Social Media Crisis Communication Strategy for a well-reputed company

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Pre Media Crisis Communication
Introduction
Social media offers an important platform for building reputation and brand name of a
company (Pang, Begam Binte Abul Hassan and Chee Yang Chon 97). Social media crisis can
negatively impact the brand’s image and repute. As there is a high volume of social media
message for a well-reputed company, strategic initiatives need to be planned to come out from
the crisis situation. In the current discussion, Apple's iPhone performance for maximizing battery
life received significant criticism over social media. A social media crisis had risen from the
company's insensitiveness to not allow consumers to make their own choices (DeCamp, Koenig
and Chisolm 582). The current discussion analyses the social media crisis situation and
recommending a solution to the situation.
1. Outline the media crisis strategy
The current social media crisis situation faced by the computer giant Apple in 2018 when
it disclosed that it was throttling performance of iPhone in order to maximize its battery life.
Apple totally ignored its consumer’s choices but soon realized and apologized, with the offering
of an inexpensive battery replacement programs in older phones. The battery throttling scandal
led to several legal fallouts, and Apple was sued for slowing down of older iPhones such that
consumers would purchase new models (Conroy, Cox and Culbert). The lawsuit stated that
iPhones were intentionally slowed down by replacing with aged batteries. Apple defended saying
that it purposefully throttled performance of some iPhones in order to prevent them from shutting
down or collapsing. Apple faced 60 lawsuits from the user from all over the world, who accused
Apple of their malfunctioning devices. The throttling conspiracy was initiated post a feature
referred to as dynamic power management was introduced within the iOS software update. This

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led to the underperformance of devices, as the Lithium-ion Battery used was not able to supply
peak demands in colder conditions, as it had low battery charge. The batteries aged over a time
period and there was unexpected shutting down of the device for protecting internal components.
The consumers were unaware that they could regain optimal performance by replacement of
their battery that costs US$90, which was lesser than a new model.
2. Audiences Identification
The social media crisis faced by Apple was exposed to reputation risks from global
customers. Apple's iPhone has global recognition and smartphone users long to purchase the
product due to its various features (Bennett and Segerberg 33). Being a leading smartphone in
the entire globe it has millions of followers in its social media platform. Therefore, the throttling
battery crisis had been viewed by the entire followers and social media activists. Apple's iPhone
has approximately 11,597,214 Facebook followers and a similar number of followers on Twitter,
and other social media platforms. The social media crisis was not only viewed by the existing
consumers of Apple but rather it was also viewed by smartphone users, who were planning to
purchase iPhone due to their superior performance and is a social media follower of iPhone.
Apple is a giant brand name in smartphone users maker hence this social media crisis was
viewed by a wide range of people from varied walks of life.
3. Online and Offline media channel vehicles
While faced with a social media crisis situation, there need to be strategies devised so as
to overcome the bad reputation created. In order that Apple is able to overcome this current crisis
in social media, it will need to deploy one online and another offline media channel as the
vehicle for communicating the situation appropriately. Selection of an online media channel
appropriate in Apple’s case will need to be digitally distributed videos over the internet with
copyright. The video will demonstrate the initiatives taken by Apple in order to provide its
customers with the very best (Smith and Zook). The video will include the iPhone assembling
process along with various high-end components used for it. This video distributed through
online channels will ensure that Apple is able to gain back its brand repute and image amongst
its consumers. The video will be showcased in their websites, social media platforms and over

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emails. This will help re-engage people and create a positive brand image again for Apple's
iPhone. The video will assists in the crisis communication campaign, as a video can be regarded
as face-to-face interaction with the Company and has a greater impact that they can create on
consumers. A video provides visual as well as audio to depict a circumstance, therefore can be
utilized for making communication.
Offline media used by Apple will help to engage with consumers and a broad range of
audiences allowing increased reach over social media as well. The ideal offline media that can be
used by Apple need to be print media, including newspaper and magazine advertisement (Naik
and Peters 289). There are various sources of offline media where audiences can be engaged
such as television, radio, posters, and banners and so on, but audience engagement is gradually
declining in these spaces. Newspapers and magazines though form traditional forms of offline
media, yet guarantee a wider spectrum of audience. Hence, this can be deemed to be an
appropriate selection for Apple. Print media will be used for crisis communication campaign as it
can provide a visual and has an impact of authenticity on its audience. Audience reading or
referring to a newspaper or magazine often accepts the point of view as being true rather than
questioning its authenticity.
4. The spokesperson for the specific crisis
In case of a social media crisis situation, a key spokesperson has to be selected, who will
be able to calmly deal with the specific crisis. In this situation, the Vice President
Communications of Apple Inc. will be the key spokesperson. Steve Dowling, the current Vice
President Communications will attend the crisis situation by defending the Company's position
referring to the several challenges faced by the Company. The spokesperson will include specific
key points that will help defend the Company's position and hold the opinion of the hardware
and software departments in front of a targeted audience (Alexander 723). The Vice President
Communications holds an appropriate rank and position to provide an appropriate situation of
the Company. He is the person who is aware of the several fallouts and challenges that
consumers have faced. Moreover, due to the virtue of his position, he will be able to better
clarify any miscommunication or misunderstanding that has led to the social media crisis. In case
an engineering head such as hardware or software product head was selected, they would not