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.

Studien ämnar att undersöka hur Crisis Management kan användas vid utformning av kriskommunikation samt om det går att skilja kommunikation och kriskommunikation åt. I syfte att uppnå detta genomför studien en fallstudie av två svenska företag som är verksamma i fastighetsbranschen under nyproduktionskrisen 2018 (Oscar Properties och Aros Bostad). Fyra kvalitativa semistrukturerade intervjuer med verksamma experter inom kriskommunikation har genomförts i syfte att underbygga och utveckla studiens analytiska grund. Efter genomförd studie har författarna sammanställt och presenterar en modell baserat på Crisis Managements tre olika faser med bidrag från Expressiveness Quotient-modellen. Modellens uppbyggnad är förändrad till att vara cirkulär och ser kriser istället likt ett kretslopp utan några tydliga avgränsningar mellan de olika krisfaserna, eftersom studien visar på svårigheter att skilja dessa åt. Syftet med en modell likt den är att påminna sig och organisationen om att den inte verkar i ett sammanhang skiljt från omvärlden utan att de faktorerna kan komma att spela in på organisationen. Ett exempel från studien och fastighetsbranschen är regeringens införande av amorteringskrav, en extern faktor som organisationerna var tvungna att förhålla sig till och kom att påverka marknaden. Ett annat sådant exempel på en extern faktor som är svår att planera och förutse är mediebevakningen. / The aim of this thesis is to examine how Crisis Management can be applied when formulating crisis communication, and whether there is a distinct difference in how regular communication is built. This thesis consists of a case study subsidized by two companies in the housing industry, Oscar Properties and Aros Bostad, during the crisis on the housing development market 2018. Four qualitative semi-structured interviews with active experts in crisis communication are carried out with the aim of supporting and developing the analytical basis of the study. After completing the study, the authors have compiled and presented a model based on Crisis Management's three different phases and combined it with dimensions from the Expressiveness Quotient-model. The models structure has changed to be circular and defines crises like a cycle. The cycle is carried out without any clear delimitations between the different crisis phases, since the study shows difficulties in distinguishing these. The purpose of a model like this is to remind the organization that they do not operate in a context separate from the outside world but that these factors may affect the organization anyhow. An example from this study and the housing development industry is the government's introduction of amortization requirements, an external factor that the organizations had to consider and came to influence the market. Another example of an external factor which is difficult to plan and predict, is media coverage and how it will affect the organization's reputation.

Syftet med studien var att undersöka hur Parken Zoo använde sig av Facebook för att kommunicera med sina intressenter under en kris som drabbade organisationen hösten 2012. Med hjälp av en kvalitativ textanalys studerade vi de Facebookinlägg som Parken Zoo hade publicerat under krisen. Därefter genomförde vi en kvalitativ intervju med marknadschefen på Parken Zoo, som var ansvarig för kommunikationen på Facebook under krisen. Med hjälp av ett analysverktyg baserat på situational crisis communication theory och image restoration theory kunde vi avgöra vilka försvarsstrategier Parken Zoo hade använt i Facebookinläggen. Resultatet visade att Parken Zoo omedvetet hade använt många olika försvarsstrategier, men att tre tydliga budskap förmedlades i Facebookinläggen. Resultatet visade också att Parken Zoos syfte var att använda Facebook som ett dialogverktyg, men att de i själva verket använde Facebook för att sprida enkelriktad kommunikation. En slutsats vi kunde dra från studen var att det är viktigt för organisationer att vårda sina kundrelationer genom att bemöta intressenternas frågor och kommentarer på sin Facebooksida under en kris. En annan slutsats var att det är viktigt för organisationer att ha en god krisberedskap och att inkludera Facebook i den. / The purpose of this study was to examine how Parken Zoo used Facebook to communicatate with their stakeholders during a crisis 2012. Using a qualitative textual analysis, we examined Parken Zoo’s Face- book posts during the crisis. Next, we conducted a qualitative interview with the marketing manager at Parken Zoo, who was responsible for the organization’s communication on Facebook during the crisis. Using an analysis tool based on situational crisis communication theory and image restoration theory, we assessed which crisis response strategies Parken Zoo had used in their Facebook posts. The results showed that Parken Zoo subconsciously had used many different crisis response strategies, but that three clear messages were conveyed in the Facebook posts. The results also showed that Parken Zoo’s aim was to use Facebook as a dialogue tool, but in fact they used it for one-way communication. One conclusion from this study was that it is important for organizations to care for their relationship with the stakeholders by responding to their questions and comments on their Facebook page during a crisis. Another conclusion was that it is important for organizations to develop a proactive crisis management portfolio and to include Facebook in it.

