Iโm a seniยญor pubยญlic relaยญtions advisor who has advised sevยญerยญal brands in perยญil. This artยญicle will give you an overยญview of difยญferยญent types of pubยญlic apoยญloยญgies and explore why a pubยญlic apoยญlogy has little to do with absolution.
Here we go:
The Public Apology
A pubยญlic apoยญlogy is, by nature, an ambiguยญous stateยญment; it ranges from subยญmissive remorse to a cheยญvaยญlierยญโs trope of humbly expressยญing that the outยญcome was all that one could musterโโโdesยญpite best efforts.
The audiยญence will not conยญsider anyยญoneโs pubยญlic apoยญlogy until they underยญstand why someone did what they did and how they feel about doing it. This ambiยญguยญity is why sayยญing, โI apoยญloยญgiseโ is nevยญer enoughโโโyou must also express regret and explain yourself.
Anatomy of an Apology
The apoยญlogy. (โI apologise.โ)
The regret. (โIโm sorry.โ)
The explanยญaยญtion. (โThis is why.โ)
Types of Public Apologies
There are sevยญerยญal difยญferยญent types of apoยญloยญgies to avoid. Unfortunately, as far as pubยญlic apoยญloยญgies go, these types of pubยญlic apoยญloยญgies are widely usedโโโoften with devยญastยญatยญing PR consequences.
The non-apoยญlogy. (โI apoยญloยญgise, and Iโm sorry you feel this way.โ)
The deflectยญive apoยญlogy. (โI apoยญloยญgise, and Iโm sorry I was misยญinยญformed or took bad advice.โ)
The pathoยญloยญgicยญal apoยญlogy. (โI apoยญloยญgise, and Iโm sorry I got caught.โ)
The grandยญstandยญing apoยญlogy. (โI apoยญloยญgise, and Iโm sorry, but I acted accordยญing to my morยญal convictions.โ)
The defeatยญist apoยญlogy. (โI apoยญloยญgise, and Iโm sorry this didnโt work out how it was supยญposed to.โ)
The charยญacยญter apoยญlogy. (โI apoยญloยญgise, and Iโm sorryโโโIโm unwell and need help.โ)
The cirยญcumยญstanยญtial apoยญlogy. (โI apoยญloยญgise, and Iโm sorry I wasnโt betยญter prepared.โ)
The transยญacยญtionยญal apoยญlogy. (โI apoยญloยญgise, and Iโm sorry, but I have since paid my dues.โ)
From a PR perยญspectยญive, I recomยญmend only one type of apology:
The Stoic apoยญlogy. (โI apoยญloยญgise, and Iโm sorryโโโI did wrong, and I take full responsยญibยญilยญity for my actions.โ)
Moving Into the Next Stage
Apart from an honยญest delivยญery, this is what a wrongยญdoยญer must underยญstand about the straยญtegic use of a pubยญlic apoยญlogy as a straยญtegic tool:
Public apoยญloยญgies are not a methยญod of obtainยญing absoยญluยญtion or mitยญigยญatยญing the loss of pubยญlic trust. Forgiveness and trust must be earned sepยญarยญately and in the long term.
A pubยญlic apoยญlogy is a tool to allow the media narยญratยญive to move into the next stage soonยญer rather than laterโโโwhatever that stage might hold in store for the wrongdoer.
I enjoy coachยญing media spokespeople. Itโs rewardยญing, and sigยญniยญficยญant proยญgress can often be made durยญing the first session.
Hereโs how to approach your very first media trainยญing as a media trainยญer yourself:
Train for an actuยญal appearยญance. General media trainยญing is inefยญfiยญcient. There should be an actuยญal media appearยญance comยญing up. The upcomยญing media appearยญance will sharpen our pracยญtice sesยญsions. The realยญity of the situยญation will make a huge difference.
Roll the camยญera already. When we have a rough idea of what the spokesยญperยญson should say, I donโt bothยญer about tonยญalยญity, gimยญmicks, perยญsoยญnas, choice of clothes, etc. Instead, I start the video camยญera. Go! Since there is little preยญparยญaยญtion, we can quickly identiยญfy the problems.
