Following on from the Responsible Marketing content series co-produced with Les Talents M, an inspiring expert panel on internal and external crisis communication strategies was held. This essential event explored the appropriate responses to properly manage critical situations, while preserving organizations’ reputations.
Heading up the panel, Lawrence Esso, certified public relations consultant and founder of Kelart Communications, brilliantly shared her expertise. With over 15 years’ experience in the aviation industry and the multimedia entertainment world, she argued for the importance of strategic anticipation. “A well-managed crisis is prepared in advance through clear communication at all levels,” she said. Her guiding principle is to combine efficiency and respect when accompanying a plan book at the head of a very small or small company engaged in new mentalities, such as digital or the creative industry.
Flavie Halais, freelance journalist and founder of the Delfina agency, has also made valuable contributions. With a decade of writing for major titles such as WIRED and Le Monde Afrique, she provided invaluable insights into the necessary adaptation of brand messages in an unstable world. She asserts that “it’s essential to move fast while remaining true to one’s principles”.
The discussions led to the chartering of concrete tools to give resilience to the organization:
- Clear internal communication protocols.
- A culture of active listening and transparency vis-à-vis stakeholders.
- Leveraging social networks.
These practical recommendations are crucial to avoiding the amplification of crises and building lasting trust.
With its active involvement in causes such as Women in AI, Lawrence Esso continues to promote ethical and innovative public relations practices. His leadership and contributions to this panel are a reminder that, in an era of rapid transformation, a well-designed communications strategy can turn crisis into opportunity.