The role of empathy in crisis communications
Multiple panelists agreed that empathy should be at the center of a brand’s response. Brittany Brown, director of the digital and technology division at NASA, shared how her team navigated a recent misinformation crisis when false reports claimed astronauts were stranded in space.
“I saw a viral X post that said the astronauts would lose oxygen in 43 days, which was fake news. There were 7 million people who had seen this and believed it as truth. So, I made a recommendation that we publish FAQs on our website about how the space station works, what we have on the station available to the crew, and information about this mission,” Brown explained. “Within a day, 90,000 people viewed the post, 80% from Google searches. That’s a good example of being present, being transparent, and educating your audiences, especially when there’s misinformation out there.”
Action over words
A common pitfall in crisis response, according to the panelists, is issuing statements without taking meaningful action. Kim Chappell, chief brand officer at Bobbie, a fast-growing infant formula company, described how her brand pivoted during the California wildfires.