Allow for self-corยญrecยญtion. After each attempt, I play the video back. As we watch the footยญage, I ask the perยญson in trainยญing what they think. Sometimes, thereโs nervous laughter. Sometimes, thereโs uncomยญfortยญable squirmยญing. Other times, the mood gets serยญiยญous. But without me havยญing to give any notes whatยญsoยญever, the spokesยญperยญson immeยญdiยญately self-corยญrects. After experยญiยญenยญcing a cataยญlogue of emoยญtions from watchยญing oneยญself delivยญer corยญporยญate cringe unpreยญpared, the spokesยญperยญson soon wants to try again. We will keep doing this until the spokesยญperยญson is โdoneโ and ready for careยญful input from the media trainer.
Use Socratic quesยญtionยญing. Instead of givยญing notes, I pracยญtice Socratic quesยญtionยญing. โDid you like or disยญlike the way you delivered the mesยญsage? How did it feel when you changed your approach?โ These types of quesยญtions can admitยญtedly be annoyยญing, but the spokesยญperยญson is often too engaged in their perยญformยญance to bothยญer about how I behave. Some might seek my approvยญal durยญing the proยญcess, but itโs easy to deflect and redirยญect their quesยญtions back at them. โWhat parts did you like? What parts do you want to change?โ
Explain the proยญcess at the end. When weโre nearยญing the end of the trainยญing sesยญsion, either by sheer fatigue or schedulยญing conยญstraints, some spokesยญperยญsons start to think about my role in all of this. โWhy is Jerry not givยญing, only askยญing me quesยญtions instead of givยญing feedยญback? Why is Jerry not telling me what to doโโโor what not to do?โ Leaders want to know that theyโre getยญting their moneyโs worth. So, I typยญicยญally end the first trainยญing sesยญsion by explainยญing that media trainยญing should allow the media spokesยญperยญson to โexcavยญateโ their best media perยญsona. Itโs always someยญwhere, but they must pull it out themselves.
Speaking with a reportยญer while adherยญing to best pracยญtices in media trainยญing is straightยญforยญward in theยญory but difยญfiยญcult in real-life situations.
Here are some clasยญsic media trainยญing advice:
Never specยญuยญlate. Anything you say before a reportยญer could be recorยญded and used against you later. Therefore, avoid specยญuยญlatยญing since you might be proven wrong, or your guesses could be conยญveyed as faulty stateยญments of facts to disยญcredยญit you later.
Stay on mesยญsage. Develop 3โโโ4 key points you want to conยญvey and conยญsistยญently steer the conยญverยญsaยญtion back to those mesยญsages. This helps ensure that your core mesยญsages are comยญmuยญnicยญated clearly and freยญquently. 2Silfwer, J. (2024, May 2). The Core Message. Doctor Spin | The PR Blog. https://โdocโtorโspinโ.net/โcโoโrโeโ-โmโeโsโsโaโge/
Be preยญpared. Before any media interยญacยญtion, familยญiยญarยญise yourยญself with the journยญalยญist, their recent work, and the media outยญletโs audiยญence. Preparation will help you tailยญor your mesยญsages and antiยญcipยญate potenยญtial quesยญtions. 3Silfwer, J. (2022, June 28). Media Spokesperson Training: Get Your Message Across. Doctor Spin | The PR Blog. https://โdocโtorโspinโ.net/โmโeโdโiโaโ-โsโpโoโkโeโsโpโeโrโsโon/
Be conยญcise. Offer brief, clear responses to avoid misยญinยญterยญpretยญaยญtion. Long, comยญplicยญated answers can lead to snipยญpets being taken out of context.
Use bridging techยญniques. If asked a difยญfiยญcult or off-topยญic quesยญtion, use bridging phrases like โWhatโs importยญant to rememยญber isโฆโ to transยญition back to your key messages.
Never lie. Always tell the truth. If you donโt know the answer, say so. Lying can damยญage your repuยญtaยญtion and credยญibยญilยญity if the truth emerges later.
Monitor your body lanยญguage. Non-verbal cues can say as much as your words. Maintain an open posยญture and eye conยญtact to conยญvey honยญesty and confidence.
Practice. Rehearse your key points and potenยญtial quesยญtions with a colยญleague or a media trainยญer to refine your delivยญery and timยญing. If posยญsible, do it on camยญera for easiยญer review.
Manage your emoยญtions. Remain calm and comยญposed, even if the quesยญtionยญing becomes aggressยญive. Emotional responses can be porยญtrayed negatively.
