#crisis-communications

#crisis-communications

In the past week, chaos ensued at short-term rental company Sonder's properties after Marriott ended their licensing agreement on Sunday. A day later, Sonder announced that it would file for Chapter 7 bankruptcy. Guests staying at Sonder properties were given notice at the eleventh hour to vacate their rooms, forcing them to book alternative accommodations at sometimes- exorbitant prices. A pair of crisis communications experts say Marriott's biggest mistake was losing control of the narrative.

Not long ago, hackers claimed to have stolen nearly 19 million customer records from TalkTalk. Within hours, that number appeared in headlines across the U.K. and beyond. The problem was that it was not true. TalkTalk later pushed back, calling the claim "wholly inaccurate" and "very significantly overstated." But by then, the damage was done. Customers, regulators, and journalists had already absorbed the hacker's story as fact, and TalkTalk's correction barely registered in comparison.

When an attack hits one organization, the ripple effects can quickly spread across industries, partners, and professional associations. In many cases, the company at the center of the breach is not the only one facing scrutiny. Others connected by name, sector, or even loose affiliation may suddenly find themselves fielding tough questions, monitoring headlines, and scrambling to reassure stakeholders. This phenomenon is known as association risk, and for communications leaders, it represents a growing challenge.