As we enter 2025, communication professionals at businesses of all sizes face a host of challenges. From navigating a new administration to addressing privacy breaches, mitigating the misuse of AI, and responding to natural disasters, the challenges to being crisis ready are growing.
Why do communication strategies matter during these moments? As communication leaders, we are the guardians of brand integrity. Failing to respond—or responding inauthentically—can damage a company’s reputation far faster than it can be repaired.
Recognizing the New Crisis Frontier
Technological advancements and societal shifts are introducing new vulnerabilities. Today, businesses must confront uncomfortable conversations and challenges head-on through thoughtful communication.
We’ve identified four primary issues expected to increase in frequency this year:
- AI Misinformation: While AI brings immense benefits, it also enables harmful use cases like deepfakes. These sophisticated tools can impersonate leaders or spread false narratives, causing significant damage quickly.
- Example: This year, we helped a supply chain company combat a smear campaign involving a deepfake podcast designed to discredit the business. The content was nearly imperceptible but had the potential to devastate the brand.
- Privacy Issues: Data breaches are no longer rare, and their stakes are higher than ever. Cyberattacks on customer or employee data can escalate quickly, especially with interconnected tech stacks increasing vulnerabilities.
- Case Study: Beyond major breaches – like CrowdStrike in 2024 – we’ve also supported clients through unique privacy challenges, such as an online mental health provider discovering an unlicensed individual posing as a clinician. This incident exposed weaknesses in onboarding procedures and posed significant reputational risks due to patient privacy concerns.
- Natural Disasters: Climate change continues to amplify the scale and frequency of natural disasters. What was once a “one in a million” chance is now an inevitability. Businesses must prepare to communicate effectively in these scenarios, whether business operations are impacted directly or not.
- Example: After Hurricane Helene, we counseled an engineering firm whose lack of internal communication processes left employees in affected areas feeling unheard and unsupported.
- Polarization: Political, cultural, and global issues are increasingly divisive. Companies must prepare to engage carefully, balancing the expectations of diverse stakeholders.
- Lesson Learned: In the contentious lead-up to the 2024 election, we guided clients through the risks and opportunities of addressing divisive issues, offering tailored strategies to fit their unique needs.
Forming a Crisis-Ready Culture
Communication professionals can’t do it alone—every employee plays a role in protecting the brand’s reputation. Here are three immediate steps businesses can take to fortify their organizations against communication crises, which we’ll continue to explore this year with further insights:
- Scenario Planning: Develop a crisis communications protocol with pre-drafted messaging for high-risk scenarios. This ensures your team can respond quickly and effectively when a crisis arises.
- Training: Equip teams with tools and processes to recognize and escalate issues, including those involving AI misinformation. Foster a culture where employees feel comfortable sharing concerns before they become crises.
- Regular Audits: Communication audits are just as critical as business continuity audits. Regularly identify emerging risks and test your team’s readiness through exercises like tabletop drills to uncover gaps in your response strategy.
The challenges of 2025 may evolve rapidly, but preparedness strengthens resilience. By planning for potential crises and training your teams, your organization can safeguard its reputation and adapt to whatever comes next.
Need help building or refining a robust crisis communications strategy? Get in touch.