What’s currently all the rage on TikTok might be the last thing you’d expect: The disheveled image of the King Prawn Muppet to the soundtrack of the song “Like a Prayer,” relaying users’ embarrassing experiences to the world—or however many people happen to scroll past the content.
One such TikTok highlights a girl who was traipsing through New York City in a pair of rented jeans from a brand called Nuuly. The main character boards the subway… and accidentally sits right on top of human waste, resulting in a panicked sprint to the nearest Lululemon to score a pair of leggings—and to wash and return those rental jeans right back to Nuuly to avoid a $200 fee.
This gasp-inducing story gained traction on social media to the tune of over 8 million views, 1.5+ million likes and 12,000+ comments, thus throwing the brand Nuuly in the spotlight as concerned crowds wondered: Would Nuuly have charged this girl for accidentally sitting in someone else’s No. 2 on the subway? Who rented those jeans next? What’s the company’s sanitation protocol for returned rental clothing?
Enter the importance of swift crisis communication. Nuuly’s social media manager, who was made aware of the video over the weekend, was pulled into an emergency meeting the following Monday to determine how to react. Their big idea: To respond using the trend itself.
Within days of the original video going live, Nuuly posts a video of its own a la the King Prawn Muppet meme itself to commiserate the horror of the situation and quell concerns. The company’s response was publicly praised for its speed, creativity and humor—leaving Nuuly looking good and ready to rent to confident customers.
This tricky, and admittedly silly, situation is something we as PR professionals can take a few valuable lessons from:
- Social media is a huge piece in managing a brand’s public perception and reputation. It’s important to keep a finger on the pulse of the general climate and continuous conversation happening online—and to be aware of what people are saying to and about your clients on social channels.
- Remain calm in a crisis. Take a beat to make a game plan and then respond once all of your ducks are in a row.
- Know and connect with your audience. Align your delivery with their vibe (whether that’s via a meme on TikTok or a professionally written press release). No matter what mode of communication you use, it’s important that it’s refined to foster a sense of trust and reliability.
Need an agency on-call? RLF’s team of seasoned public relations professionals has quite the resume of successful crisis response efforts and is always prepared to help clients when emergencies arise.
By: Anna Beth Adcock
