​​Top PR blunders and success stories of 2015

Bulldog Reporter has summarized the worst and best-handled crisis communications episodes of the past year, based on a list compiled by CrisisResponsePro. 

Topping the list of blunders was the National Football League for its handling of "Deflategate," the scandal involving the New England Patriots' under-inflated footballs. "They basically communicated nothing to the fans other than that they were launching an investigation, which they said would be “pursued expeditiously,” then took months," according to the analysis.

---

It's easy to develop a bunker mentality when a crisis occurs.

The best-handled PR crisis went to Lufthansa in response to the deliberate crashing of a Germanwings plane by one of its pilots. "Three days after the crash, it announced a new policy that two authorized crew members must be in the cockpit at all times," wrote Bulldog.

Keep in mind that all of the crises reviewed were serious and had disaster written all over them at the start. The key lesson to be learned was in how each of the affected parties responded to their unfortunate events. Read the full article here. ​

It's easy to develop a bunker mentality when a crisis occurs. It's tempting to remain tight-lipped and defensive. But virtually every time, that is exactly the opposite of what is needed to assure the public that the situation is being handled effectively and sensitively.

Take a look to see if you agree with the rankings.

Mack Communications | Twitter: @Mack_Comm