by Gloria Miller
Most companies will encounter a crisis at some point in their existence. I honestly believe it’s not the crisis itself that resonates with the general public but the reaction and how the crisis is handled that folks remember most. While some companies adopt the hush-hush approach and respond to every question with “no comment,” others choose to be proactive in their response and honest in owning up to a mistake. Thankfully brands and organizations are seeing the value in this approach, not only to minimize bad press and customer backlash but to remain authentic and apologetic to their primary audience – the customer.
As a self-proclaimed “Lulu lover,” when I heard about Lululemon’s see-through pants fiasco, I immediately ran to my closet, put on my yoga pants, and ran to the mirror to see if I was the latest victim of see-through pants. Luckily, I was in the clear. Naturally, as a PR gal, I was intrigued to see how Lululemon would respond to this “I see your underpants” crisis that hit the exercise world by storm.
According to Elissa Freeman, writer for Ragan.com, “Lululemon’s response was textbook perfect.” Freeman listed five things that the athletic clothier did correct:
- Admit your mistake and offer recourse – Lululemon wasted zero time admitting they made a mistake. Proactive and TIMELY response was spot on.
- Laugh at yourself – no explanation needed.
- Keep the media informed – a press release was sent to the media quickly, ensuring that Lululemon’s position was clear and to the point.
- Issue FAQs – Updated the website’s FAQ to answer any question potential buyers may have.
- Maintain CEO integrity – Being readily available to the media, answering questions honestly and being transparent in interviews.
- Keep brand ambassadors happy.
Since Lululemon was so open about this issue and offered full returns for anyone impacted, I’m pretty sure most “Lulu lovers” like myself will stay loyal to the brand – even if we may take an extra minute in the fitting room to test out the, ahem, view.