Forskning inom kriskommunikation tyder på att det är viktigt som företagare att hantera kriskommunikation väl, oavsett storlek på organisationen. Utsläppsskandalen VAG-koncernen orsakade hösten 2015 skakade bilvärlden. Miljoner fordon blev påverkade av skandalen utan förvarning. I dagsläget pågår fortfarande utsläppsskandalen.Syftet med studien var att beskriva och analysera hur VAG-koncernen kommunicerade under utsläppsskandalen, baserat på uttalanden som de själva gjort samt utifrån det bedöma hur koncernen hanterade krisen. Slutligen analyserades resultatet med diskussion där slutsatsenblev att VAG-koncernen överlag hanterat krisen på ett bra sätt genom att de bad om ursäkt för skandalen, tillsatte en ny ledningsgrupp, tog ansvar för situationen och försökte återställa allt så gott det gick. Det negativa var att de agerade långsamt. Rekommendationen från de teorier som använts i denna studie är att agera fort, inom 24-36 timmar efter krisens start. VAG-koncernens första uttalande kom sju dagar efter skandalens uppdagande.De teorier som vi oftast kunde koppla till VAG-koncernens uttalanden var Image Repair Theory (IRT) och Situational Crisis Communication Theory (SCCT). Dessa teorier kopplades till alla tio uttalanden. Fem av uttalandena kopplades till strategin tillrättaläggande inom teorin IRT, vilket var den strategi som hade högst frekvens bland koncernens uttalanden. / Crisis communication is a globally central concept. Research in the area indicates that it isimportant for businesses to handle crisis communication well, regardless the size of theorganization. The emission scandal caused by the VAG-group in the autumn 2015 rattled theautomotive business. Millions of vehicles were affected by the scandal without warning. Thescandal is still going on in present time.The purpose of the study was to describe and analyze how the VAG-group communicatedduring the crisis based on the statements made by the VAG-group. Additionally, also determinehow VAG handled the crisis. Finally the result was analyzed with a discussion where theconclusion is that the VAG-group generally handles the crisis well since they apologized forthe scandal, changed the board, took responsibility for the situation and tried to restoreeverything as much as possible. The only negative aspect was their slow acting. Therecommendation from the theories used in this study is to act fast, within 24-36 hours after thestart of the crisis. For the VAG-group the first statement came seven days after the reveal of thescandal.The theories that we could connect mostly to the statements made by the VAG-group were theImage Repair Theory (IRT) and the Situational Crisis Communication (SCCT). These theoriescould be related to all ten statements. In five of the statements the strategy Corrective actionfrom IRT was connected which was the strategy with the highest frequency within thestatements by the VAG-group.