Correct misยญtakes. If you misยญspeak, corยญrect yourยญself immeยญdiยญately. This preยญvents misยญinยญformยญaยญtion from spreadยญing and shows your comยญmitยญment to accuracy.
Control the pace. Speak slowly and clearly to give yourยญself time to think and to ensure your points are understood.
Use examples and anecยญdotes. Personal storยญies or speยญcifยญic examples can make your mesยญsage more relatยญable and memorable.
Know when to stop talkยญing. After makยญing a point, itโs okay to stop speakยญing. Filling silence with unneยญcesยญsary elabยญorยญaยญtion can lead to errors or off-mesยญsage statements.
Anticipate difยญfiยญcult quesยญtions. Prepare for tough quesยญtions in advance so you can handle them conยญfidยญently without being caught off guard.
No blame-gamยญing. Emphasise hopeยญful aspects and soluยญtions rather than dwellยญing on negยญatยญive issues or blame.
Avoid non-apoยญloยญgies. Either youโre truly sorry and wish to apoยญloยญgiseโโโor you donโt. Thereโs no in-between. Make up your mind beforeยญhand. 5Silfwer, J. (2020, July 26). When a Public Apology is Warranted (And When Itโs Not). Doctor Spin | The PR Blog. https://โdocโtorโspinโ.net/โpโuโbโlโiโcโ-โaโpโoโlโoโgy/
Be mindยญful of the backยญground. The setยญting of your interยญview can also send mesยญsages. Ensure the envirยญonยญment reflects the image you wish to convey.
Respect deadยญlines. Understanding a journalistโs deadยญline and respondยญing promptly can help shape the story and foster a posยญitยญive relationship.
Follow up. After the interยญview, promptly send any promยญised informยญaยญtion or claยญriยญficยญaยญtions. This helps ensure accurยญacy and mainยญtains a proยญfesยญsionยญal relationship.
Standing before a camยญera or a microยญphone can be stressยญful, espeยญcially durยญing a crisis. Therefore, many leadยญers, politiยญcians, and comยญmuยญnicยญaยญtion proยญfesยญsionยญals invest in proยญfesยญsionยญal media training.
However, media trainยญing isnโt a magicยญal fix.
Media trainยญing can be taken too far.
Answers Without Substance
Typical media trainยญing advice: If the reportยญer asks, โIs it unsafe to work for you?โ You often canยญโt say โyes.โ Just because it was unsafe once at one locยญaยญtion doesยญnโt mean all related work envirยญonยญments are unsafe. You canยญโt say โno,โ either. It was unsafe in this speยญcifยญic situยญation. Youโre being cornered! The only thing you can do is focus on what you actuยญally can say.
How this advice backยญfires: Being โmedia trained,โ a spokesยญperยญson can get over-conยญfidยญent in their abilยญitยญies. And so, they believe that they can get away with card-stackยญing and talkยญing themยญselves out of the situยญation. Reporters are trained to spot this behaยญviour, and instead of letยญting the spokesยญperยญson off the hook, they start probยญing even harder.
What to do instead: Prepare your Q&A betยญter. You must have someยญthing of subยญstance to say before enterยญing the interยญview situยญation. Even if you could talk out of a tricky quesยญtion without sayยญing anyยญthing of subยญstance, the audiยญence will disยญlike you for avoidยญing the question.
Exaggerating the Bridge Technique
Typical media trainยญing advice: Use the bridge techยญnique. While unable or unwillยญing to accept the funยญdaยญmentยญals of the quesยญtion, the interยญviewee can add conยญtext, and by doing so, itโs often posยญsible to slide over to preยญpared stateยญments and talkยญing points. 7Silfwer, J. (2022, June 28). Media Spokesperson Training: Get Your Message Across. Doctor Spin | The PR Blog. https://โdocโtorโspinโ.net/โmโeโdโiโaโ-โsโpโoโkโeโsโpโeโrโsโon/
How this advice backยญfires: Itโs easy to grasp the mechยญanยญics of the bridge techยญnique. The reportยญer asks a quesยญtion, doesยญnโt answer it, and then disยญcusses what you want to highยญlight. Too often, media-trained spokespeople take this techยญnique way too far. Itโs impolยญite at best and doesยญnโt look good on camera.
