As readers of my prior columns know, there are certain times of year when news coverage of corporate and legal issues gains little traction. Late August is one these times, Fourth of July week another. The granddaddy of them all, though, is the year-end holiday season.
With Christmas, Hanukkah, New Year’s, and other holidays piled together, the public’s attention is elsewhere—particularly when it comes to more complex, nuanced announcements one often finds in the legal communications context. Thus, from about December 15 through year’s end, it is prime time to push out news of settlements, bury negative stories regarding company practices and performance, and otherwise mute the public perception impact of corporate news.
But you still can’t do stupid things, even in these “dead zones.” Although fewer customers, shareholders, plaintiffs lawyers, and financial types are watching, some still are. . . and in the age of the Internet, they move quickly. And here’s a media paradox: while many reporters are away, those who remain are often looking for the type of story that “writes itself.”
It’s a very dangerous time to be making very public mistakes.
Exhibit A: Verizon Wireless, generally a pretty savvy operator when it comes to public perception matters, made a really foolish error in the week between Christmas and New Year’s. . . and then—egg on face—reversed themselves within 24 hours. The episode offers lessons in how quickly reputational damage can go viral, even during the quietest of news cycles.
On December 29, Verizon Wireless announced on its website that it would begin charging a $2 “convenience fee” for customers who made one-time payments of their monthly bills with a credit or debit card using the Internet or their telephone’s automatic payment system.
