A crisis makes people want to do something fast.
That instinct is understandable. Customers are asking questions. Employees are nervous. Someone on the team says, “Should we send a press release?”
Maybe. But not always.
A press release can help during a crisis when you have clear, verified information the public needs to know. It can also make things worse when it is rushed, vague, defensive, or used as a substitute for real communication.
The first question is not, “Can we issue a release?”
The better question is, “Do we have something useful and true to say?”
Do not send a press release before you know the facts
Speed matters in a crisis, but accuracy matters more. The CDC’s crisis communication guidance emphasizes the need to be right and credible, because inconsistent or premature information can create confusion and reduce trust.
If you do not yet know what happened, who was affected, what risk remains, or what action you are taking, a press release may create more confusion. Worse, you may have to correct it later.
That correction becomes part of the story.
It is fine to acknowledge that you are investigating. But that may be better handled through a short website update, customer email, social post, or direct note to affected people.
A press release carries weight. Use it when the information is ready to stand up to public scrutiny.
Do not send one to “get ahead of the story” with spin
There is a difference between being transparent and trying to steer attention away from the problem.
Reporters can smell spin. So can customers.
If the real message is “this is not our fault,” pause. A crisis press release should not read like a courtroom defense or a marketing brochure. It should explain what happened, what you know, what you are doing, and where people can get updates.
A defensive release often makes the company look smaller, not stronger.
Do not send one when affected people have not been told first
This is a common mistake.
If customers, employees, partners, patients, investors, or community members are directly affected, they should not learn about the issue from a press release.
Tell the people closest to the problem first.
For example, if a data issue affects 2,000 customers, notify those customers directly before making a broad announcement. If an employee injury occurred, make sure internal and family communication are handled with care before public messaging begins.
A press release should not replace human responsibility.
Do not send one if legal review is still unresolved
Some crises involve liability, regulation, law enforcement, insurance, contracts, or employment issues.
That does not mean you should say nothing. Silence can be damaging too. But it does mean you should coordinate with legal counsel before issuing a public statement.
The goal is not to let lawyers drain the humanity out of the message. The goal is to avoid saying something inaccurate, premature, or harmful to people involved.
Do not send a press release just because the crisis is embarrassing
Not every negative situation needs a press release.
A bad review, a short service outage, a local complaint, or a small internal mistake may be better handled directly. Going public can sometimes spread a story that would have stayed limited.
Ask yourself: Who needs this information? Are they already being reached? Would a press release help them, or would it simply make us feel like we are doing something?
There is no award for making a small fire visible from the highway.
Do not send one without a clear next step
A crisis release should never leave people wondering what to do.
Should customers call a support line? Avoid using a product? Watch for an update? Visit a specific page? Contact a certain department?
If you cannot give people a clear next step, you may not be ready for a release.
Even a simple next step helps: “We will post another update by 3 p.m. Eastern on Friday” is better than “We are monitoring the situation.”
When a press release does make sense
Use one when the issue is public, material, time-sensitive, or likely to affect a broad audience. If you are ready to issue a statement, review these crisis press release examples so your message stays clear, factual, and useful. Say what happened. Say what you know. Say what you are doing. Say what comes next.
Say what happened. Say what you know. Say what you are doing. Say what comes next.
The practical test
Before sending a crisis press release, ask four questions:
- Is this information verified?
- Have the affected people been contacted directly?
- Does this statement help the public understand what happened?
- Are we prepared to answer follow-up questions?
If the answer to any of those is no, pause.
In a crisis, the goal is not to look polished. The goal is to be useful, honest, and steady. Sometimes that means sending a press release. Sometimes it means doing the harder work first.
Mickie Kennedy founded eReleases.com in 1998 after watching PR firms charge small businesses a $20,000 minimum for a single press release. For 27 years, he’s been closing that gap — distributing 150,000+ releases via Cision PR Newswire, serving 30,000+ clients including Manscaped, Squatty Potty, and 40+ Shark Tank brands, and generating $132M+ in earned media. A sought-after podcast guest and two-time Amazon bestselling author of Beginner’s Guide to Writing Powerful Press Releases and The PR Strategy Manifesto. Mickie holds an MFA in Creative Writing from George Mason University. Based in Baltimore, MD. LinkedIn