What to do instead: When youโve answered a quesยญtion, adding addiยญtionยญal conยญtext or insight into your iniยญtiยญatยญive can be helpยญful to the reportยญer. But always ensure you add conยญtext or insight relยญevยญant to the oriยญginยญal question.
Parrotting Your Key Message
Typical media trainยญing advice: Prepare a shortยญlยญist with key stateยญments you want to conยญvey. These stateยญments will help when pressed by a reporter.
How this advice backยญfires: At times, media-trained spokesยญperยญsons might decide to repeat their preยญpared stateยญments word-for-word, over and over again. An irritยญated reportยญer could quickly punยญish you by airยญing this type of โparยญrot behaยญviourโโโโand itโll be terยญrible both on camยญera and in audio. 8Silfwer, J. (2020, May 23). Corporate Cringe. Doctor Spin | The PR Blog. https://โdocโtorโspinโ.net/โcโoโrโpโoโrโaโtโeโ-โcโrโiโnโge/
What to do instead: Write down single words to repยญresยญent your intenยญded talkยญing points, and rememยญber these instead of actuยญal phrases. Donโt memยญorยญise word-for-word stateยญments. And most importยญantly, donโt say the same thing repeatedly.
Staring Down the Reporter
Typical media trainยญing advice: Most journยญalยญists use a comยญmon trick to remain silent instead of firยญing anothยญer quesยญtion. For most people, this silence is awkยญward and unpleasยญant. To escape this unpleasยญantยญness, they start talkยญing aimยญlessly. The rule of thumb is to be comยญfortยญable and allow for a little quiet now and then.
How this advice backยญfires: Allowing for silence is essenยญtial, but you do not need to sit there and stare intensely for 30 seconds. Because this doesยญnโt look good, either. Many media-trained spokesยญperยญsons apply this advice by triยญumphantly tryยญing to stare down the reporter.
What to do instead: If the reportยญer is serยญiยญous about stayยญing quiet for a long time, careยญfully use the bridge techยญnique to add more conยญtext and insight. But take a few moments in silence to think about what youโll say before you open your mouth. The key is not to be afraid of silence, feel the need to fill these pauses with excessยญive talk, or enter some starยญing conยญtest with the reporter.
Relying on Non-Apologies
Typical media trainยญing advice: Donโt be afraid to apoยญloยญgise. Making an apoยญlogy pubยญlicly is someยญtimes just the right thing to do. The importยญant thing here is not to sound like a robot but to make sure you genuยญinely empathise.
How this advice backยญfires: More often than not, media-trained spokespeople say things like, โWeโre sorry they feel this way,โ โWeโre sorry if this didยญnโt come across,โ or โWeโre sorry that youโre sorry.โ These stateยญments are also known as non-apoยญloยญgiesโโโand everyยญone rightยญfully hates them. 9Silfwer, J. (2020, July 26). When a Public Apology is Warranted (And When Itโs Not). Doctor Spin | The PR Blog. https://โdocโtorโspinโ.net/โpโuโbโlโiโcโ-โaโpโoโlโoโgy/
What to do instead: Connecting through emoยญtions means talkยญing and actยญing like a human being. Donโt say that youโre sad; be sad. And even more importยญantly, avoid non-apoยญloยญgies altoยญgethยญer. Itโs about your feelยญings on the matยญter, not theirs. If you canยญโt express human emoยญtions like empathy durยญing difยญfiยญcult times, see a therยญapยญist, not a reporter.
Using Platitudes and Jargon
Typical media trainยญing advice: Never specยญuยญlate. Nothing good ever came from second-guessยญing anyยญthing in front of a reportยญer. Stick to what you know.
How this advice backยญfires: Media-trained spokespeople rarely say things like โno comยญmentโ or โI can neither conยญfirm nor deny.โ They know betยญter. However, resortยญing, as many do, to platยญitยญudes and jarยญgon instead is not a much betยญter strategy. 10Silfwer, J. (2015, October 9). The Platitude Sickness: The Trash of Corporate Writing. Doctor Spin | The PR Blog. https://โdocโtorโspinโ.net/โpโlโaโtโiโtโuโdโeโ-โsโiโcโkโnโeโss/
What to do instead: Avoid corยญporยญate cringe. Talk like you would with someone you met on the street askยญing for dirยญecยญtions you do not know, and nevยญer resort to platitudes.
