25
Just realized the apology template is doing more harm than the scandals
For years I used to draft public apologies like a fill-in-the-blanks form, with 'we take full responsibility' and 'we are deeply sorry' in every post. Then I watched a small coffee chain in Portland get roasted for copying the exact same wording as a car brand's viral fail, and it hit me that people can smell a template from a mile away. Now I write them like a real human, specific to what happened and who it hurt, and honestly the replies are way less angry. Has anyone else stopped using those generic PR lines and seen a difference in how the crowd reacts?
1 comments
Log in to join the discussion
Log In1 Comment
the_thomas1mo ago
The tricky part is the apology itself can become the story when you keep it vague, because people start guessing what you're hiding. Instead of just listing what went wrong, try naming the specific person or team that dropped the ball, even if it's awkward. That kills the room for speculation, and suddenly the comments are about the fix, not the failure. Did that coffee chain ever name who messed up, or did they hide behind the brand?
1