How does brands' participation in an accidental controversy affect their reputation?: An application of the situational crisis communication theory to firestorms
2023 (English)Independent thesis Basic level (degree of Bachelor), 10 credits / 15 HE credits
Student thesis
Abstract [en]
This study aims to investigate the strategies used by brands to recover from firestorms following controversies in the age of social media. The focus is on understanding the brand-customer relationship aspect of firestorms and the importance of monitoring and comprehending them to minimize their impact. The study applies the SCCT to analyze two specific firestorms and their effects on brand reputation. The research questions focus on the initial crisis responsibility attached to the firestorm, the history the brand have with crisis and previous reputation. The study employs an exploratory qualitative research approach using a case study design. Data collection involves observing brands' social media and other communication channels to identify firestorm patterns and brand responses. Judgment sampling is used for sample selection, guided by relevant variables from the literature. Thematic analysis is employed to analyze qualitative data, with the SCCT guiding the analysis. Overall, this study contributes to understanding firestorms, trust recovery, and crisis communication in the digital age. The findings will shed light on effective strategies for managing and rebuilding brand reputation following firestorms.
Place, publisher, year, edition, pages
2023. , p. 41
Keywords [en]
Firestorms, Situational Crisis Communication Theory, reputation, trust recovery
National Category
Business Administration
Identifiers
URN: urn:nbn:se:ltu:diva-101701OAI: oai:DiVA.org:ltu-101701DiVA, id: diva2:1812723
Educational program
Bachelor Programme in International Business Administration
Supervisors
Examiners
2023-11-172023-11-162023-11-17Bibliographically approved