Transposing Human Emotions
Typical media trainยญing advice: The story is always about people, so you should focus on those dirยญectly involved. Addressing shareยญholdยญers, marยญkets, and cusยญtomยญers will have to come second.
How this advice backยญfires: To address the human aspect, many spokespeople make the misยญtake of tryยญing too hard to reasยญsure people. But itโs nevยญer a good idea to tell people not to worry if they arenโt ready. If you conยญtraยญdict peopleโs feelยญings, youโre actยญively disยญqualยญiยญfyยญing their real emotions.
What to do instead: Donโt talk about othยญer people as if you have magicยญal insights into how they feel. Once again, itโs about your feelยญings, not theirs.
Thank you. Please supยญport my blog by sharยญing artยญicles with othยญer comยญmuยญnicยญaยญtions- and marยญketยญing proยญfesยญsionยญals. Please also conยญsider my PR serยญvices or speakยญing engageยญments.
Psst! What should you read next?
Stoic Philosophy for Public Relations
Iโm inspired by Stoicismโโโand intrigued by the idea of transยญlatยญing clasยญsicยญal Stoic virยญtues (wisยญdom, courยญage, justice, temยญperยญance) and applyยญing them to pubยญlic relations:
The Wisdom Pitch
โA Stoic is someone who transยญforms fear into prudence, pain into transยญformยญaยญtion, misยญtakes into iniยญtiยญation, and desires into underยญtakยญing.โ โ Nassim Nicholas Taleb
Tell PR storยญies of how organยญisaยญtions can be wise and overยญcome obstacles that have stopped othยญers in their tracks. Convey PR mesยญsages on how to apply wisยญdom, knowยญledge, and experience.
The Courage Pitch
โWe canยญnot choose our cirยญcumยญstances, but we can always choose how we respond to them.โ โ Epictetus
Tell PR storยญies of brands that nevยญer back down in the face of hardยญships that would desยญtroy othยญer organยญisaยญtions. Convey PR mesยญsages of how an organยญisaยญtion can be rightยญeous even when storms are raging.
The Justice Pitch
โConcentrate every minute on doing whatโs in front of you with preยญcise and genuยญine serยญiยญousยญness, tenยญderly, willยญingly, with justice.โ โ Marcus Aurelius
Tell PR storยญies of how organยญisaยญtions relentยญlessly can strive for honยญesty and transยญparยญencyโโโeven when uncomยญfortยญable. Convey PR mesยญsages about how all brands, without excepยญtion, can rid themยญselves of disยญhonยญesty and incompetence.
The Temperance Pitch
โItโs not the man who has too little, but the man who craves more, who is poor.โ โ Seneca
Tell PR storยญies of organยญisaยญtions that strive for highยญer valยญues in a world where all othยญer organยญisaยญtions sufยญfer shortยญsightedยญness. Convey PR mesยญsages of organยญisaยญtions preยญpared to abstain from short-term gains to make the world betยญter for all.
An organยญisaยญtion is the polyยญphonยญic sum of all its coworkยญers. Imagine extractยญing each coworkยญerยญโs most virยญtuยญous and mature traits and comยญbinยญing them into one voiceโโโthe Stoic tonality.
Openness. A virยญtuยญous organยญisaยญtion underยญstands that everyยญone must be allowed to express their thoughts and opinions.
Fairness. A virยญtuยญous organยญisaยญtion will see (and respect) both sides of a divisยญive argument.
Strength. A virยญtuยญous organยญisaยญtion is conยญfidยญent in its chosen strategies and acquired abilยญitยญies, not because theyโre perยญfect, but because they are grounded.
Wisdom. A virยญtuยญous organยญisaยญtion will take the time to explain comยญplex topยญics without condescending.
Humility. A virยญtuยญous organยญisaยญtion underยญstands that no one can have everything comยญpletely figured out and that we all have learnยญing and growยญing to do.
