The PR Breakdown with Molly McPherson

195: Why Your Customer Is Coming After You: Behind-The-Scenes From My Clients’ Pain


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An inside look at how a PR crisis manager helps a client with disenfranchised customers.

In this episode, we explore the triggers that make an unsatisfied customer seek retribution. We discuss the journey from victim to activist, and why campaigns are being branded as calls to action for other victims. Also discussed are the different stages of the victim-to-activist cycle and how companies can restore trust while maintaining their credibility.

 

Key Points From This Episode: 

  • Today we will be discussing the change that is happening in the activism playbook. 
  • Molly’s experience joining TikTok. 
  • Why activism emerges from the victim to activism cycle. 
  • Discussing the victim to activism cycle. 
  • Why activism campaigns are branding their successes using a call to action to engage as a victim.
  • The different stages of the Lukaszewski victim cycle.
  • Why activists and victims love the idea of a forum.
  • How companies can handle victims' need for an apology. 
  • Call to action: identify who the victim is, determine where they are in the victim cycle, and determine what you can do.
  • Today’s Indestructible PR tip: do what you need to do immediately to keep your credibility. 


 
Tweetables:



“Every business has a victim. Every organization has a victim.” — @MollyMcPherson [0:05:49]



“What [victims] are looking for is the guilty party.” — @MollyMcPherson [0:11:51]



“That’s my call to you for this podcast: define who your victim might be, identify who your victim is, and determine what you’re going to do to fix it.” — @MollyMcPherson [0:18:00]



“A crisis waits for no one.” — @MollyMcPherson [0:19:07]



Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode:

  • Molly McPherson on TikTok
  • Molly McPherson on Twitter
  •  Listen and Subscribe on Apple Podcasts

 

Want More Behind the Breakdown?
Follow The PR Breakdown with Molly McPherson on Substack for early access to podcast episodes, exclusive member chats, weekly lives, and monthly workshops that go deeper than the mic. It's the insider’s hub for communicators who want strategy with spine—and a little side-eye where it counts.

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Need a Keynote Speaker? Drawing from real-world PR battles, Molly delivers the same engaging stories and hard-won crisis insights from the podcast to your live audience. Click here to book Molly for your next meeting.

This podcast is supported by Muck Rack, the PR management platform I use to monitor media coverage, track journalist activity, and inform high-stakes strategy with real-time data. Click here to try Muck Rack for yourself.


Follow & Connect with Molly:

  • https://www.youtube.com/mollymcpherson
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