Denna studie undersöker kommunikationsstrategier hos tre online multibrand retailers (Matches Fashion, Moda Operandi och Mytheresa) verksamma inom lyxsegmentet i modeindustrin under en global pandemi. Krisen har påverkat modeindustrin omfattande och bidragit till ekonomisk instabilitet. Modeindustrin är vidare extra utsatt då den består av globala försörjningskedjor. Givet krisen blir en lojal kundbas för företag viktig för att upprätthålla lönsamheten. Detta med anledning av av den höga kostnaden som förvärv av nya kunder innebär, vilket blir särskilt kritiskt under en lågkonjunktur. Forskningsfrågorna vilka studien ämnar besvara är (i) Hur förändras företags kommunikation till kund under en kris? och (ii) Hur försöker företag upprätthålla kundlojalitet med hjälp av kommunikationsstrategier under en kris? De tre företagens kriskommunikation som återfinns i deras nyhetsbrev analyserades genom att använda det teoretiska ramverket: Situational Crisis Communication Theory (SCCT), utformat av Coombs (2007). En kvalitativ innehållsanalys genomfördes med hjälp av ett strukturerat observationsschema på urvalet om 432 nyhetsbrev. I enlighet med SCCT-teorin (Coombs 2007) påvisade resultatet att de strategier för utformning av kriskommunikation som var mest förekommande antingen var att förminska eller kompensera för krisen. Vidare kunde det utläsas från resultatet att företag genom kommunikationsstrategier försökte upprätthålla kundlojalitet med hjälp av rabattkoder, realisationer, kundservice samt redaktionellt innehåll, vilka är kategorier som framkommit ur operationalisering av kundlojalitet. / This bachelor thesis explores communication strategies of three online multi brand retailers in the luxury segment in the fashion industry; Matches Fashion, Moda Operandi and Mytheresa, during an external crisis, generated by a pandemic disease. Thus leaving the global fashion industry and supply chains with severe repercussions, contributing to a fragile financial environment for companies. Hence, retaining loyal customers is vital for sustaining profitability due to the high cost of acquiring new customers, which becomes critical during an economic recession. The research questions being examined are (i) how companies’ communication towards their customers changes during a crisis and (ii) how they try to maintain customer loyalty through communication strategies during the crisis. By using the theoretical framework Situational Crisis Communication Theory (SCCT), presented by Coombs (2007), each company’s communication through their newsletters was evaluated and analyzed. A qualitative content analysis was conducted on a sample of 432 newsletters using a structured observation schedule with predetermined categories. In accordance with the SCCT-theory (Coombs 2007), the findings showed that the most common strategies for crisis communication were to either diminish or rebuild. Attempts to maintain customer loyalty were communicated through discount codes, sales periods, customer service and editorial content which are categories generated from the operationalization. The thesis is written in Swedish.

The purpose of this study is to examine how the oat milk company Oatly applies crisis communication strategies and rhetorical components to maintain a good reputation and legitimacy in relation to the crisis regarding the investment firm Blackstone Growth. Creating a discrepancy between the way Oatly act and the way they present themselves; Oatly is presented as a sustainable company while Blackstone has been criticized to jeopardize environmental and human rights issues. The study provides three research questions: 1) How does Oatly apply CSR to their work and how can their sustainability work be related to the company’s crisis communication? 2) How is Oatly’s crisis communication portrayed in relation to the debated crisis regarding Blackstone Growth, based on IRT and SCCT? and 3) How does Oatly use rhetorical concepts in their crisis communication to maintain and construct their reputation? The material on which the study is based consists of press releases and sustainability reports published by Oatly as well as statements published in several articles made by the company CEO and communications manager. Based on a critical approach, the theoretical framework consists of the ideas from Corporate Social Responsibility, Image Repair Theory and Situational Crisis Communication Theory. Through a critical rhetorical analysis, the material is analyzed using the theoretical framework. The findings show that there is a correlation between Oatly’s crisis communication and their sustainability work, which is characterized by a persuasive rhetorical approach.

