Yet again this week, we’re reminded that a trapped, wounded animal is a dangerous animal. Like an orange pain-riddled bear with his leg hopelessly caught in a snare trap, President Trump lashed out at Google, accusing the search giant of baking the results in favor of liberal media outlets so that a search of “Trump news” always returns negative stories. [An aside: I’d offer the president the same gentle advice I’ve been giving to clients for years: “Uh… you have more control over this than you may think.”] As is far too often the case, the president’s info started as a discredited story being peddled on Fox before it made its way into his never-used-a-computer brain and out his tiny tweeting fingers.
Google, to its credit, responded with a statement within what appeared to be minutes of the nastygram. That statement leads with purpose: "When users type queries into the Google Search bar, our goal is to make sure they receive the most relevant answers in a matter of seconds.” Bam! Pure “north star” stuff that:
- was clearly the result of a thoughtful process;
- was 100% on-brand as a result; and
- enabled a speedy response because Google’s comms team had it at the ready: they didn’t need to create a one-off statement in a panic and then run it up the chain in a frenzied attempt to get agreement on a final version by the end of the day’s news cycle.
It was also a powerful opener and a perfect springboard for the rest of the statement, which went on to refute the president’s charge in greater detail. The statement wouldn’t have been nearly so strong had the order been reversed.
Of course, Trump vows to “look into” the matter, ensuring the story will stay in the news for a bit… as does the fact that the leaders of Facebook, Google and Twitter are slated to appear before a Congressional committee next week to talk about censorship and election interference.
Like the trapped bear striking out in fear at what it can’t comprehend, Trump’s howling at the tech world at least proves that there is no industry he won’t go after. No matter how big, deep-pocketed or popular, no company is safe. And the fact of the matter is that in our current fractured climate of tribalism and corporate reckoning, threats to an organization’s brand and reputation can come from any direction at any time… not just from 1600 Pennsylvania Ave or Mar-a-Lago during yet another fitful night.
That’s why smart organizations that play on the national stage are well-advised to proactively undertake a process that identifies, assesses and monitors for enterprise-wide reputational risks and guides the creation of purpose-driven plans and content that allow for taking a reasoned, rational and rapid stand… one that rises above the level of the incoming attacks.
Funny I should mention it, because that’s exactly what StandSmartSM – a new in-the-works joint offering from BrandFoundations and NYC-based Peppercomm – is designed to deliver. Stay tuned for details (but reach out now if you want a preview).
With trapped animals as with trapped presidents, the only predictable thing is their unpredictability. And as Google and countless other companies have learned, you don’t need to pick a fight in order to find yourself in one. Stand ready. Stand strong. Stand smart.