agencies in Switzerland and Germany. A maximum of three responses were possible.