Vi har genomfört en innehålls- och textanalys samt retorisk analys av Furuviksparkens inlägg på Instagram och uttalanden i press och tv under schimpansincidenten 2022 i syfte att undersöka hur de använt olika strategier och retoriska medel för att upprätthålla sitt anseende och image. Med Image Repair Theory, Situational Crisis Communication Theory och retorikens appellformer har vi kunnat identifiera hur Furuvikparken använder olika strategier inom dessa teorier samt retoriska medel. I vår studie framkommer flera betydelsefulla resultat som ger insikter i hur Furuviksparken formulerade sina budskap under schimpansincidenten. En framstående observation är användingen av varierande retoriska strategier beroende på medieform. Furuviksparkens Instagram-inlägg utmärker sig genom en konsekvent ton och budskapsstruktur över tid, vilket indikerar en medveten ansträngning att bibehålla ett förtroendeingivande varumärke. Vidare visar studien på en dynamik i de retoriska strategierna över krisens förlopp. Pressutlåtanden och tv-intervjuer genomgick förändring där olika strategier som tillrättaläggande och återuppbyggnad användes i olika faser av krisen. Slutligen, vår analys pekar på en medveten användning av situational crisis communication- och image repair-strategier. Furuviksparken har strategiskt tillämpat dessa stratgier för att hantera och reparera sitt rykte under schimpansincidenten. Strategierna kan ses som ett försök att påverka uppfattningen om organisationen och skapa en positiv bild trots krisen. / We have carried out a content and text analysis as well as a rethorical analysis of Furuviksparkens posts on Instagram and statments in the press and on television during the 2022 chimpanzee incident in order to study how they used different strategies and rethorical means to maintain their reputation and image. With Image Repair Theory, Situational Crisis Communication Theory and rethorical forms of appeal, we have been able to identify how Furuviksparken uses different strategies within these theories as well as rethorical means. In our study, several significant results appear that provide insights into how Furuviksparken constructed its messages during the chimpanzee incident. A prominent observation is the use of varying rethorical strategies depending on the media form. Furuviksparkens Instagram posts are distinguished by a consistent tone and message structure over time, indicating a conscious effort to maintain a trustworthy organization. Furthermore, the study shows a dynamic in the rethorical strategies over the course of the crisis. Press statments and television interviews underwent change where different strategies such as relief and reconstruction were used in different phases of the crisis. Our analysis points to a conscious use of situational crisis communication- and image repair strategies. Furuviksparken has strategically applied these strategies to manage and repair its reputation during the incident. The strategies can be seen as an attempt to influence the perception of the organization and create a positive image during the incident.

This research analyzes the crisis communications tactics employed by the National Football League at key points during the concussion crisis in relation to strategies recommended by models based on image restoration theory and situational crisis communications theory. The discrepancies between the NFL's tactics and recommended situational tactics, viewed in light of the financial and market increases for the league over the duration of the crisis, show the need for an additional component in accepted crisis communications models. Cultural ingrainment is posited as a component to be added to present models as a mitigating factor of organizational harm in cases of strong attribution of organizational responsibility. This addition of cultural ingrainment provides an explanation for the possibility of so-called “invincible brands.”

This study investigates the influence of different crisis response strategies and relationship history on corporate credibility and the dimensions of the organizational-public relationship. The relationship dimensions examined were trust, commitment, satisfaction and control mutuality. An experiment was conducted among undergraduate students drawn from an introductory mass communication class. Results indicate that when an organization's relationship history with its publics is positive, the public is more likely to view the post-crisis relationship quality and organizational credibility as positive than negative. Additionally, more accommodative crisis response strategies have a greater impact on relationship quality than less accommodative strategies. Crisis response strategy does not have an effect on corporate credibility. The results emphasize the importance of relationship building before crises and of assessing previous relationship history when matching response strategies to crises.

Title: Political Parties’ in Social Media - A case study of political parties’ crisis management in social media Introduction: The emergence of social media platforms has transformed how organizations communicate with stakeholders. The concept of social media is top of agenda for many business executives today. While some argue social media to provide unique opportunities for organizations, others argue the opposite. The rise of social media enables crises to escalate, implying that organizations need to have well-established crisis management strategies. In the Swedish election of 2014, social media is predicted to have enormous influence on the end result for the political parties. Prior to this thesis, no previous research has looked deeper into the context of crisis management in social media for political parties in Sweden. It is in the political context where this study contributes to the research area. Purpose: The aim of this paper is to investigate political parties’ crisis management in social media, using strategies developed for commercial organizations, and thereby contribute to the research of non-commercial organizations. Methodology: A triangulation method was used of semi structured interviews and archival analysis on four crises of political parties. Eight parties in the Swedish parliament where deliberately selected. However, only four of the parties, Socialdemokraterna (S), Sverigedemokraterna (SD), Vänsterpartiet (V) and Centerpartiet (C), had the possibility to participate in the study. Conclusion: (S), (V) and (C) all used both Facebook and Twitter as a crisis communication channel especially due to its speed and spread. However, (SD) did not use social media as crisis communication channel. The crisis management in social media of each party could improve immensely, however limited resources of employees and finance was found to be the main reasons holding the progress back. Conclusively, dialogue strategies and to some extent response strategies used by commercial organizations are indeed frequently used by political parties as well.