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Setting Things Right

By: Loren Wassell | 08/06/2008

When things go wrong, you have an issue to manage. But, prompt positive action can turn the situation around -- or, at least, nip it in the bud. Circuit City just demonstrated this.

Mad Magazine published a parody Circuit City ad, poking fun at things like the price of flat-screen TVs and hard-to-find Wii gaming systems. Apparently, someone at headquarters ordered Circuit City stores to remove and destroy the magazines, and the Consumerist Web site posted both the fake ad and the real e-mail.

Jim Babb, in Circuit City's corporate communications office, fired off a note to the Consumerist, reporting that the censorship directive had been reversed and he'd apologized to Mad's editors. By displaying a sense of humor, his quick response and tone headed off an issue:

Speaking as "an embarrassed corporate PR Guy," I apologized for the fact that some overly-sensitive souls at our corporate headquarters ordered the removal of the August issue of MAD Magazine from our stores. Please keep in mind that only 40 of our 700 stores sell magazines at all...

In addition I have offered to send the MAD Magazine Editor a $20.00 Circuit City Gift Card, toward the purchase of a Nintendo Wii....if he can find one!

"Someone with a brain stopped the madness," reported the Consumerist, posting Babb's e-mail. The site continued:

Let's evaluate it on the 3-step system for fixing corporate gaffes:

1. Admitted they were wrong
2. Stopped doing the wrong thing
3. Made a material gesture of apology

Check check and check on all three, plus points for speed. You go, girls.

In comments on the post, The Consumerist's readers also gave the company points for wit, style and speed. Red faces removed and chuckles all around.

It's better not to have the problem in the first place, but when you do have a problem you still have a chance to set things right.

Serious issues require a serious response, but when the issue is about humor it helps to be able to laugh at yourself.

Posted in Digital Communications, Issues and Crisis Management, Reputation Management