Proxemics 042 is a compilation of viral crises and PR case studies from August, hosted by Mercy Tahitoe and Stephanie Sicilia. The starting point: PR is not just the fire brigade called in once a brand is in trouble. The line between a communication problem and an operational problem is real, and a brand has to walk the talk before PR can save it.
For PR practitioners, event organizers, agency people and marketers: real examples from incidents in the field.
Jump to
- 00:00 Intro
- 01:15 Protest de-escalation and the asset seizure issue
- 08:04 Bank Mandiri crisis management (Awi’s blocked account)
- 15:42 Event PR case: the Newport incident and the MC’s role
- 23:41 Netizens vs independent podcasters at a state event
- 32:47 Individual tactics on Threads (BMW breakdown at Lotte)
- 39:35 Customer service vs arguing back (Hyundai Ioniq 5)
- 44:36 Apple CEO leadership transition (John Ternus)
- 52:29 Closing
On the mic
Key takeaways
- Crisis reputation at a financial institution. How Bank Mandiri carried out account blocking without proactive communication to customers (including Awi’s own experience). The lack of transparency cost trust, and some netizens emptied their balances as a symbolic protest.
- Event blunders and who controls the narrative. The Newport brand incident at The Sound Project. Virality cuts both ways at an event, and the MC holds the mic: if an audience member drifts into a sensitive issue, the MC has to take control back to protect the brand.
- State vs regime through a PR lens. Independent podcasters attacked for attending a state ceremony; audience maturity in telling celebrating the nation apart from backing a government, and the need for a clear brand stance.
- Grassroots communication: BMW vs Hyundai. A BMW owner whose car broke down in Senopati apologised proactively on Threads, in contrast with a Hyundai Ioniq 5 sales supervisor who argued defensively with an influencer over battery and fast-charging complaints.
- Internal communication for a new Apple CEO. The CEO transition from Tim Cook to John Ternus. Before convincing the public, PR uses the Pareto principle (80/20) to win the key 20%, starting with layered internal communication so employees and shareholders trust the new leadership.
FAQ
What is Proxemics 042 about?
Proxemics 042: a compilation of viral crises and PR case studies from August. Bank Mandiri account blocking, the Newport incident at The Sound Project, BMW vs Hyundai Ioniq 5 grassroots responses, and Apple’s CEO transition. Watch: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YaKWS91ys1A
Who hosts?
Mercy Tahitoe and Stephanie Sicilia.
Where is audio/video for 042?
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YaKWS91ys1A. Buzzsprout: not yet, watch YouTube for now.
Mentioned on the mic
- Bank Mandiri
- Newport
- Orang Tua Group
- The Sound Project
- BCA
- DBS
- BMW
- Hyundai Ioniq 5
- Apple
- Tim Cook
- Steve Jobs
- John Ternus
- Pareto principle (80/20)
- Event Organizer
- Crisis Management
- Internal Communications
- Leadership Transition
- Customer Service
Listen & watch
Watch on YouTube now. Audio on Buzzsprout is coming. Spotify and Apple Podcasts open the full series.