Last week, Susan G. Komen’s decision to cut breast-screening grants to Planned Parenthood dominated the headlines across countless media outlets and conversations in the world of social media. The story was first reported by the Associated Press on Tuesday, Jan. 31, highlighting that Komen would cease funding under new eligibility rules that precludes grants to groups under government investigation.
Within 24 hours, the groundswell of backlash from politicians, celebrities, activists, advocates and general supporters quickly became a PR nightmare for the breast cancer organization. In a survey conducted by a Washington-based public relations firm, 75 percent of the people posting about the decision on social media shared negative comments about Susan G. Komen, and more than 20 percent said they would not give money to Komen because of the move.
In previous blog posts, we have discussed the importance of analyzing how a change in a company’s policy or service will be perceived by all stakeholders, and developing the appropriate messaging that provides transparency around these changes. In addition, we have also discussed the importance of developing a crisis communication plan to help you react faster and make more effective decisions when in the midst of a crisis. It is the actions a company or individual take within the first 24 hours that sets the tone for how the media and general public will react.
While thousands of supporters on both sides voiced their opinions, Planned Parenthood and Susan G. Komen utilized their social media channels to communicate their position on the decision. Planned Parenthood used their social media channels to galvanize supporters in not only raising awareness, but also created a call to action for supporters to donate funds. By Wednesday evening, the organization had received more than $650,000 in donations, which nearly matched what Komen had pledged the previous year.
In an effort to correct the negative perception of Komen’s decision, the foundation issued a number of Tweets responding to the public scrutiny, and also created a YouTube video featuring its CEO Susan G. Brinker. While both approaches are acceptable means for disseminating the organization’s key messages, they were remiss in their decision to remove negative comments posted to its Facebook page, which does not help in rebuilding trust among its constituents.
Komen’s recent PR blunder is yet another reminder of how powerful social media can be. Not only does it have the power to connect with target audiences, increase brand recognition, and convey key messages, it can also be a driving force in creating change. By Friday, Feb. 3, Susan G. Komen announced the reversal of their decision to cut breast-screening grants to Planned Parenthood, and said they would continue to fund existing grants and preserve the eligibility for Planned Parenthood to apply for future grants.