Stoic Tonality Examples
โWhy doesยญnโt your brand speak out against indusยญtriยญal overยญfishยญing killing our oceans?โ
โAs a comยญpany that sells fishยญing gear, we want our oceansโโโand all animยญals and plants livยญing in them!โโโto be healthy and plenยญtiยญful. We, too, were disยญturbed by the recent news of overยญfishยญing. How could anyยญone not be? We now ask ourselves, how can our comยญpany make more of a difยญferยญence? Honestly, weโre disยญcussยญing our strategy for susยญtainยญabยญilยญity every day. I canยญnot say how or when we might take speยญcifยญic action regardยญing this latest news, but rest assured that weโre takยญing the genยญerยญal issue of savยญing our oceans seriously.โ
โWhy doesยญnโt your brand engage in Black Lives Matter?โ
โAs for right now, weโre listenยญing. Weโre listenยญing to the storยญies being told. Weโre listenยญing to underยญstand betยญter how we can learn and grow as a comยญpany. As for inclusยญiveยญness and human rights in genยญerยญal, we think weโre doing a great job, and part of that is to stay open and careยญfully listen to peopleโs storยญies. We might take speยญcifยญic actions, but weโre listenยญing and learning.โ
โWhy doesยญnโt your brand join our protests against toxยญic masยญculinยญity and the patยญriยญarchy?โ
โHonestly, weโre a product comยญpany. We make products for anyยญone who likes them. And I dare say that weโre experts in makยญing these products. However, weโre not experts on ideoยญloยญgies or sociยญetยญal strucยญtures. So, for now, we listen. And we conยญtinยญue to focus on makยญing the best products that we can. For everyยญone. We believe thatโs our best way of conยญtribยญutยญing at this point.โ
โWhy doesยญnโt your brand sign our petiยญtion to boyยญcott all comยญpanยญies on our Environmental Black List?โ
โAs a comยญpany, we operยญate difยญferยญently. Instead of signยญing petiยญtions or parยญtiยญcipยญatยญing in othยญer pubยญlic demonยญstraยญtions, we take action withยญin our sphere of influยญence. And I dare say that our many envirยญonยญmentยญal iniยญtiยญatยญives are makยญing a lot of difยญferยญence worldยญwide relยญatยญive to our size and reach. If we were to sign your petiยญtion, we would first have to use our resources to research the legitยญimยญacy of its creยญatยญors and then make sure that none of the comยญpanยญies on that list is being wrongยญfully accused. While it would be posยญsible, weโve decided that we can do more good by dirยญectยญing our resources to where we can make the most difference.โ
โWhy doesยญnโt your comยญpany act against your female employยญees who take time off for aborยญtions?โ
โAll our employยญees are grown-ups, and what they do on their own time is frankly none of our busiยญness. Weโre a large comยญpany, and we have employยญees who are pro-life and pro-choice. We believe we have a workยญplace where people can have difยญferยญent opinยญions but still respect each othยญer and work well together.โ
โWhy hasยญnโt your comยญpany offered your thoughts and prayยญers for the vicยญtims and their famยญilยญies of the school shootยญing?โ
โThe vicยญtims and their famยญilยญies have our empathยญies, of course. I speak for everyยญone workยญing at our comยญpany when I say we were devยญastยญated by the news as everyยญone else. But youโre right that we havenโt posยญted any status updates about the shootยญing on our Facebook page. Itโs not that we donโt care (we do!), itโs just that we focus our updates on our products and serยญvices and how they make a posยญitยญive difยญferยญence in the world.โ
Jerry Silfwer, alias Doctor Spin, is an awarded senior adviser specialising in public relations and digital strategy. Currently CEO at Spin Factory and KIX Communication Index. Before that, he worked at Kaufmann, Whispr Group, Springtime PR, and Spotlight PR. Based in Stockholm, Sweden.
The Cover Photo
The cover photo isn't related to public relations obviously; it's just a photo of mine. Think of it as a 'decorative diversion', a subtle reminder that it's good to have hobbies outside work.
The cover photo has
.
Newsletter for PR lovers!
Subscribe to SpinCTRLโitโs 100% free!
Join 2,550+ fellow PR lovers and subscribe to Jerryโs free newsletter on communication and psychology.
What will you get?
> PR commentary on current events.
> Subscriber-only VIP content.
> My personal PR slides for .key and .ppt.
> Discounts on upcoming PR courses.
> Ebook on getting better PR ideas.
Subscribe to SpinCTRL today by clicking SUBSCRIBE and get your first free send-out instantly.