The PR Breakdown with Molly McPherson 226: PR Disaster: How A Woman's Stand Against Inappropriate Company Chat On TikTok Went Viral
When Boston-based staff executive, Whitney Sharpe, outlined the actions she took to address her disturbing experience of sexual harassment on TikTok, she had no idea that it would become viral overnight and be viewed by over 14 million people. The original incident had taken place while on a work call with potential vendors, during which, Whitney captured a profoundly unprofessional incident. Thanks to the ill-advised (and highly consequential) misuse of the screen-share function, Whitney was exposed to a company chat wherein staff members had made crude sexual remarks about her. Whitney’s recent TikTok demonstrates how one company was completely unprepared to handle a massive vulnerability within their organization and the fallout that is taking place as a result. Hear about the company’s lack of response online, what was missing from their apology email, how to ensure that your company is prepared for this type of exposure, and the importance of honoring your values as a company.
Key Points From This Episode:
- How Whitney Sharpe, a Boston-based executive at a large staffing firm, took a stand against sexual harassment and went viral on TikTok.
- The inappropriate company chat that Whitney was exposed to.
- How Whitney captured the interaction and went viral on TikTok.
- What happens when an HR crisis collides with a PR crisis.
- The key vulnerabilities that Whitney’s viral TikTok exposes within the company she is confronting.
- The email Whitney received from the company in response to her complaint.
- Why the email fell short and felt like an ‘insincere’ apology.
- The company’s choice not to respond to Whitney’s viral TikTok.
- The growing trend of companies not responding to public outcry.
- How to ensure that your company is ready for this type of exposure.
- Recommendations on the social media guidelines that companies should be
If you work in strategy or communication, join Molly on December 17 at 12 PM ET for a 60-minute live media training that breaks down a crisis in real time. RFK Jr is being hit from two sides at once. Now Olivia Nuzzi’s memoir is out, weeks after Tatiana Schlossberg’s essay landed a punch. We'll walk through the headlines, the data, the sentiment, press coverage, then map out what a competent response would actually look like. Click here to attend.
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