Hall of Fame and Hall of Shame – Crisis Communications

Hall of Fame
The company I will be analyzing for the Crisis Hall of Fame is Tito’s Handmade Vodka.
Overview
Tito’s is a widely known, and highly popular vodka brand. The company was established about
20 years ago in Austin, Texas where its headquarters remain. Tito’s is well known for its smooth,
clean taste. The handmade liquor is commonly used for mixed drinks and cocktails.
Crisis & Response
During the height of COVID-19, “People online [were] suggesting vodka as an ingredient to
protect against the coronavirus,” according to an NPR article from 2020. Hand sanitizer is known
to have 60% alcohol, whereas Tito’s vodka contains 40%, making it ineffective in protecting
people from illness. Tito’s quickly responded with a Tweet advising fans not to use it for these
purposes, citing information from the CDC.
Tito’s then decided to start producing and distributing its own hand sanitizer to support those in
need during COVID-19. The company updated fans on its website throughout the process and
finally updated again when the production wrapped up in 2021.
At the end of this support from Tito’s, the company “produced and donated over 1,270 tons of
Tito's Hand Cleanser to those in need, from the folks on the frontline, to nonprofit organizations,
to community members in 48 states,” according to the company website.
Lesson Learned
Tito’s did all the right things in this situation. The company followed best practices and effective,
positive crisis response concepts covered in class. So, here’s what others can learn from Tito’s:
 Pursuing utilitarianism.
o As a company centered around vodka, making hand sanitizer was not exactly in
the cards for Tito’s. With the worldwide crisis, they made the profitless decision
to help others and do the most good for the most people.
o This also applies to the instructing information concept in the lecture. Tito’s
instructed stakeholders and customers to protect themselves by refraining from
using the product as a sanitizer.
 Two-way symmetrical communication
o Tito’s took the correct steps in terminating the misinformation being spread about
its product while protecting fans and customers. Using social media at its zenith
was a great way to communicate and inform. Users also used the comment section
to express feelings and ask questions.
o Posting continuous updates on its website was an optimal decision of Tito’s as
well. Although there was no way for people to respond directly on the site page,
Tito’s established transparency and clear communication throughout the process.
Hall of Shame
The celebrity I will be analyzing for the Crisis Hall of Shame is Colleen Ballinger.
Overview
Ballinger is famous for her silly, unhinged character, Miranda Sings. Some may call it her alter
ego. Ballinger has a website, YouTube channel, and Netflix show all dedicated to Miranda Sings.
In early June of 2023, the 36-year-old was accused of being inappropriate with underage fans.
She has also been accused of wrongdoings for years. This includes sending a 13-year-old a pair
of underwear, invoking racial stereotypes, shaming overweight people, and many other
allegations. Most of these were diminished by her claiming these things were “jokes” and that it
was just “stupid” of her to do.
Crisis & Response
On June 28, 2023, Ballinger released a 10-minute video of her singing and playing the ukulele on
her personal page in an “attempt” to “apologize” or respond to the buzz around her suspicious
actions. The video not only went viral on her account but all over social media. But it was not
taken positively by (almost) anyone.
In our “Messaging” class lecture, we learn about roles in media framing, which include the
villain, victim, and vindicator. In Ballinger’s attempt, she frames herself as the victim of the toxic
gossip train. She mentions entertaining viewers and viewers having fun by “spreading rumors”
about the situation.
The video was not taken well and there are countless edits mocking and making fun of the video
on TikTok and other social media platforms.
Lesson Learned
Ballinger single-handedly disregarded any media training, PR plans, and best practices while
handling and responding to this crisis. Although famous YouTubers claim Ballinger has already
“destroyed her career,” there are plenty of key takeaways from this crisis, whether she considers
them in the future or not:
 “Use appropriate tone and language” – Messaging lecture.
o The ukulele and the singing did it for everyone from the jump. The entire concept
of this is highly inappropriate during a crisis situation. This format also made the
video extremely hard to take seriously.
 A formal video where Ballinger was actually speaking, like the adult she
legally is, would have been easier to digest and more appropriate
considering the allegations she was defending.
 A written social media post also would have been an option in this
situation. As these allegations came through, Ballinger’s reputation
crumbled. A clear, direct message to fans would have been more
respectable, and taken more seriously.