PR and the Traitors: What Fiona’s grenade taught us about Crisis Comms 

Like literally everyone else, we cannot get enough of The Traitors. The YS team even has a dedicated group chat and scheduled daily catch-ups just to dissect the action.

 
Having a Head of Communications in the turret this year (Rachel Duffy) has made it even more exciting for PR people. And if you’ve been watching as closely as we have, there were some seriously interesting lessons in crisis communications to take away from last week’s episodes, from handling backlash to using authenticity to your advantage.

The context

Last week, fellow Traitor Fiona threw a grenade into the mix, publicly accusing Rachel of lying about Amanda being a detective. It was a textbook case of Traitor on Traitor betrayal. 

This came totally out of the blue and fundamentally changed the narrative for the entire group. Throwing a massive spanner in existing plans and firmly putting Rachel in the spotlight. What Rachel did in response was a brilliant example of how to manage crisis comms well.

Four tactics that make a crisis communications expert a good Traitor:

1. Taking control of the narrative, and fast! 

The crisis started after Amanda (undercover ex-detective) trusted Rachel with vital information about her secret role, which Rachel shared with the group following Amanda’s banishment. 

2. Responding to criticism quickly, calmly, and decisively. 

Fiona, for reasons known entirely to herself, then proceeded to march around the castle telling everyone that Rachel was lying.

Rachel had a crisis on her hands. She needed to act quickly and decisively. And she did. Rachel followed Fiona from room to room almost immediately with one clear message.

3. Authenticity is key. 

It feels odd to say this about a Traitor, but Rachel was actually telling the truth. Being honest and sharing Amanda’s secret was, and felt, authentic. Rachel didn’t tell everybody everything – but what she did say was based firmly in truth. 

When it comes to Crisis Comms, we always advise clients never to be disingenuous with comms – people have a sense for this and, even if they don’t find out immediately, it will often come back to bite you. Rachel mastered this; she used the truth to her advantage, leaving no lies to later be unpicked (except the obvious one). 

4. Consistent and clear messaging, on repeat.

When Rachel followed Fiona around, not only did she decide to do this quickly, but she stuck to her guns with what she was telling people. She had three key messages on repeat: “I am telling the truth, Fiona has clearly lost the plot and is acting very out of character.”

She said this again and again in the same way. The upshot was that everyone heard the same thing. She had taken control of the narrative.

Crisis communications beyond the turret

You never know when a crisis is going to strike. Whilst we’re not all living in the pressure cooker environment of the Traitor’s Castle, for most brands, the reality is that comms emergencies often come totally out of the blue. 

Whilst it’s always good to know what to do in the moment, the real secret to success is preparation. Every company, of every size, should have at least a basic Crisis Comms plan. 

If you don’t, then put it on your list right now! If you want a hand, drop us a line. 

If you are good at doing it yourself, we’ve put together a helpful guide.